The order Rodentia is the most abundant and successful group of mammals, and it has been a focal point of attention for compar- ative and evolutionary biologists for many years. In addition, rodents are the most commonly used experimental mammals for bio- medical research, and they have played a central role in investi- gations of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of speciation in mammals. During recent decades, a tremendous amount of new data from various aspects of the biology of living and fossil rodents has been accumulated by specialists from different disciplines, ranging from...

The order Rodentia is the most abundant and successful group of mammals, and it has been a focal point of attention for compar- ative and evolutionary biologists for many years. In addition, rodents are the most commonly used experimental mammals for bio- medical research, and they have played a central role in investi- gations of the genetic and molecular mechanisms of speciation in mammals. During recent decades, a tremendous amount of new data from various aspects of the biology of living and fossil rodents has been accumulated by specialists from different disciplines, ranging from...