Hamster, common name applied to several species of rodent. They are characterized by pockets on each cheek, also called abazones, used to store food, have a dense, soft fur and stocky body with short legs and tail. One species can measure 30 centimeters, Hamsters live in burrows underground composed of several chambers, one is used as a storehouse for food, consisting mainly of cereal grains. Sometimes these animals are serious pests for agriculture. Hamsters hibernate during the winter, but usually wake up to eat the food stored. Another chamber of the burrow is used as a nest and the female gives birth to her several times a year, a litter of up to 18 pups. Young hamsters are weaned at two or three weeks, and shortly after leaving their parents and build their own burrows. In some places they eat their meat and fur of some species is used as a lining for coats.
The range of hamsters extends throughout Eurasia and the steppes, plains and deserts of Central Asia. The hamster is a highly esteemed species, it is used in medical research and as a pet. In 1956, it was discovered that hamsters could also contract the disease common cold. This discovery was of great importance in investigating the virus that causes it in humans.
There are 24 races that are:
Cricetus cricetus / European Hamster
Syrian hamster / hamster gold
Mesocricetus brandti / turkish hamster
Mesocricetus newtoni / Hamster roman
Mesocricetus raddel / hamster Ciscaucasia
Phodopus sungorus sungorus / Hamster Siberian / White winter
Phodopus sungorus Campelli / Russian Hamster
Phodopus campbelli / campbell hamster
Phodopus hamster / hamster roborowski
Cricetulus alticola / Hamster of Ladak
Cricetulus barabensis / Chinese Striped Hamster
Cricetulus curtatus / Mongolian Hamster
Cricetulus eversmanni / Eversmann's hamster
Cricetulus griseus / Chinese hamster
Cricetulus kamensis / Tibetan Hamster
Cricetulus longicaudatus / lesser long-tailed hamster
Migratorius Cricetulus griseus / Hamster Armenian
Cricetulus migratorius migratorius / Hamster Armenian or gray hamster migrator
Cricetulus triton / greater long-tailed hamster
Cricetulus obscurus
Cricetulus pseudogriseus
Calomyscus bailwardi / hamster-mouse
Baluchi Calomyscus
Calomyscus mystax
Calomyscus urartensis
Cansumys canus
Tailed Rat / Hamster South African
No comments:
Post a Comment