What is New World rats and mice?
{{no sources|date=July 2022}} {{Taxobox | name = New World Rats and Mice | fossil_range = Late [[Miocene]] - Recent | image = Sigmodon hispidus1.jpg | image_width = 200px | image_caption = ''[[Sigmodon hispidus]]'' | regnum = [[Animal]]ia | phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]] | classis = [[Mammal]]ia | ordo = [[Rodent]]ia | superfamilia = [[Muroidea]] | familia = [[Cricetidae]]<br><small>in part</small> | subdivision_ranks = [[Subfamily|Subfamilies]] | subdivision = [[Neotominae]]<br> [[Sigmodontinae]]<br> [[Tylomyinae]] }} The '''New World rats and mice''' are a group of [[rodent]]s from the family [[Cricetidae]]. They are mammals with fur and long tails. These animals live in the wild in [[North America|North]] and [[South America]]. The group is very large, with about 500 different [[species]]. Biologists are not sure whether the group is [[monophyletic|descended from a common ancestor]], so there is no scientific name for it. There are three subfamilies, [[Neotominae]], [[Sigmodontinae]] and [[Tylomyinae]]. Members of the New World rats and mice have occupied different [[ecology|ecological]] niches. Because of this, they have developed different forms. Most of them resemble [[rat]]s or [[mouse|mice]] in appearance, but some look like [[vole]]s, [[mole]]s, [[gerbil]]s or [[shrew]]s. The biggest of them are [[Kunsia]], with about 16–30&nbsp;cm body length, and about 8–16&nbsp;cm tail. Among the smallest are [[Baiomys]], with about 5–8&nbsp;cm body length, and about 5&nbsp;cm tail. Most of the New World rats and mice live on the ground, but are good climbers. Some live in trees. Others dig holes in the ground, or live part of their life in the water. New world rats and mice do not [[hibernation|hibernate]], but on cold days in winter, they sometimes fall into a [[torpor]]. The New World rats and mice have many [[predator]]s, and usually live only a short time. In the wild, these animals usually live for less than a year, but they have reached ages of up to five years old when kept indoors and protected by people.