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Taxa

Castoridae

Mammal Families

Castoridae is the beaver family, in the rodent suborder Castorimorpha, containing the single living genus Castor with two species, the North American beaver and the Eurasian beaver. Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents known for building dams and lodges from felled trees and mud, and the family also includes numerous extinct genera known from the fossil record.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Family 1
Scientific Name
Castoridae 1
Member Species/Taxa Count
2 1
Geographic Distribution
Earliest castorids are known from the late Eocene and Oligocene of North America and Asia 1
Defining Characteristics
Medium to large, semiaquatic rodents with sleek bodies and webbed hind feet 1
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Tails are flattened and scaly, an adaptation for maneuvering in water 1
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 2
In the Other Atlases
  • Also in Geography Atlas: Asia, found in there.
  • Also in Geography Atlas: North America, found in there.
Sources
1. Castoridae - Wikipedia
  • Lead sentence
    Castoridae is a family of rodents that contains the two living species of beavers and their fossil relatives.
  • Lead sentence, family name clause
    Castoridae is a family of rodents that contains the two living species of beavers and their fossil relatives.
  • Lead sentence, species count clause
    Castoridae is a family of rodents that contains the two living species of beavers and their fossil relatives.
  • Evolution section, earliest occurrence clause
    known from the late Eocene and Oligocene of North America and Asia
  • Characteristics section, body form sentence
    Castorids are medium-sized mammals, although large compared with most other rodents. They are semiaquatic, with sleek bodies and webbed hind feet.
  • Characteristics section, tail sentence
    Their tails are flattened and scaly, adaptations that help them manoeuvre in the water.
View the Source
2. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ261363, descriptionView the Source
Wikidata: Castoridae
Wikidata Q261363, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
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