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 Scientific Name Member Species/Taxa Count Geographic DistributionEarliest castorids are known from the late Eocene and Oligocene of North America and Asia 1 Defining CharacteristicsMedium to large, semiaquatic rodents with sleek bodies and webbed hind feet 1 Identification
Distinguishing AppearanceTails are flattened and scaly, an adaptation for maneuvering in water 1 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 SourceReader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.