Dipodidae is the family of jerboas, nocturnal hopping desert rodents found across North Africa and Asia, classified within the mouse like suborder Myomorpha. Jerboas are obligate bipeds with long hind legs, short forelegs and long tails, and their metatarsal bones are fused into a single cannon bone that gives them leverage for jumping up to 3 meters and running as fast as 24 kilometers per hour when chased. The family is divided into several subfamilies holding numerous genera adapted to desert life.
Facts
Taxonomic Rank Sources
1. Wikipedia: Jerboa
WikipediaIntroductionQuote, Introduction
Jerboas ( ) are the members of the family Dipodidae.
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