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Glires

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

A scientific illustration showing different types of rodents and lagomorphs, two groups of small mammals.

Glires is a group of animals that includes rodents and lagomorphs, which are animals like rabbits, hares, and pikas. Scientists have debated for a long time whether these animals truly belong together in one group. Studies using the shape and structure of these animals, especially fossils found in 2003, provided strong support that they do share a common ancestor. These fossils helped scientists understand how rodents and lagomorphs are connected. More recent studies using DNA evidence have also added support to the idea that Glires is a real group, although some data has been less clear. Other research suggests that a group of animals called Scandentia might be closely related to Glires as well.

Images

Illustration of a tree shrew, a small mammal, from a historical scientific book.
Illustration of a mountain hare, showing its distinctive features and appearance.
Illustration of a flying fox, also known as a colugo, against a white background.
Illustration of Anagale gobiensis, an extinct mammal from the Early Oligocene period, showing what scientists believe this ancient relative of rodents and rabbits may have looked like.
Illustration of a tree shrew, a small mammal native to Southeast Asia.
An artist's illustration of Purgatorius, one of the earliest known primates from ancient North America.
An artistic reconstruction of Plesiadapis, an early mammal from the prehistoric era.
An illustration of a brown rat, known scientifically as Rattus norvegicus.
An illustration of Mimotona wana, an ancient relative of rabbits.
Illustration of an aardvark, a unique African mammal known for its long snout and tongue.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Glires, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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