The precocial mouse, Acomys cahirinus

Abstract

Acomys cahirinus (the “spiny mouse”) is a member of the same rodent subfamily as the laboratory rat and mouse. Acomys differs from the laboratory species in several ways, including the fact that it is adapted to a semiarid lifestyle and is born after a long gestation with functional sensory and motor systems. The existing, and quite dispersed, literature on the anatomy, physiology, and behavior of Acomys is briefly reviewed. © 1990, Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.