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A cotton rat is any member of the rodent genus ''Sigmodon''. They are called cotton rats because they build their nests out of cotton, and can damage cotton crops. Cotton rats have small ears and dark coats, and are found in North and South America. Members of this genus are distributed in the Southwestern USA, Mexico, Central America and South American countries of: Venezuela, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Guyana and Suriname. Many of the species are found in Mexico. They are primarily herbivores. The molars of cotton rats are S-shaped when viewed from above. The genus name literally means S-tooth. ''Sigmodon hispidus'' was the first model organism to be used in polio research. ==Classification== *Genus ''Sigmodon'' * *Subgenus ''Sigmodon'' * * *''Sigmodon hispidus'' species group * * * *''Sigmodon alleni'' - Allen's cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon arizonae'' - Arizona cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon hirsutus'' - southern cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon hispidus'' - hispid cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon mascotensis'' - west Mexican cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon ochrognathus'' - yellow-nosed cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon planifrons'' - Miahuatlán cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon toltecus'' - Toltec cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon zanjonensis'' - montane cotton rat * * *''Sigmodon fulviventer'' species group * * * *''Sigmodon fulviventer'' - tawny-bellied cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon inopinatus'' - Ecuadorian cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon leucotis'' - white-eared cotton rat * * * *''Sigmodon peruanus'' - Peruvian cotton rat * *Subgenus ''Sigmomys'' * * *''Sigmodon alstoni'' - Alston's cotton rat 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「cotton rat」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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