Cricetidae

Cricetidae is a family of rodents in the order Rodentia, comprising a diverse array of species including hamsters, voles, lemmings, and New World rats and mice. It belongs to the superfamily Muroidea and, together with Muridae, forms a large clade of muroid rodents. The family is divided into several subfamilies, among them Cricetinae (hamsters), Arvicolinae (voles, lemmings, muskrats), Neotominae (New World rats and mice), and Sigmodontinae (South American rats and mice).

Members occur in a wide range of habitats across the Old and New Worlds, with especially high diversity in North America, parts of Eurasia, and the Neotropical region. They range from small burrowing species to semi-aquatic forms and include both terrestrial and semi-arboreal species.

Ecology and behavior vary by lineage, but most are omnivorous or herbivorous, with reproduction characterized by relatively short gestation and large litter sizes in many species.

Species in this family play important roles in ecosystems as seed dispersers and prey, and several are used as model organisms in medical and genetic research. Some species are pests or vectors of disease. The Cricetidae family has a rich fossil record and has undergone revisions as molecular studies have clarified relationships within Muroidea.