pigmendidel

Pigmendidel is a fictional species of small, burrowing mammal created for educational purposes to illustrate principles of ecology, evolution, and genetics. The term appears in textbooks and online resources as a thought experiment rather than a documented organism.

Taxonomy and etymology: The name blends pig-like snout and Mendel, reflecting its use in genetics demonstrations. In the representative taxonomy, it is placed in the class Mammalia, order Rodentia, family Pigmendidelidae, with the single genus Pigmendidel and species P. fictus.

Description and ecology: Adults measure 15–25 cm in length, tail length 8–12 cm. They have coarse gray-brown fur with a masked face. They dig elaborate burrow networks and are crepuscular. Diet includes seeds, tubers, insects, and fruit.

Distribution and habitat: The fictional species is described as occurring in temperate deciduous forests in a hypothetical continent called Veridia; habitats include leaf litter, log debris; avoids open fields.

Behavior and reproduction: Social groups range from 3 to 12 individuals. Breeding season is spring; litter size is typically 2–4; weaning occurs at 4–6 weeks; lifespan in the wild is about 4–6 years.

Significance and use: Pigmendidel is widely used to illustrate Mendelian inheritance, population genetics, and data modeling in classroom exercises, and to model ecosystem services such as soil turnover and burrow-related habitat modification.