Cricetus Leske 1779

Cricetus Leske 1779, Anfansgr. Naturg., Vol. 1: 168.

Type Species: Mus cricetus Linnaeus 1758

Synonyms: Hamster Lacepède 1799; Heliomys Gray 1873 .

Species and subspecies: 1 species:

Species Cricetus cricetus (Linnaeus 1758)

Discussion: Only one living species, but others are represented by fossils in an evolutionary radiation that dates from the middle Miocene of N Africa and late Miocene of Europe (McKenna and Bell, 1997).