Gliridae (dormice; order Rodentia, suborder Myomorpha) A family of small, mainly arboreal, nocturnal rodents in which the snout is often elongated, the eyes and ears are well developed, the tail is bushy, and the first digit of the fore limb is rudimentary. Dormice have lower population densities and lower breeding potential than most other rodents, and most hibernate in winter. There are seven genera, with many species, distributed throughout the Palaearctic region and Africa.

dormice
1. See GLIRIDAE.

2. (Chinese pygmy dormouse, Typhlomys; spiny dormouse, Platacanthomys) See PLATACANTHOMYIDAE.