From whom did mice originate? - briefly
Mice evolved from early murid rodents that diversified during the Miocene epoch, originating from ancestral species within the family Muridae. Their lineage traces back to small, nocturnal mammals that adapted to a wide range of habitats across Eurasia and Africa.
From whom did mice originate? - in detail
Mice belong to the family Muridae, subfamily Murinae, which diverged from other rodents during the early Oligocene, roughly 30–35 million years ago. The earliest known murine fossils appear in Eurasia, indicating that the group originated on that continent before spreading worldwide.
Genetic analyses of modern Mus species reveal a common ancestor shared by the house mouse (Mus musculus) and its close relatives. Mitochondrial DNA and whole‑genome sequencing place the split between M. musculus and M. spretus at about 1.5 million years ago, while divergence from the African pygmy mouse (Mus minutoides) dates to roughly 3 million years ago. These data suggest a rapid radiation of murine lineages across temperate and tropical habitats.
Key stages in the lineage’s development include:
- Eocene‑Oligocene emergence – first murines appear in fossil records of Europe and Asia.
- Miocene expansion – diversification into multiple genera, with Mus emerging as a distinct clade.
- Pleistocene dispersal – M. musculus spreads into Europe, Asia, and eventually North America via natural migration and later human‑mediated transport.
Archaeological sites indicate that humans began domesticating house mice around 10 000 years ago, exploiting their proximity to grain stores. Selective pressures in commensal environments accelerated traits such as reduced fear of humans and altered reproductive cycles, leading to the globally distributed populations observed today.
In summary, mice trace their ancestry to early murine rodents that originated in Eurasia during the Oligocene, underwent extensive speciation throughout the Miocene, and later diversified into the house mouse lineage that humans have spread worldwide.