The hyraxes, described by the OED as "stumpy", form a small group with unusual characteristics whose relationships to other mammal groups were obscure until the geneticist cavalry rode to the rescue. Now they are obscured by a forest of "groups" and "clades", but it's probably progress - certainly the family name linking them to rodents is erroneous. All but one species are African.

1. Rock Hyrax skull, lateral view.
 
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1. Rock Hyrax skull, oblique view.
 
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Internet Resources

Standard references :
American Society of Mammalogists Monographs
Smithsonian / Wilson & Reeder's Taxonomic List
University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web

Skull Measurements (defined)

all measurements in mm

Specimen

CB

ZW

JL

IW

PC

NL

UT

Sex

Comments

illustrated

73.4

42.9

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-

-

-

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