Word Origin and History for semi-Expand before vowels sem-, word-forming element meaning half, part, partly; partial, imperfect; twice, from Latin semi-half, from PIE *semi-half (cf. Sanskrit sami half, Greek hemi-half, Old English sam-, Gothic sami-half).
Well-known rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils and capybaras. Other animals such as rabbits, hares, and pikas, whose incisors also grow continually, were once included with them, but are now considered to be in a separate order, the Lagomorpha.
There are three groups of animals within the order Xenarthra: Sloths, anteaters and armadillos. The armadillos are more distant relatives to these animals, while sloths and anteaters are fairly closely related. Armadillos belong to Order Cingulata; both sloths and anteaters belong to Order Pilosa (âhairyâ). Two-toed sloths (family Megalonychidae) and three-toed sloths (family Bradypodidae) belong to suborder Folivora (âleaf-eatingâ), while the anteaters (family Myrmecophagidae) belong to suborder Vermilingua (âworm-tongueâ).