The rodent parvorder or infraorder Phiomorpha comprises several living and extinct families found wholly or largely in Africa. Along with the Anomaluromorpha and perhaps the †Zegdoumyidae, they represent one of the few early colonizations of Africa by rodents. Although the hystricognath rodents may have evolved from an early entodacryan ancestor in Asia, they migrated to Africa soon after. The Phiomorpha represents the clade that evolved as a result. Although once diverse, this infraorder is now restricted to the two species of cane rats, the dassie rat, and the blesmols.