AbstractDemonstrated that in rodents the duration of ontogenetic development (from conception to the age of eye openin) is allometrically related to the maternal body weight. The differences between actual developmental time and the expected time (counted for animals of that systematic position and that body weight) can be used as a tool to test phylogenetic relationships. As far as the relationships between sister‐taxa are concerned, the results of the present analysis corroborate the conclusions of modern classifications. A long developmental time (which means by implication also a long pregnancy and precocity) is couled with hystricognathy and hystricomorhy. These traits must be considered plesiomorphic and their occurrence suggests conservatism of articular taxa. Parallell (coupled) with adopting sciurognathy and, particularly, protrogomorpiy, sciuromorphy, and eventually, myomorphy, rodents were able to shorten their developmental times. In this way they could increase the reproductive rate and made their reproduction more efficient. Consequently the respective taxa radiated more rapidly and successfull