RatFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaThis article is about the genusRattus. For pet rats, seeFancy rat. For other uses, seeRat (disambiguation).

RatsTemporal range: EarlyPleistocene Recent

The commonbrown rat(Rattus norvegicus)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:Animalia

Phylum:Chordata

Class:Mammalia

Order:Rodentia

Superfamily:Muroidea

Family:Muridae

Subfamily:Murinae

Genus:RattusFischer de Waldheim, 1803

Species

64 species

Synonyms

StenomysThomas, 1910

Ratsare various medium-sized, long-tailedrodentsof thesuperfamilyMuroidea. "True rats" are members of the genusRattus, the most important of which to humans are theblack rat,Rattus rattus, and thebrown rat,Rattus norvegicus. Many members of other rodent genera and families are also referred to as rats, and share many characteristics with true rats.Rats are typically distinguished frommiceby their size. Generally, when someone discovers a largemuroidrodent, itscommon nameincludes the termrat, while if it is smaller, the name includes the termmouse. The muroid family is broad and complex, and the common termsratandmouseare nottaxonomicallyspecific. Scientifically, the terms are not confined to members of theRattusandMusgenera, for example, thepack ratandcotton mouse.Contents[hide] 1Species and description 2Pets 3Subjects for scientific research 3.1Intelligence 3.2Social intelligence 4Food 5Medicine 6Odor detection 7Rats as pests 8Rats as invasive species 9Culture 9.1Asian cultures 9.2European cultures 9.2.1Terminology 9.3Fiction 9.3.1The Pied Piper 10Taxonomy ofRattus 10.1Species 11See also 12References 13Further reading 14External linksSpecies and descriptionThe best-known ratspeciesare theblack rat(Rattus rattus) and thebrown rat(Rattus norvegicus). The group is generally known as theOld Worldrats or true rats, and originated inAsia. Rats are bigger than most Old Worldmice, which are their relatives, but seldom weigh over 500 grams (1.1lb) in the wild.The term "rat" is also used in the names of other smallmammalswhich are not true rats. Examples include theNorth Americanpack rats, a number of species loosely calledkangaroo rats, and others. Rats such as thebandicoot rat(Bandicota bengalensis) aremurinerodents related to true rats, but are not members of the genusRattus. Male rats are called bucks, unmated females are called does, pregnant or parent females are called dams, and infants are called kittens or pups. A group of rats is either referred to as a pack or a mischief.

A rat in a city street

Idol of a rat in Patan (Nepal)The common species are opportunistic survivors and often live with and nearhumans; therefore, they are known ascommensals. They may cause substantial food losses, especially in developing countries.[1]However, the widely distributed and problematic commensal species of rats are a minority in this diverse genus. Many species of rats areisland endemicsand some have become endangered due to habitat loss or competition with the brown, black orPolynesian rat.Wild rodents, including rats, can carry many differentzoonoticpathogens, such asLeptospira,Toxoplasma gondii, andCampylobacter.[2]TheBlack Deathis traditionally believed to have been caused by the micro-organismYersinia pestis, carried by the tropical rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis) which preyed on black rats living in European cities during the epidemic outbreaks of the Middle Ages; these rats were used as transport hosts. Other zoonotic diseases linked to pest rodents includeclassical swine feverandfoot-and-mouth disease.The average lifespan of any given rat depends on which species is being discussed, but many only live about a year due to predation.The black and brown rats diverged from otherOld World ratsduring the beginning of thePleistocenein the forests of Asia.PetsMain article:Fancy rat

AdomesticatedratSpecially bred rats have been kept as pets at least since the late 19th century. Pet rats are typically variants of the speciesbrown rat, butblack ratsandgiant pouched ratsare also known to be kept. Pet rats behave differently from their wild counterparts depending on how many generations they have been kept as pets.[3]Pet rats do not pose any more of ahealth riskthan pets such ascatsordogs.[4]Tamed rats are generally friendly and