Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme
Taxa

Rattus

Genus

Citation Formats

General Reference

APA Style

BibTeX

Rattus is a genus of muroid rodents, family Muridae, known as Old World rats or true rats and comprising 64 extant species by one current count, with taxonomic work ongoing. The genus originated in Asia and is now found worldwide; its two best-known species, the black rat and the brown rat, have been introduced worldwide except Antarctica. Rattus species are bigger than most Old World mice but seldom weigh over 500 grams in the wild.

Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.

View At A Past Year

The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.