How many toes do mice have on their paws? - briefly
A mouse has five toes on each front paw and four on each hind paw. This digit pattern results in nine toes per side.
How many toes do mice have on their paws? - in detail
Mice possess a distinct digit pattern on each pair of limbs. The forelimbs end in five separate toes, while the hind limbs terminate in four. This arrangement is consistent across the common house mouse (Mus musculus) and most other rodent species.
- Forepaws: five digits (phalanges 1‑5) each bearing a claw; the central digit (digit III) is the longest.
- Hind paws: four digits (phalanges 1‑4); the outermost digit (digit I) is reduced or absent, resulting in a four‑toe foot.
The skeletal structure includes metacarpal and metatarsal bones supporting the digits, with each toe composed of three phalanges except the distal ones, which may have two. Developmentally, the digit count is established during embryogenesis through regulated expression of Hox genes, which pattern limb buds and determine the number of formed digits.
Occasional genetic mutations can produce extra digits (polydactyly), but such cases are rare and typically result in malformed or non‑functional limbs. Comparative anatomy shows that this five‑and‑four toe configuration is a characteristic trait of the Muridae family, distinguishing them from other mammals that may retain five toes on both fore and hind limbs.