What are all the names of mice? - briefly
Common names for mice include house mouse, field mouse, deer mouse, wood mouse, laboratory mouse, pocket mouse, and harvest mouse.
What are all the names of mice? - in detail
Mice are identified by a range of common, regional, and scientific designations that reflect habitat, taxonomy, and cultural usage.
The most widely recognized domestic form is the house mouse (Mus musculus). In laboratory settings the same species is often called the lab mouse, while pet owners may refer to it simply as a mouse.
Wild species carry distinct names:
- Field mouse – generally applied to Apodemus species such as the wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) and the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis).
- Deer mouse – Peromyscus maniculatus, common in North American grasslands.
- Harvest mouse – Micromys minutus, noted for its small size and association with cereal fields.
- Spiny mouse – Acomys spp., characterized by stiff guard hairs.
- Bush mouse – various African Mus and Praomys species inhabiting savanna scrub.
- Norway rat’s counterpart – the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) is often contrasted with the black rat (Rattus rattus), though both are distinct from true mice.
Regional colloquialisms add further variety:
- In the United Kingdom, field vole is sometimes mistakenly called a mouse; the correct term remains field mouse for Apodemus species.
- In parts of the United States, pocket mouse refers to members of the family Heteromyidae, such as the kangaroo mouse (Microdipodops spp.).
- In South America, the grass mouse denotes Akodon species, while the agouti is occasionally labeled a “large mouse” in lay conversation, despite belonging to a different family.
Scientific nomenclature provides precise identification:
- Mus musculus – house mouse, worldwide commensal.
- Mus spicilegus – steppe mouse, inhabits Eurasian grasslands.
- Mus caroli – Ryukyu mouse, endemic to Japanese islands.
- Peromyscus spp. – deer mice and relatives, diverse North American group.
- Apodemus spp. – true field mice across Europe and Asia.
- Micromys minutus – harvest mouse, the smallest European rodent.
- Acomys spp. – spiny mice, adapted to arid regions of Africa and the Middle East.
These names collectively encompass the full spectrum of designations used for mice in scientific literature, agricultural contexts, pet trade, and everyday language.