What are mice and rats called? - briefly
Both mice and rats belong to the order Rodentia and are commonly referred to as rodents. Mice are species of the genus Mus, whereas rats are members of the genus Rattus.
What are mice and rats called? - in detail
Mice and rats are members of the order Rodentia, specifically the family Muridae and subfamily Murinae. The common English label for the smaller species is “mouse,” while the larger species are referred to as “rat.” These everyday names correspond to distinct scientific designations.
The house mouse carries the binomial Mus musculus. The most widespread rats are the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the black rat (Rattus rattus). Both genera belong to the murine clade, which groups all true mice and rats together.
A collective term that encompasses both animals is “murine rodents” or simply “murids.” The broader category “rodents” also includes them, but it covers many additional families beyond Muridae.
In professional contexts the terminology becomes more precise:
- Laboratory mouse – Mus musculus used for genetic and biomedical research.
- Laboratory rat – Rattus norvegicus employed in toxicology and physiology studies.
- Pest mouse – generic term for species that invade homes and storage facilities.
- Pest rat – designation for species that cause structural damage and disease transmission.
Regional and habitat‑based modifiers further differentiate the animals:
- Field mouse – wild species of the genus Apodemus or Peromyscus.
- House mouse – Mus musculus adapted to human dwellings.
- Brown rat – Rattus norvegicus, typically found in urban sewers and basements.
- Black rat – Rattus rattus, often associated with ships and tropical climates.
Thus, the nomenclature for these rodents ranges from everyday labels (“mouse,” “rat”) to scientific names (Mus musculus, Rattus spp.) and collective terms (“murine rodents,” “murids”).