What are the genera of rats and mice called? - briefly
The common rat belongs to the genus «Rattus», and the typical mouse is placed in the genus «Mus». Other rodent genera, such as «Apodemus» for field mice, exist, but the primary genera for rats and mice are those two.
What are the genera of rats and mice called? - in detail
Rats and mice belong to the family Muridae, subfamily Murinae. The primary genera that correspond to the common names “rat” and “mouse” are:
- «Rattus» – true rats; includes species such as the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the black rat (Rattus rattus).
- «Mus» – true mice; includes the house mouse (Mus musculus) and related species.
Several additional genera within Murinae contain species frequently referred to as rats or mice, despite not being true rats or true mice:
- «Bandicota» – giant rats of Southeast Asia.
- «Nesokia» – desert rats of South‑West Asia.
- «Apodemus» – field mice of Europe and Asia.
- «Micromys» – harvest mouse, the smallest European murine.
- «Clethrionomys» (synonym «Myodes») – red‑backed voles, often called mice in common usage.
- «Praomys» – African soft‑fur mice.
- «Rattus» subgenera such as «Rattus (Rattus)» and «Rattus (Parotomys)» further divide the rat lineage.
- «Mus» subgenera including «Mus (Mus)», «Mus (Coelomys)», and «Mus (Nannomys)» delineate mouse diversity.
Taxonomic classification follows a hierarchical structure: family Muridae → subfamily Murinae → genus → species. The distinction between “rat” and “mouse” in everyday language aligns roughly with the size and ecological niche of the species, but scientifically the separation rests on genus assignment. All listed genera share characteristic murine traits such as continuously growing incisors, a high reproductive rate, and a predominantly omnivorous diet.