What does a brown rat look like? - briefly
A brown rat possesses a stocky body cloaked in coarse, brown‑gray fur, a blunt snout, small ears, and a long, scaly tail roughly equal to its body length. Its feet bear sharp claws, and its eyes are small and dark.
What does a brown rat look like? - in detail
The common brown rat, scientifically known as Rattus norvegicus, presents a robust body covered with dense, coarse fur that ranges from medium‑brown to almost black on the dorsal side. The fur’s coloration can appear slightly reddish or grayish depending on regional variations and age. The ventral surface is markedly lighter, often pale gray or whitish, providing a clear contrast to the darker back.
Head features include a relatively broad skull, a blunt snout, and prominent whiskers (vibrissae) extending from the rostral region. Eyes are small, dark, and set high on the skull, granting a limited field of vision. Ears are short, rounded, and covered with fine hair, reducing their visibility.
Limbs are short and sturdy. Forepaws possess five digits with sharp claws adapted for digging and climbing, while hind feet have four digits, also clawed, enabling powerful jumps. The tail is long, typically equal to or slightly shorter than the body length, tapering toward the tip, and covered with sparse, fine scales rather than fur.
Key morphological characteristics can be summarized:
- Body length: 20–25 cm (excluding tail)
- Tail length: 15–20 cm, hairless, scaled
- Weight: 250–500 g, varying with sex and nutrition
- Fur texture: coarse, dense, brown dorsally, lighter ventrally
- Dental formula: 1/1 incisors, no canines, 0/0 premolars, 3/3 molars, all continuously growing
These attributes distinguish the brown rat from other rodent species and facilitate identification in both field and laboratory contexts.