What is a giant mouse called? - briefly
The correct designation is «giant mouse», a descriptive label rather than a distinct taxonomic term; oversized individuals remain classified under their species name, for example Mus musculus.
What is a giant mouse called? - in detail
The term applied to an unusually large member of the Muridae family is not a separate species name but a descriptive label. In zoological classification the animal remains a mouse, belonging to the genus Mus or related genera, while size qualifiers such as «giant» indicate an extreme growth form.
Common usage distinguishes several groups that fit the description:
- Megalomys – an extinct Caribbean genus whose species reached the size of a small rabbit; the name itself translates as “large mouse.”
- Cricetomys (giant African pouched rat) – often called a giant mouse in popular media because of its mouse‑like appearance combined with a considerably larger body.
- Mastomys (multimammate mouse) – some individuals attain lengths up to 15 cm, prompting the informal label “giant mouse” in field reports.
- Rattus species – certain large rats are colloquially referred to as giant mice, although taxonomically they belong to a different genus.
When a mouse exceeds typical dimensions, scientists refer to it by its precise species name and note the size anomaly in the description, e.g., “Mus musculus specimen with exceptional body mass.” The descriptive phrase «giant mouse» therefore functions as a lay term rather than a formal taxonomic designation.
In summary, the appropriate label for a large mouse is a size adjective attached to the existing species name; the only formal genus explicitly meaning “large mouse” is the extinct Megalomys, while living examples are identified by their standard genera with size noted in descriptive context.