What is a mouse with large ears called? - briefly
A mouse noted for unusually large ears is commonly termed a “big‑ear mouse.”
What is a mouse with large ears called? - in detail
The animal most commonly identified by the characteristic of disproportionately large pinnae is referred to as a big‑eared mouse (sometimes called a large‑eared mouse). This designation is not limited to a single species; it groups several members of the rodent family Cricetidae that share the same morphological trait.
Key examples include:
- Acomys spp. – known as spiny mice; ears extend well beyond the head width, providing enhanced auditory range in arid habitats.
- Peromyscus melanotis – the black‑eared mouse; exhibits ear lengths up to 30 % of head‑body length, typical of North‑American forest dwellers.
- Mastomys natalensis – the multimammate rat; ears are notably large relative to body size, an adaptation for detecting predators in grassland ecosystems.
- Pseudomys australis – the Australian long‑tailed mouse; possesses elongated ears that aid thermoregulation in hot environments.
Morphologically, big‑eared mice display the following traits:
- Pinne length exceeding half the skull width.
- Thin, low‑density fur on the ear surface to facilitate sound transmission.
- Enlarged auditory bullae within the skull, improving low‑frequency detection.
- Often a more mobile ear musculature, allowing precise orientation toward sound sources.
Ecologically, the enlarged auditory structures provide advantages such as:
- Early predator detection, crucial for nocturnal and crepuscular activity patterns.
- Enhanced communication among conspecifics through low‑frequency vocalizations.
- Improved navigation in dense vegetation where visual cues are limited.
In scientific literature, the term “big‑eared mouse” serves as a functional descriptor rather than a formal taxonomic rank, grouping taxa that have independently evolved similar ear morphology through convergent evolution.