What is the name of a black mouse? - briefly
The black‑coated variant of the common house mouse is called the black house mouse (Mus musculus).
What is the name of a black mouse? - in detail
A black mouse is commonly referred to as a “black laboratory mouse” when describing the standard scientific strain used in research. The most frequent laboratory strain bearing a dark coat is C57BL/6, abbreviated as “B6.” This strain exhibits a uniform black fur coloration and is the reference genotype for many genetic studies.
Other contexts use different terminology:
- Pet trade: The term “black mouse” or “black dwarf mouse” describes domesticated varieties selected for their dark pigmentation.
- Wild species: The house mouse (Mus musculus) includes melanistic individuals that are simply identified as black mice within field reports.
- Literature and media: Characters such as “Blackie” or “Midnight” serve as proper names for fictional black rodents.
Key characteristics of the laboratory B6 strain include:
- Genome fully sequenced, providing a baseline for comparative genetics.
- High reproductive rate, facilitating large colony maintenance.
- Susceptibility to diet‑induced obesity, making it a model for metabolic research.
- Dark coat results from a recessive allele at the agouti locus (a/a).
When selecting a black mouse for experimental work, researchers consider genotype, health status, and breeding history. Documentation of the strain’s origin, such as “C57BL/6J” from The Jackson Laboratory, ensures reproducibility across studies.