Where are a rat’s nipples located? - briefly
Rat nipples are situated on the ventral surface of the body in two parallel rows along the abdomen, usually 6–8 pairs in females and 4–6 pairs in males.
Where are a rat’s nipples located? - in detail
Rats possess multiple pairs of mammary glands that are positioned along the ventral surface of the torso. In both sexes, the glands are aligned symmetrically on either side of the midline, extending from the thoracic region toward the abdomen.
The typical arrangement includes:
- Two pairs (four nipples) located in the thoracic area, near the pectoral muscles.
- Two pairs (four nipples) situated in the abdominal region, just cranial to the inguinal fold.
- In larger or pregnant females, an additional pair may appear near the caudal abdomen, close to the genital opening.
Males generally exhibit only the thoracic and abdominal pairs, while females develop the extra caudal pair during sexual maturity and especially during gestation. All nipples are small, raised papillae surrounded by a thin layer of skin and are directly connected to underlying mammary tissue. Their exact positions can vary slightly among strains but remain confined to the described ventral zones.