Where do mice originate from? - briefly
The common house mouse (Mus musculus) originated in South‑Asian habitats and expanded globally via human commerce. Other murid species evolved throughout Eurasia, North Africa and the Americas from ancestral rodent populations.
Where do mice originate from? - in detail
Mice belong to the genus Mus, with the most widespread species, the house mouse (Mus musculus), tracing its ancestry to the Indian subcontinent. Fossil evidence places early Mus forms in South‑East Asia during the late Miocene, approximately 10 million years ago. Subsequent diversification produced several subspecies adapted to distinct habitats.
Key points of geographic origin and dispersal:
- Primary native range: South‑Asia, especially the Indian subcontinent and surrounding regions.
- Early expansion: Migration into the Middle East and Mediterranean basin during the Pleistocene, facilitated by natural corridors.
- Human‑mediated spread: Beginning around 10 000 years ago, agricultural practices and trade routes carried the species into Europe, Africa, and later the Americas.
- Contemporary distribution: M. musculus now occupies virtually all temperate zones worldwide, thriving in human‑altered environments such as farms, urban dwellings, and laboratories.
Genetic studies reveal three major subspecies—M. m. domesticus (Western Europe), M. m. musculus (Eastern Europe and Siberia), and M. m. castaneus (South‑East Asia). The latter retains the closest genetic link to the original wild populations, confirming the Indian subcontinent as the cradle of the species.
Domestication processes involved selection for reduced fear of humans, increased reproductive rates, and tolerance of varied diets. These traits enabled rapid colonization of new territories alongside expanding human societies, explaining the present global presence of the house mouse.