Rattus
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Rattus is a genus of muroid rodents, all typically called rats. However, the term rat can also be applied to rodent species outside of this genus.
Species and description
The best-known Rattus species are the black rat (R. rattus) and the brown rat (R. norvegicus). The group is generally known as the Old World rats or true rats and originated in Asia. Rats are bigger than most Old World mice, which are their relatives, but seldom weigh over 500 grams (1.1 lb) in the wild.
Taxonomy of Rattus
The genus Rattus is a member of the giant subfamily Murinae.
The genus Rattus proper contains 64 extant species. A subgeneric breakdown of the species has been proposed, but does not include all species.[2]
Species
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Phylogeny
The following phylogeny of selected Rattus species is from Template:Harvp.[3] Script error: No such module "Clade".
Evolution
Molecular evidence suggests that Rattus originated in the Late Miocene and that it experienced an exceptionally rapid burst of diversification during the Pleistocene epoch.[4]
Fossil species
In contrast to the large number of living species, as of 2024, just four fossil species have been placed in Rattus proper:[5]
- Rattus baoshanensis - Late Pliocene China
- Rattus jaegeri - Late Pliocene to Early Pleistocene Thailand
- Rattus pristinus - Early Pleistocene China
- Rattus miyakoensis - Late Pleistocene Japan[6]
References
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- ^ Script error: No such module "template wrapper".
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Thomson, Vicki; Wiewel, Andrew; Chinen, Aldo; Maryanto, Ibnu; Sinaga, M. H.; How, Ric; Aplin, Ken; Suzuki, Hitoshi (2018). "A perspective for resolving the systematics of Rattus, the vertebrates with the most influence on human welfare". Zootaxa. 4459 (3): 431–452. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4459.3.2. PMID 30314119. S2CID 52975664.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Pagès, Marie; Chaval, Yannick; Herbreteau, Vincent; Waengsothorn, Surachit; Cosson, Jean-François; Hugot, Jean-Pierre; et al. (2010). "Revisiting the taxonomy of the Rattini tribe: A phylogeny-based delimitation of species boundaries". BMC Evolutionary Biology. 10 (1): 184. Bibcode:2010BMCEE..10..184P. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-10-184. PMC 2906473. PMID 20565819.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Chaimanee, Yaowalak; Jaeger, Jean‐Jacques (January 2001). "Evolution of Rattus (mammalia, Rodentia) during the plio‐pleistocene in Thailand". Historical Biology. 15 (1–2): 181–191. doi:10.1080/10292380109380590. ISSN 0891-2963. Retrieved 30 September 2025 – via Taylor and Francis Online.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Chang, M.; Zhang, C.; et al. (January 2023). "A new Rattus species and its associated micromammals from the Pliocene Yangyi Formation in Baoshan, Western Yunnan, China". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 43 (1) e2249063. doi:10.1080/02724634.2023.2249063.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Kawaguchi, S.; Kaneko, Y.; Hasegawa, Y. (2009). "A new species of the fossil murine rodent from the Pinza-Abu Cave, the Miyako Island of the Ryukyo Archipelago, Japan". Bulletin of Gunma Museum of Natural History. 13: 15–28. Retrieved 3 March 2024.
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