Rat

Rat Rattus norvegicus

Description

Any of several species of small omnivorous rodent of the genus Rattus, such as Rattus norvegicus or Rattus rattus. Rats originated in Asia but are now found on all continents except Antarctica. They like cities with people and will infest any building that provides shelter and easy access to sources of food and water, including under sinks, near garbage, and inside walls or cabinets. Rats have the ability to swim up sewer pipes into toilets. Rats can cause significant damage inside a building or home.

Synonyms and Related Terms

house rat (Rattus norvegicus); black rat (Rattus rattus); rotte (Dan.); Ratten (Deut.); rata (Esp.); rat (Fr.); rattus (Ned.); szczur (Pol.); rato (Port.); råttor (Sven.)

Additional Images

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  Rat hair

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  Rat hair

Resources and Citations

• Olympus Microscopy Resource Center at http://www.olympusmicro.com/galleries/polarizedlight/pages/rathairsmall.html
• Wikipedia: Rat (Accessed Nov. 9, 2005 and March 2025)