What Group of Animals Do Rats Belong To?

When you think about rodents, you might wonder to what group they belong. Rats are larger than mice, but they’re not the same species. Although they’re both in the rodent family, squirrels are smaller and are more specialized. The rodent family contains 12 different species.

Rats are one of the oldest living mammals, and the fossil record dates back to the Paleocene, when mammals co-existed with dinosaurs. These early mammals, however, were not true rodents. The first fossils of true rodents were found in late Paleocene rocks, which coincided with the extinction of dinosaurs. Initially, rodents lived in Asia, before spreading to South America and Africa. The oldest fossil of a rodent found in South America dates back to 41 million years ago.

Rats are generally omnivorous, although some species are specialized, like the fish-eating rats. These species live underground, and eat small fish. Other species, like the kangaroo rat, feed on seeds and insects. They even build nests in the stems of bamboo.

Rats are the largest mammals, although most are small. The capybara is the largest of the extant rodent species. They can grow to be nearly 50 inches long and weigh nearly six pounds. They’re also associated with bamboo, and can weigh as much as 3,000 grams.