What Kingdom Do Rats Belong To?
WouterRats belong to the order Rodentia and the family Muridae. They have many different varieties that are used for various research purposes. This omnivorous animal has a variety of characteristics that make it unique among mammals. Its long tail can be either long or short and is often hairless, but this is only an illusion. In fact, the tail is covered with short, fine hairs.
Although a generic term for rodents, rats are a distinct and widespread family of mammals. This includes North American pack rats, commonly called wood rats, and the Australian kangaroo rat, sometimes called the bandicoot rat. The genus Rattus is made up of 56 species of medium-sized rodents. These animals are native to the Asia-Pacific continent, but a few species have spread outside their range due to human contact.
The majority of rats are terrestrial, although there are a few species that are arboreal. The Sulawesian white-tailed rat, for example, has a very long tail relative to its body length, which helps it climb trees and forage in understory trees. Despite their terrestrial morphology, rats can swim well.
There are dozens of species of rats, with more than 60 species described by the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). Despite their similar appearance, rat species do not share similar characteristics. While some may be closely related, the common term “rat” refers to all medium-sized rodents with long tails. For instance, cotton rats and Norway rats are similar in size, but there are subtle differences between them.
