Kingdom: animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Muridae
Rat is the name given to mammals belonging to the Muridae Family, having as main characteristics the tapered snout and long tail. These rodents are usually omnivores, with a sharp sense of smell and rapid gestation, giving rise to several offspring that in a short time already show themselves to be independent. Altogether, there are more than 700 species found throughout the world.
The rat (Rattus norvegicus), the mouse (Mus musculus), and the black mouse (rattus rattus) have caused a lot of headaches for humanity since the most ancient times: at least 10,000 years ago, together with the beginning of agriculture. This fact allowed these animals to have a good supply of food and shelter, which are favorable characteristics for them to reproduce and maintain themselves. close to places where there are such conditions (out of curiosity, in situations like this, a single rat is capable of giving birth to 200 pups each year). About this approach, some researchers venture to say that cats only started to live inside the houses after it was noticed that they were excellent predators of rats.
In addition to feeding on everything that is edible, such animals also devour boxes, high-tension wires, even wood, bricks, and aluminum; and can transmit at least 55 diseases, directly or indirectly. According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), in our country we have an annual loss of almost 5 billion dollars related to the harm caused by these rodents. The Black Death is one of these diseases, which caused the death of about 1/3 of Europeans. Another well-known one is leptospirosis, with a higher incidence in events related to floods.
rat (Rattus norvegicus)
Rats are also extremely intelligent animals. Thus, capturing a single individual who silently devours food from your pantry is no easy feat. They generally avoid traps, can spot poisoned food, and have an enviable sense of direction, being able to identify alternative routes with ease.
Thanks to its agility, social behavior, intelligence, rapid reproduction, physiological aspects in common with our species and low maintenance cost, such animals are often used in researches. The rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the mouse (Mus musculus) are the most used murines for this purpose. In these cases, they are individuals resulting from several successive generations, presenting characteristics and Different habits of individuals found in nature and those that can be seen in our houses. The transmission of diseases, for example, is due to the environments in which they live; and not to another factor.
Mouse (Mus musculus)
Curiosities:
The rats usually live around homes, vacant lots, tunnels and yards with a large food supply; mice, indoors, like closets and pantries; and black rats, on roofs and treetops. Thus, they allow mice to be found in different places.
In cases of overpopulation and food shortages, some rats are able to feed on other individuals of their species, usually offspring.
By Mariana Araguaia
Biologist, specialist in Environmental Education