Rattus rattus
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Roof Rat
Taxonomy
| Subclass | : Theria |
| Infraclass | : Placentalia |
| Magnorder | : Boreoeutheria |
| Superorder | : Euarchontoglires |
| Order | : Rodentia |
| Suborder | : Supramyomorpha |
| Infraorder | : Myomorphi |
| Superfamily | : Muroidea |
| Family | : Muridae |
| Subfamily | : Murinae |
| Tribe | : Rattini |
| Genus | : Rattus |
Species status
Authority citation
Linnaeus, C. 1758-01-01. Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 823 pp.
Authority publication link
https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/25033872Original name as described
Mus Rattus
Other common names
Black Rat · Common House Rat · House Rat · Ship Rat
Type material
lost (number not known)
Type kind
nonexistent
Type locality
"Europe."
Biogeographic realm
Afrotropic · Indomalaya · Palearctic
Country distribution
Ireland · United Kingdom · Portugal · Spain · France · Netherlands · Luxembourg · Belgium · Germany · Switzerland · Liechtenstein · Austria · Italy · Malta · Slovenia · Czech Republic · Hungary · Croatia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Serbia · Kosovo · Montenegro · Albania · North Macedonia · Greece · Bulgaria · Romania · Moldova · Ukraine · Belarus · Poland · Lithuania · Latvia · Estonia · Russia · Georgia · Armenia · Azerbaijan · Turkey · Cyprus · Syria · Lebanon · Israel · Palestine · Jordan · Saudi Arabia · Qatar · United Arab Emirates · Oman · Iran · Pakistan · India · Sri Lanka · Nepal · Bhutan · Bangladesh · Morocco · Algeria · Tunisia · Libya · Egypt · Sudan · Ethiopia · Djibouti · Senegal · Gambia · Guinea-Bissau · Guinea · Mali · Sierra Leone · Liberia · Cote d'Ivoire · Ghana · Togo · Benin · Nigeria · Cameroon · Democratic Republic of the Congo · Republic of the Congo · South Sudan · Uganda · Kenya · Rwanda · Burundi · Tanzania · Zambia · Malawi · Mozambique · Angola · Namibia · Zimbabwe · South Africa · Eswatini · Madagascar
Taxonomy notes
the rattus group of species (including R. rattus, R. tanezumi, R. sakeratensis, and R. tiomanicus currently) are not well defined currently and further revision is needed to determine the species limits within this group; the name diardii, currently a synonym of R. tanezumi, likely represents a distinct species, as suggested recently by Nasir et al., 2022, although the species is retained tentatively retained under R. tanezumi until further research is done and until the a through investigation of which names can be applied to different lineages is done
Taxonomy notes citation
Aplin, K. P., Chesser, T., & Have, J. T. (2003). Evolutionary biology of the genus Rattus: profile of an archetypal rodent pest. Aciar monograph series, 96, 487-498. · Robins, J. H., Hingston, M., Matisoo‐Smith, E., & Ross, H. A. (2007). Identifying Rattus species using mitochondrial DNA. Molecular Ecology Notes, 7(5), 717-729. · Pagès, M., Bazin, E., Galan, M., Chaval, Y., Claude, J., Herbreteau, V., ... & Cosson, J. F. (2013). Cytonuclear discordance among Southeast Asian black rats (Rattus rattus complex). Molecular ecology, 22(4), 1019-1034. · Aplin, K. P., Suzuki, H., Chinen, A. A., Chesser, R. T., Ten Have, J., Donnellan, S. C., ... & Catzeflis, F. (2011). Multiple geographic origins of commensalism and complex dispersal history of black rats. PloS one, 6(11), e26357. · Ikbal, N. H. M., Pathmanathan, D., Bhassu, S., Simarani, K., & Omar, H. (2019). Morphometric Analysis of Craniodental Characters of the House Rat, Rattus rattus (Rodentia: Muridae) in Peninsular Malaysia. Sains Malaysiana, 48(10), 2103-2111. · Nasir, M. H., Bhassu, S., Mispan, M. S., Bakar, S. A., Jing, K. J., & Omar, H. (2022). Molecular Identification and Genetic Variation of Rattus Species From Oil Palm Plantations of Malaysia Based on Mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (COI) Gene Sequences. Zoological Science, 39(6), 554-561.
IUCN Red List status
Least Concern
Species Permalink
https://www.mammaldiversity.org/taxon/1003659Country distribution map
The map below provides a general overview. Most species inhabit only specific regions within countries. Hover over the highlighted regions to see the country name.
Names and synonyms
Present and past (if available) associated names to the species. Click on a name to view its details. If the list is long, scroll down to see more.
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