Lab Animals - Rats

Question 1

Class

Answer 1

• Mammalia

Question 2

Order

Answer 2

• Rodentia

Question 3

Family

Answer 3

• Muridae

Question 4

Subfamily

Answer 4

• Murinae

Question 5

Genus

Answer 5

• Rattus

Question 6

Species (spp.)

Answer 6

• brown rat: Rattus norvegicus
• black rat: Rattus rattus

Question 7

Chromosomes

Answer 7

• 42

Question 8

Rat Weight

Answer 8

• 300-500 g

Question 9

Rat Housing

Answer 9

• need more housing/space than mice
• can fit 4-5 mice in space needed for rats
• economic considerations that might make rats a little more undesirable

Question 10

Rat vs. Mouse Research

Answer 10

• mice for genetic manipulation (bcs they’ve been part of this research for about a century)
• specific tests (alcoholism, cancer responses) developed for rats and mice
• rats: toxicology research, cardiac (disease) research, tests that need larger specimens of tissue, organs, etc.
• multiple small samples, other physiological/body systems: might be ok to use mice

Question 11

Toxicology

Answer 11

• studying the effect of different chemicals on animals, then applying that to humans
• national toxicology program in US relies on rats to look at effects of chemicals on phenotypes