Table of Contents
What does rodent mean?
Definition of rodent 1 : any of an order (Rodentia) of relatively small gnawing mammals (such as a mouse, squirrel, or beaver) that have in both jaws a single pair of incisors with a chisel-shaped edge. 2 : a small mammal (such as a rabbit or a shrew) other than a true rodent.5 days ago.
What is another word for rodent?
Rodent synonyms rabbit. The fur of a rabbit typically used to imitate another. biting. The action of the verb to bite. gerbil. (Zoology) One of several species of small, jumping, leporide. porcupine. cavy. gopher. hamster.
What does the word rodent come from?
The word rodent comes from the Latin word “rodere,” which means to gnaw. Similar to the chipmunk, the prairie dog is a type of rodent that belongs to the family Sciurudae. Rodents have both upper and lower pairs of powerful, prominent front incisors separated by a gap from their molars. The incisors grow continuously.
Does rodent mean rat?
Rodent is defined as a small mammal that has a pair of incisor teeth that are constantly growing and that are used for gnawing. A rat is an example of a rodent. Rodents make up about half the living species of mammals, and include rats, mice, beavers, squirrels, lemmings, shrews, and hamsters.
Is rabbit a rodent?
Rabbits are members of the Leporidae family – one of two families (aside from Ochotonidae or the pika family) in the Lagomorpha order of mammals. The rabbit and other lagomorphs were classified under Rodentia (rodents) until early in the 20th century. This family includes rats, squirrels, mice and marmots.
What does a rodent faced man mean?
Noun. ratface (plural ratfaces) (derogatory) A human face with murine features.
What is female rat called?
Rat Terminology In addition, male rats are bucks, while females are called does.
Is dog a rodent?
Rodents (from Latin rodere, ‘to gnaw’) are mammals of the order Rodentia (/roʊˈdɛnʃə/), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. Well-known rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, prairie dogs, porcupines, beavers, guinea pigs, and hamsters.
What are the largest rodents in the world?
The capybara is twice that big—the biggest rodent on Earth. These impressive semi-aquatic mammals are found throughout much of northern and central South America, though a small invasive population has been seen in Florida.
What is special about rodents?
The most distinguishing characteristic is their teeth. All rodents have a pair of upper and a pair of lower teeth called incisors. Unlike our teeth, these incisors don’t have roots, and they never stop growing! To keep these teeth from growing into their brains, rodents grind their teeth against each other.
Is a squirrel a rodent?
squirrel, (family Sciuridae), generally, any of the 50 genera and 268 species of rodents whose common name is derived from the Greek skiouros, meaning “shade tail,” which describes one of the most conspicuous and recognizable features of these small mammals.
What kind of animal is a rodent?
Rodents are mammals characterized by upper and lower pairs of ever-growing rootless incisor teeth. Rodents are the largest group of mammals, constituting almost half of the class Mammalia’s approximately 4,660 species.
Are rats and mice different?
Rats and mice are both rodents, so look similar – the biggest difference is their size. Rats are larger and heavier while mice have smaller slender bodies. Mice also have long slender tails (for their body size) covered in hair compared to rat tails which are shorter, thicker and hairless.
Why is a rabbit not a rodent?
Rabbits do not belong to the Rodentia order, they are lagomorphs (Lagomorpha order). This is because a rabbit has four incisors in the upper jaw (including two non-functional teeth), while rodents only have two. So, the distinction rabbit-rodent is not drawn based on the diet, but on the dental anatomy.
What are baby rats called?
Baby mice and rats are referred to as pups, but they are also sometimes called pinkies, likely a reference to their coloring at birth. Because they have little to no fur, their pink skin is evident early in life.
Is a cockroach a rodent?
Other creatures that are classed as vermin are fleas, worms, cockroaches, mice, deer, rabbits (they are not rodents however), raccoons, opossum, coyote, mountain lions, wolves, etc. Though insects and rodents can be termed as vermin, they are still classified by species within their own categories.
Is a kangaroo a rodent?
Marsupials include kangaroos, opossums and koalas, whereas rodents include beavers, mice, porcupines, squirrels, flying squirrels, gophers, agoutis, chinchillas, coypu, mole-rats, rats, and capybara. Rodents are found worldwide, whereas marsupials are found only in Australia and Americas.
Is a porcupine a rodent?
The porcupine is the prickliest of rodents, though its Latin name means “quill pig.” There are more than two dozen porcupine species, and all boast a coat of needle-like quills to give predators a sharp reminder that this animal is no easy meal.
What does the phrase rat race mean?
Definition of the rat race : the unpleasant life of people who have jobs that require them to work very hard in order to compete with others for money, power, status, etc. She is quitting the rat race to spend time with her family.
Is a hedgehog a rodent?
A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. Like many of the first mammals, they have adapted to a nocturnal way of life. Their spiny protection resembles that of porcupines, which are rodents, and echidnas, a type of monotreme.
Is a hamster a rodent?
Pet rodents (such as hamsters, gerbils, rats, mice, guinea pigs) can make great pets for the right family. However, pet rodents, even when they look clean and healthy, can carry germs that can make people sick.
