 Rat Rodent, the brown house rat (Rattus norvegicus ) and the (R.rattus) black rat, and to the same family as the House mouse (Muridnae) , found in Asia, now widely distributed throughout the world.
The black rat emigrated must likely to Europe in the 12th century. Traveling on ships it infested cargo food and was later carried to America by 1700, where it was common along the Atlantic coasts the brown rat reached Europe probably in the 1727 and America in the 1775. Driving the smaller and less pugnacious black rat from much of its territory. The disease that they carry played a huge role in the history of Europe , causing huge losses in stored foods, crops, and property. Typhus and bubonic plague spread by flea infested rats greatly influenced medieval Europe . Other diseases rats carry include rats bite fever, tularemia, and rabies. Brown and albino rasps are often used as laboratory animals . Various other rodents of the same family are called rats, e.g., African giant rat , kangaroo rat, pack rats, and muskrat. |
