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This article is about the rodent. For the computing input device, see Mouse (computing). In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) For other uses of the word mouse, see Mouse (disambiguation).
Mouse
Fossil range: Late Miocene - Recent434
House mouse, Mus musculus
House mouse, Mus musculus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Superfamily: Muroidea
Family: Muridae
Subfamily: Murinae
Genus: Mus
Linnaeus, 1758
Species

30 species; see text
Feral mouse
Feral mouse

A mouse (plural mice) is a small animal that belongs to one of numerous species of rodents. The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene period and extends from about 23 The House Mouse ( Mus musculus) is one of the most numerous species of the genus Mus commonly termed a Mouse. Chordates ( Phylum Chordata) are a group of Animals that includes the Vertebrates together with several closely related Invertebrates Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands Rodentia is an order of Mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must Muroidea is a large Superfamily of Rodents It includes Hamsters Gerbils true mice and Rats and many other relatives Muridae is the largest family of Mammals It contains over 600 species found naturally throughout Eurasia Africa and Australia The Old World rats and mice, part of the Subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. A feral organism is one that has escaped from Domestication and returned partly or wholly to its wild state In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Rodentia is an order of Mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (Mus musculus). The House Mouse ( Mus musculus) is one of the most numerous species of the genus Mus commonly termed a Mouse. It is found in nearly all countries and, as the laboratory mouse, serves as a model organism in biology. A model organism is a Species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological Phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made It is also a popular pet. A pet is an Animal kept for companionship and enjoyment or a househeld animal as opposed to Livestock, Laboratory animals Working animals The American white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) and the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) also sometimes live in houses. Peromyscus leucopus is a Rodent native to North America. It is commonly called the White-footed Mouse. The genus Peromyscus contains species commonly referred to as deer mice Peromyscus maniculatus is a Rodent native to North America. It is most commonly called the Deer Mouse, although that name is common to most species These species of mice live commensally with humans. In Ecology, commensalism is a kind of symbiotic relationship between two organisms where one benefits and the other is not significantly harmed or helped (like a bird

Although mice may live up to two years in the lab, the average mouse in the wild lives only about 5 months, primarily due to heavy predation. Cats, wild dogs, foxes, birds of prey, snakes and even certain kinds of insects have been known to prey heavily upon mice. WikipediaManual of Style (spelling, articles should conform to one overall spelling style of English typically the one most linked to the article topic (if it is geographic The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order A fox is an Animal belonging to any one of about 27 Species (of which only 12 actually belong to the Vulpes genus or 'true foxes' of small Birds of prey are Birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing using their keen senses especially vision A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Insects ( Class Insecta) are a major group of Arthropods and the most diverse group of Animals on the Earth with over a million described Nevertheless, due to its remarkable adaptability to almost any environment, and its ability to live commensally with humans, the mouse is regarded to be the third most successful mammalian species living on Earth today, after humans and the rat. In Ecology, a niche (pronounced nich nēsh or nish A shorthand definition of niche is how an organism makes a living Rats are various medium sized long-tailed Rodents of the superfamily Muroidea

Mice can be harmful pests, damaging and eating crops and spreading diseases through their parasites and feces. A pest is an organism which has characteristics that are regarded by Humans as injurious or unwanted A disease is an abnormal condition of an organism that impairs bodily functions and can be deadly Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between Organisms of different Species. Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the Anus In western North America, breathing dust that has come in contact with mouse feces has been linked to the deadly hantavirus. Hantaviruses belong to the Bunyaviridae family of Viruses There Bunyaviridae family is divided into 5 genera The original motivation for the domestication of cats is thought to have been for their predation of mice and their relatives, the rats. WikipediaManual of Style (spelling, articles should conform to one overall spelling style of English typically the one most linked to the article topic (if it is geographic Rats are various medium sized long-tailed Rodents of the superfamily Muroidea

Contents

History

Mice have been known to humans since antiquity. The Romans differentiated poorly between mice and rats, calling rats Mus Maximus (big mouse) and referring to mice as Mus Minimus (little mouse). In Spanish similar terms are in use: ratón for mouse and rata for rat. [1]

De-coloration in mice was supposedly first noticed in China by 1100 BC, where a white mouse was discovered. However, there is sufficient evidence to believe that white mice were first noticed before that.

The word "mouse" and the word muscle are related. Muscle stems from musculus meaning small mouse - possibly because of a similarity in shape. [2][3] The word "mouse" is a cognate of Sanskrit mus meaning 'to steal,' which is also cognate with mys in Old Greek and mus in Latin. Cognates in Linguistics are words that have a common origin They may occur within a language such as shirt and skirt as two English words descended from Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. [4]

Characteristics

Mice range in size from 5 to 7 inches (13 to 18 cm) long (including a long tail). They weigh from 1/4 to 2 ounces (7 to 57 gm). The coat color ranges from white to brown to gray. Most mice have a pointed snout with long whiskers, round ears, and thin tails. Many mice scurry along the ground, but some can hop or jump.

Distribution and Habitat

All species of Mus are native to Eurasia and Africa, where they range from lowlands to mountaintops. For the superstate in George Orwell 's novel see Nations of Nineteen Eighty-Four. The five species in the subgenus Pyromys are found in Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and mainland Southeast Asia. Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Much of their range originally consisted of open grasslands or grassy patches in forests. Grasslands (also called greenswards) are areas where the Vegetation is dominated by Grasses ( Poaceae) and other Herbaceous (non-woody A forest is an area with a high density of Trees There are many definitions of a forest based on various criteria

Behavior

Mice are timid, social, and territorial. They are usually active in the night time, while others, such as the harvest mouse, are active both day and night. The Harvest Mouse, Micromys minutus is a small Rodent native to Europe and Asia.

Reproduction

Baby mice just a day old
Baby mice just a day old

Breeding onset is at about 50 days of age in both females and males, although females may have their first estrus at 25-40 days. Mice are polyestrous and breed year round; ovulation is spontaneous. The duration of the estrous cycle is 4-5 days and estrus itself lasts about 12 hours, occurring in the evening. Vaginal smears are useful in timed matings to determine the stage of the estrous cycle. Mating is usually nocturnal and may be confirmed by the presence of a copulatory plug in the vagina up to 24 hours post-copulation. The presence of sperm on a vaginal smear is also a reliable indicator of mating. [5]

Female mice housed together tend to go into anestrus and do not cycle. If exposed to a male mouse or the pheromones of a male mouse, most of the females will go into estrus in about 72 hours. This synchronization of the estrous cycle is known as the Whitten effect. The Whitten effect is a phenomenon observed by W K Whitten (1956 1966 1968 whereby male mouse Pheromone -laden urine synchronizes the estrus cycle "among The exposure of a recently bred mouse to the pheromones of a strange male mouse may prevent implantation (or pseudopregnancy), a phenomenon known as the Bruce effect. The Bruce effect is a form of Pregnancy disruption in Mammals in which exposure of a Female to an unknown Male results in pre- (Bruce 1959 or [5]

The average gestation period is 20 days. A fertile postpartum estrus occurs 14-24 hours following parturition, and simultaneous lactation and gestation prolongs gestation 3-10 days due to delayed implantation. Childbirth (also called labour, birth, partus or parturition) is the culmination of a Human Pregnancy or The average litter size is 10-12 during optimum production, but is highly strain dependent. For other meanings of litter see Litter (disambiguation. A litter is the offspring at one birth of Animals from the same mother and usually As a general rule, inbred mice tend to have longer gestation periods and smaller litters than outbred and hybrid mice. Inbreeding is breeding between close Relatives whether plant or animal The young are called pups and weigh 0. 5-1. 5 grams at birth, are hairless, and have closed eyelids and ears. Cannibalism is uncommon, but females should not be disturbed during parturition and for at least 2 days postpartum. Pups are weaned at 3 weeks of age; weaning weight is 10-12 grams. If the postpartum estrus is not utilized, the female resumes cycling 2-5 days postweaning. [5]

Newborn male mice are distinguished from newborn females by noting the greater anogenital distance and larger genial papilla in the male. This is best accomplished by lifting the tails of littermates and comparing perineums. For other meanings of litter see Litter (disambiguation. A litter is the offspring at one birth of Animals from the same mother and usually In Human anatomy, the perineum is generally defined as the surface region in both males and females between the Pubic symphysis and the Coccyx. [5]

Species

Laboratory mice

Knockout mice
Knockout mice

Mice are common experimental animals in biology and psychology primarily because they are mammals, and so share a high degree of homology with humans. UserPolbot. --> Neave's Mouse ( Mus neavei) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae family UserPolbot. -->The Free State Pygmy Mouse or Orange Mouse ( Mus orangiae) is a species of Rodent UserPolbot. -->The Oubangui Mouse ( Mus oubanguii) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae family UserPolbot. --> Peters's Mouse ( Mus setulosus) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae family UserPolbot. --> Setzer's Pygmy Mouse ( Mus setzeri) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae family UserPolbot. -->The Thomas's Pygmy Mouse ( Mus sorella) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae Delicate Mouse scientific name (Pseudomys Delicatulus Description The Delicate mouse has yellow to brown Fur and a pale grey fur under its stomach UserPolbot. -->The Gray-bellied Pygmy Mouse ( Mus triton) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae UserPolbot. -->The Ceylon Spiny Mouse ( Mus fernandoni) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae UserPolbot. --> Phillips's Mouse ( Mus phillipsi) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae family UserPolbot. -->The Flat-haired Mouse ( Mus platythrix) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae UserPolbot. -->The Rock-loving Mouse ( Mus saxicola) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae UserPolbot. --> Shortridge's Mouse ( Mus shortridgei) is a species of Rodent in the Muridae A knockout mouse is a genetically engineered mouse in which one or more Genes have been turned off through a Gene knockout. In scientific inquiry an experiment ( Latin: Ex- periri, "to try out" is a method of investigating particular types of research questions or Foundations of modern biology There are five unifying principles Psychology (from Greek grc ψῡχή psȳkhē, "breath life soul" and grc -λογία -logia) is an Academic and In Evolutionary biology, homology has come to mean any similarity between characters that is due to their shared ancestry. They are the most commonly used mammalian model organism, more common than rats. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands A model organism is a Species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological Phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made Rats are various medium sized long-tailed Rodents of the superfamily Muroidea The mouse genome has been sequenced, and virtually all mouse genes have human homologs. In classical genetics the genome of a Diploid Organism including Eukarya refers to a full set of chromosomes or genes in a Gamete, thereby History See also History of genetics The existence of genes was first suggested by Gregor Mendel (1822-1884 who in the 1860s studied inheritance They can also be manipulated in ways that would be considered unethical to do with humans (note Animal Rights). "Animal liberation" redirects here for other uses see Animal liberation (disambiguation. A knockout mouse is a genetically engineered mouse that has had one or more of its genes made inoperable through a gene knockout. A knockout mouse is a genetically engineered mouse in which one or more Genes have been turned off through a Gene knockout. Genetic engineering, Recombinant DNA technology, genetic modification/manipulation (GM and gene splicing are terms that apply to the direct The House Mouse ( Mus musculus) is one of the most numerous species of the genus Mus commonly termed a Mouse. A gene knockout is a genetic technique in which an organism is engineered to carry genes that have been made inoperative (have been "knocked out" of the organism

There are other reasons for why mice are used in laboratory research. Mice are small, inexpensive, easily maintained, and can reproduce quickly. Several generations of mice can be observed in a relatively short period of time. Generation (from the Greek γενεά) also known as procreation, is the act of producing Offspring. Mice are generally very docile if raised from birth and given sufficient human contact. However, certain strains have been known to be quite temperamental. Mice (and rats) have the same organs in the same places, just different proportions.

There are hundreds of established inbred, outbred, and transgenic strains. This article is about organisms which have been genetically modified In the United States, mice are not protected by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) (administered by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), APHIS). An Animal Welfare Act has been legislated in various countries including the US to protect the welfare of animals Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS is an operating unit of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA However, the Public Health Service Act (PHS) administered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) does cover their treatment. The Public Health Service Act is a United States federal law enacted in 1946. "NIH" redirects here For other meanings of NIH see NIH (disambiguation.

As pets

Main article: Fancy mouse

Mice have gained popularity as pets. Fancy mice ("fancy" in this context means "hobby" are Domesticated breeds of the common or house mouse ( Mus musculus) Many people buy mice as companion pets. They can be playful, loving and will get used to being handled, and run to you. Pet mice should not be left unsupervised outside as they have many natural predators such as birds. Male mice tend to have a stronger odor than the females, making females preferable even though they tend to be more expensive. Well looked after mice can make ideal pets. Some common mouse care products are:

Pet mice
Pet mice

Some benefits of having mice as pets are

Disadvantages include:

Nutrition

Mice should be fed a commercial pelleted mouse diet and water ad lib. These diets are nutritionally complete, but they still need a large variety of vegetables. Food intake is approximately 15g/100g BW/day; water intake is approximately 15 ml/100g BW/day. [5]

As food

"Pinkie" mice for sale as reptile food
"Pinkie" mice for sale as reptile food

Humans have eaten mice since prehistoric times. Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia are air-breathing Cold-blooded Vertebrates that have skin covered in scales as opposed to hair or feathers They are still eaten as a delicacy throughout eastern Zambia and northern Malawi, where they are an excellent seasonal source of protein. The Republic of Zambia (ˈzæmbɪə is a Landlocked country in Southern Africa. The Republic of Malawi (məˈlɑːwi or; formerly Nyasaland) is in southern Africa. Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl [1] In most other countries, mice are no longer routinely consumed by humans. Across the U. S. pet owners keep exotic pets such as snakes, lizards, frogs, tarantulas, and birds of prey. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Lizards are a large and widespread group of Reptiles of the order Squamata, with nearly 5000 species and ranging across all continents except This article is about the block cipher algorithm For the ultrafast laser pulse measurement technique see Frequency-resolved optical gating. Tarantula is the common name for a group of hairy and often very large Spiders belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species Birds of prey are Birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing using their keen senses especially vision Most US pet stores now carry mice for this purpose. Because they breed quickly, grow quickly, are easy to care for, and can be sold in a wide variety of sizes, this makes them suitable for consumption by animals of various sizes. Mice also seem to be a desirable food item for a very large variety of carnivores. A carnivore (ˈkɑrnɪvɔər meaning 'meat eater' ( Latin carne meaning 'flesh' and vorare meaning 'to devour' is any animal with a diet consisting Common terms used to refer to different age/size mice are pinkies, fuzzies, hoppers, and adults. Pinkies are newborn mice that have not yet grown fur; fuzzies have some fur but are not very mobile; hoppers have a full coat of hair and are fully mobile but are smaller than adult mice. These terms also refer to the various growth stages of rats (also see Fancy rat). Rats are various medium sized long-tailed Rodents of the superfamily Muroidea The fancy rat or pet rat is a domesticated Breed of the Brown rat ( Rattus norvegicus)

Popular Culture

References

  1. ^ Etymology of mammal names. Reepicheep is a Fictional character from C S Lewis 's Chronicles of Narnia series IberiaNature. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily.
  2. ^ Mouse. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily.
  3. ^ Muscle. Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily.
  4. ^ Introduction. The Beginnings: Ode to a Wee Mouse. Retrieved on 2007-05-21. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 878 - Syracuse Italy is captured by the Muslim sultan of Sicily.
  5. ^ a b c d e Louisiana Veterinary Medical Association

See also

External links

An audiogram is a standard way of representing a person's hearing loss The House Mouse ( Mus musculus) is one of the most numerous species of the genus Mus commonly termed a Mouse. A mousetrap is a specialized type of Animal trap designed primarily to catch mice; however it may also trap other small animals In Computing, a mouse (plural mice, mouse devices, or mouses) Fear of mice and rats is one of the most common Specific phobias It is sometimes referred to as musophobia (from Latin mus for " Mouse The Vacanti mouse was a laboratory Mouse that had what looked like a human Ear grown on its back

Dictionary

mouse

-noun

  1. Any small rodent of the genus Mus
  2. (informal) One of the many small rodent and marsupial species that resemble mouse.
  3. A quiet or shy person.
  4. (computing) (plural mice or, rarely, mouses) An input device that is moved over a pad or other flat surface, its movement being converted into a corresponding movement of a pointer on a graphical display.

-verb

  1. (intransitive) To move cautiously or furtively, in the manner of a mouse (the rodent) (frequently used in the phrasal verb to mouse around).
  2. (intransitive) To hunt or catch mice (the rodents).
  3. (transitive, nautical) To close the mouth of a hook by a careful binding of marline or wire.
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