Latest Rat Stories
2 new species discoveredTwo new rodent fossils were discovered in the arid highlands of southern Bolivia by researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and Universidad Autónoma Tomás FrÃas.The larger of the two rodents, named Mesoprocta hypsodus, probably looked something like a guinea pig on stilts, said Darin Croft, an anatomy professor at Case Western Reserve. The smaller, Quebradahondomys potosiensis, was a spiny rat.An online article in the Journal of...
Researchers studying the African Crested Rat have found that it uses an ingenious tool to ward off predators. The rodent consumes a poisonous plant toxin and spits the saliva onto sponge-like hairs on its fur.Jonathan Kingdon and colleagues from the National Museums of Kenya, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and University of Oxford published their observations of this study online in the Proceedings of The Royal Society B.When attacked by predators, the rat puts on a dramatic fur-bristling...
A new study shows how house mice found unexpected ways to evolve resistance to a common poison and thrive, despite humanity's best efforts to keep them at bay. Rice University researchers analyzed a genetic mutation that has given ordinary European house mice this extraordinary ability. The gene in question, known as vkorc1, is present in all mammals and manages vitamin K. They found that a mutation to vkorc1 makes mice resistant to warfarin, an anticoagulant used as a blood thinner in...
Compounds in blueberries might turn out to have a powerful effect on formation of strong, healthy bones, if results from studies with laboratory rats turn out to hold true for humans.Jin-Ran Chen and his colleagues are exploring this idea in research funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) at the Arkansas Children's Nutrition Center (ACNC) in Little Rock. Chen is a principal investigator and lead scientist at the center's Skeletal Development Laboratory, and an assistant professor...
U.S. scientists have developed an on-off memory switch that helped laboratory rats remember a behavior they had forgotten. The brain prosthesis marks the first time scientists have been able to duplicate the brain's learning process, restoring memories that test rats were drugged to forget. This new research could help offer hope for people suffering from dementia. "Flip the switch on, and the rats remember. Flip it off, and the rats forget," Theodore Berger of the University of Southern...
Biomedical engineers analyze--and duplicate--the neural mechanism of learning in rats LOS ANGELES, June 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Scientists have developed a way to turn memories on and off--literally with the flip of a switch. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110617/DC21758) Using an electronic system that duplicates the neural signals associated with memory, they managed to replicate the brain function in rats associated with long-term learned behavior, even when the...
LOS ANGELES, June 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Plastic Piranha is pleased to announce the debut of its first two titles, Rikochet and R.A.T.S., at this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, California. Rikochet Rikochet is a groundbreaking First Person Tactical Shooter incorporating elements of realism unlike any before. In 2012, a deadly virulent, mutated plague of Equine Influenza (dubbed Haizum R1K0) ravages the world's population, crippling governments and toppling the world...
A new rat model, the ZDSD has been developed as the next generation translational model of obesity, metabolic syndrome and related complications, under the direction of Richard G. Peterson, PhD (developer of the "Gold Standard" ZDF rat) and EVP of Research and Development at PreClinOmics. Indianapolis, IN (PRWEB) May 26, 2011 A new rat model, the ZDSD has been developed as the next generation translational model of obesity, metabolic syndrome and related complications, under the...
What was thought to be lost is now found again. Two volunteer naturalists visiting a nature reserve in Colombia came across the mysterious guinea pig-sized rodent species, which scientists have thought to be extinct.Lizzie Noble and Simon McKeon, volunteers with the ProAves Foundation, were just about to turn in for the night on May 4, when the nocturnal red-crested tree rat stopped by for a visit. The rodent stayed for two hours, just watching as the volunteer biologists photograph it and...
Depression and anxiety may result from short-term digestive irritation early in life, according to a study of laboratory rats by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The findings suggest that some human psychological conditions may be the result, rather than the cause, of gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome."A lot of research has focused on understanding how the mind can influence the body," said Pankaj Pasricha, MD, professor and chief...
Latest Rat Reference Libraries
The armored rat (Hoplomys gymnurus) is the only species within the Hoplomys genus. It is native to Latin America, with a range that extends from northern Honduras into northwestern Ecuador. It prefers a habitat at altitudes of up to 2,600 feet. It resides in burrows that can be up to 6.6 feet in length, and these burrows are typically located near a water source. The armored rat bears spines across its back, resembling a porcupine, and indeed, they are more related to the porcupine than...
The Jamaican rice rat (Oryzomys antillarum) is an extinct species of rodent that was once found in Jamaica. This rat is thought to have been a divergence of O. couesi, which can be found in mainland Central America. It is thought that this rat went extinct in the late 19th century due to habitat destruction and by predation and competition from introduced species like the mongoose and the brown rat. Elliott Coues noted two specimens of Oryzomys in his 1877 monograph about North American...
The sand rat (Psammomys obesus), also known as the fat sand rat, is found in North Africa, as well as the Middle East. Its range extended from Mauritania to the Arabian Peninsula. It prefers habitats within sandy deserts, but it can be found within saline marsh areas and areas with rocky ground. It will burrow under vegetation like saltbushes, where rats can often be found foraging. There are many medical uses for the sand rat. Because of their tendency to get diabetes mellitus when fed a...
The maned rat (Lophiomys imhausi), also known as the crested rat, has a range that includes Tanzania, Sudan, South Sudan, Kenya, and Uganda. It prefers a habitat located in highland forests and woodlands in these areas, while in Somalia and Ethiopia it prefers to reside in areas nearly at sea level. These rats will nest in hollow tree trunks or rocky areas, as well as within cliff-faces. The maned rat can reach a length of up to twenty-one inches, including the tail. The soft undercoat of...
The greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) is one of two species of cane rats found in Africa. They prefer to reside in reed beds or riverbanks south of the Saharan Desert. They have adapted well to urbanization and will also live on plantations. The nocturnal greater cane rat lives in small groups that are led by one alpha male and will make their burrows underground or in grasses. The diet of this cane rat consists of cane plants and grasses. When frightened, the greater cane rat will...
