STUPID RATS

Rat borne diseases - Bubonic Plague

Several big European outbreaks, killed 30-60% of the population, Attacks lymphatic system

Rat borne diseases - Rabies

spreads via saliva, affects nerves

Rat borne diseases - Typhus

held in rats but requires vectors, such as fleas, to transfer to humans

Rat borne diseases - Hanta Virus

Found in rat feces and urine, often collects in dust

Rat borne diseases - Haver Hill Fever

transmitted via bites/scratches, caused by Streptobacillus Moniliformis

Rats & Agriculture

found in grain silos and food processing plants, used to disprove spontaneous creation (sweat + grain != rats)

Rat Research

Used in more than 90% of research, used in biomedical, pharmaceutical, nutritional, biosurvey, disease pathology, behavioral research, and tradition studies

Rat Research - 1970s Overcrowding Experiment

Demonstrated breakdown in normal behavior, increases in aggression, breakdown in family units, stress, social withdrawal, and aberrant sexual behaviors.

Rats - Black/Ship Rat

BN - Rattus Rattus, good climbers, originated in India, moved to Europe 6th century

Rats - Brown/Sewer Rat

BN - rattus norvegicus, originated in China/Siberia, expert swimmers

Rats - White Lab Rats

BN - rattus norvegicus albinus, product of selective breeding

Rats - Breeding

No breeding season, breed at 3 months old, average liter is 8-12, 3 week gestation period

Rats - Life Cycle

Born dependent on mother, weaned at 3 weeks, wild rats live 12-18 months, lab rats up to 3 years, females outlive males

Ways of Classifying Organisms

1. Embryology - evolution, anatomy, genetics or 2. Binomial Nomenclature

Classification of Organisms - Prokaryotic

No nucleus, include bacteria + archea, often chemosynthesizers

Classification of Organisms - Eukaryotic

means true nucleus, make up animals, exist as heterotrophs/consumers and autotrophs/producers/photosynthesizers

External Characteristics of the Rat

Incisors w/ no canines, Holds food in cheeks, Pentadactyl (5 digits = 4 claws + 1 vestigial thumb), Tail scales, pink hairless rhinarium (nose) w/ external nares (openings to nasal passages), pinnae (funnel-shaped ears), Vibrissae (whiskers - detection), digitigrade (run on digits)

Digitigrade versus Plantigrade

Digitigrade - runs on digits, rats

Plantigrade - runs heel to toe, humans

Characteristics of Phylum Chordata

Pharyngeal gill slits, Flexible rod-like notochord (develops into vertebral column), Hollow dorsal nerve cord (spinal cord)

Gestation

period of fertilization to birth

Parturition

process of giving birth

oviparous

egg laying (ex. birds)

vivaparous

live birth (ex. rats + humans)

ovoviviparous

live with yoke sac attached (ex. fish, sharks, amphibians)

Note:

There are others pieces of info and other terms in the powerpoint. They are very specific, I do not think we will see them on the quest. Look over the handouts (I would recommend the skeletal one since there are the most differences)

Kingdom - Humans & Rats

Animalia

Phylum - Humans & Rats

Chordata

Subphylum - Humans & Rats

Vertebrata

Class - Humans & Rats

Mammalia, mammary glands

Order - Rats

Rodentia

Family - Rats

Muridae

Genus - Rats

Rattus

Species - Rats

Norvegicus

Subspecies - Rats

albinus

Order - Humans

Primate

Suborder - Humans

Anthropoidea, ape/human features

Family - Humans

homonidae

Genus - Humans

homo

Species - Humans

Sapien (wise)