鼠科 (Muridae),源自拉丁文 mus (「老鼠」),意指這些動物是老鼠,因為所有真鼠都屬於鼠科.

Muridae, from Latin mus (“mouse”), in reference to the fact that these animals are mice, as all true mice belong to the family.

種的俗名 Common names of members

真鼠

True mice.

分佈 Distribution  

遍佈歐亞、非洲和澳洲.

Throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.

體型 Size

這些小動物通常約 10 公分長（不包括尾巴）,某些品種可長達 50 公分.

These are little animals that are usually about 10 cm long (not including the tail), while certain species can reach lengths of up to 50 cm. 

形態描述 Morphology

儘管這些動物有很多不同的一般特徵,但牠們通常都有細長的身體,長於身體的有鱗片的尾巴,以及有著明顯鬍鬚的尖嘴.為了增強攀爬能力,有些囓齒目動物發展出了預手尾巴和寬大的腳掌,而另一些則沒有這些特殊適應.甚至有些囓齒目動物還延長了腿部和腳掌.牠們通常是棕色系,但很多個體都有黑色、灰色或白色的斑紋

Although there is much variety in their general characteristics, they usually have thin bodies with scaled tails that are longer than the body and pointed snouts with noticeable whiskers. To enhance their capacity to climb, some murids have developed prehensile tails and wide feet, whereas others have neither adaptation. Some murids have even gone so far as to extend their legs and feet. They are often some shade of brown, though many of them have markings that are black, grey, or white.

生態與棲息地 Habitat & Ecology

他們生活在許多不同類型的環境中,包括苔原和熱帶雨林.有些品種是半水棲性、化石棲性和樹棲性的,但大多數都是陸棲性的.

They live in many different types of environments, including tundras and tropical rainforest. There are species that are semiaquatic, fossorial, and arboreal, but the majority are terrestrial.

食性 Diet