Pack rat
genus of mammals
The pack rat, also known as the wood rat or trade rat, is a rodent of one of several species in the genus Neotoma. Very often, people mean the bushy-tailed woodrat (Neotoma cinerea). Packrats are common in the deserts and highlands of the western United States and northern Mexico. They are smaller than a usual (Old World) rat, and usually have long, sometimes bushy tails. They are also not related to the rat, other than also being a rodent.
| Pack rats Temporal range: Late Miocene – Recent
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| Neotoma cinerea | |
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| Genus: | Neotoma |
