The common lab rat Rattus norvegicus originated from which wild rat?

The common lab rat Rattus norvegicus originated from which wild rat?

• A. Brown Norway rat
• B. Sprague Dawley
• C. Long Evans
• D. Wistar

Answer: (A)

Rattus norvegicus, the common lab rat, comes from the wild brown rat, also known as the Norway rat. This species provided the original stock for laboratory rat populations, and the Brown Norway rat is a lab strain tied directly to that wild stock. The other names listed (Sprague Dawley, Long Evans, Wistar) are established lab strains derived from this species but are not the wild progenitor itself. So the wild origin of the laboratory rat is the brown rat, the Norway rat.

Rattus norvegicus, the common lab rat, comes from the wild brown rat, also known as the Norway rat. This species provided the original stock for laboratory rat populations, and the Brown Norway rat is a lab strain tied directly to that wild stock. The other names listed (Sprague Dawley, Long Evans, Wistar) are established lab strains derived from this species but are not the wild progenitor itself. So the wild origin of the laboratory rat is the brown rat, the Norway rat.