First genetic evidence of Rattus norvegicus Berkenhout, 1769 in Southeastern Mexico

Abstract

Invasive rodents are widely distributed worldwide and are responsible for significant agricultural and urban infrastructure losses. They are hosts of numerous zoonotic pathogens. In the southeastern region of Mexico, only Rattus rattus has been recorded. The presence of R. norvegicus in Chiapas, in San Cristobal de Las Casas, a medium-sized city in Southeastern Mexico, is reported here for the first time with genetic evidence, through a DNA barcode analysis performed using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Given the economic and health importance of these rodents, it is crucial to know their distribution and set an ecological knowledge baseline.