rock rat

plural rock rats

1. Certain members of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, those in:
   1. Zyzomys, an Australian genus
   2. Aethomys, of Africa

      Synonyms: bush rat, rock mouse

2. Petromyscus, a southwestern African genus in the subfamily Petromyscinae of the family Nesomyidae (more frequently referred to as rock mice)
3. Aconaemys, a genus in Argentina and Chile, of the family Octodontidae
4. Petromus, an African genus often called dassie rats, of the family Petromuridae
5. Laonastes, a genus from Laos, of the family Diatomyidae