Chinese Hamster

**Semantic type:** Mammal

**Definition:** Originating in the deserts of northern China and Mongolia and kept in captivity since 1919, these hamsters exhibit a whitish/grey/brown coat color with a black stripe down the spine, and have a life span of two to three years. The Chinese hamster has a relatively long thin body and tail in comparison to other hamster breeds and is crepuscular year round in captivity. Of note, Chinese hamster ovary cell lines are highly transfectable and are used in a variety of pre-clinical research applications.

**Synonyms:** - CHINESE - CRICETULUS GRISEUS - Chinese - Cricetulus barabensis griseus