desert rat

Short definition from Wiktionary

Noun

1. 1
   One of various mouselike rodents species inhabiting deserts: A gerbil (subfamily Gerbillinae) of the deserts of Africa and Asia
2. 2
   One of various mouselike rodents species inhabiting deserts: A kangaroo rat (genus Dipodomys) from North America
3. 3
   One of various mouselike rodents species inhabiting deserts: A Natal multimammate mouse (Mastomys natalensis) from Africa
4. 4
   One of various mouselike rodents species inhabiting deserts: A jerboa, including those of species Jaculus orientalis and Jaculus jaculus (lesser Egyptian jerboa), which inhabit the desert regions of North Africa.
5. 5
   A British or Australian soldier who served in North Africa with the British 7th Armoured Division in 1941-42.