Fernando de Noronha rat
| Fernando de Noronha rat | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Noronhomys | ||||||||||||
| Carleton & Olson , 1999 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Noronhomys vespuccii | ||||||||||||
| Carleton & Olson , 1999 |
The Fernando de Noronha rat ( Noronhomys vespuccii ) is an extinct rodent species from the group of New World mice .
These rodents were rat-like animals that only lived on the island of Fernando de Noronha off the east coast of Brazil . Fossil finds were discovered in the 1970s and first described as Noronhomys vespuccii in 1999 . Amerigo Vespucci , who landed on the island in 1503, wrote about the very large "rats" that were found there - the actual rats , however, were only introduced to America and this island by the Europeans. It may be this species.
Nothing precise is known about the timing and causes of the Fernando de Noronha rat's extinction.
Morphologically , it is very similar to the swamp rats ( Holochilus ) living on the mainland , and is classified as their close relative.
literature
- Don E. Wilson , DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World. A taxonomic and geographic Reference. 2 volumes. 3. Edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
Web link
- Noronhomys vespuccii inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013.2. Posted by: Weksler, M. & Costa, L., 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2013.