Giant hatias
| Giant hatias | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Heptaxodontidae | ||||||||||||
| Anthony , 1917 |
The giant hatias or giant tree rats (Heptaxodontidae) are an extinct family of rodents (Rodentia). They lived on the Caribbean islands until historical times - possibly until the arrival of the Spaniards . The family's scientific name comes from a find that Harold Elmer Anthony described as Heptaxodon bidens in 1917 . Later investigations determined that this taxon was a young animal of the Elasmodontomys obliquus described as early as 1916 .
General
Giant hatias were large rodents. The largest genus, Amblyrhiza , reached an estimated weight of up to 200 kilograms and was thus significantly larger than all rodents living today. The skulls of these animals were robustly built, the snout, like all guinea pig relatives, housed 20 teeth. The preserved bones suggest a clumsy, heavy build.
Remains of the giant hatias have so far been found in Jamaica , Hispaniola , Puerto Rico , Anguilla and St. Martin . Due to their size, it is believed that, in contrast to the tree rats or hutias still alive today, they lived exclusively on the ground.
The genera
So far, five species in four genera are known of giant hatias.
Amblyrhiza
Amblyrhiza inundata is known from finds on the Caribbean islands of Anguilla and St. Martin. There were considerable fluctuations in size in this species, with a skull length of 40 centimeters and an estimated weight of 50 to 200 kilograms reported for the largest representatives. In terms of size, Amblyrhiza is often compared to an American black bear . The most recent finds of this type are around 2500 years old. It is controversial whether the animals wereexterminatedby the Indians orwhether they becameextinct before humans arrived on their home islands.
Elasmodontomys
Elasmodontomys obliquus is known from several localities in Puerto Rico . It reached the size of a Paka , but had a much more massive head. The species used to be common in the forested regions of its home island, but it is likely that the Indians hunted it to the point of extinction.
Quemisia
Quemisia gravis lived on Hispaniola , remains of this species have been found in Haiti and the Dominican Republic . She was about the same size as Elasmodontomys , her weight is estimated at 20 kilograms. There are Spanish reports that an animal known as “Quemi” was hunted and eaten by the indigenous people of Hispaniola - this could indicate that Quemisia did not become extinct until the first half of the 16th century. However, it may be confused with the Zagutis , a genus of tree rats still living on Hispaniola today.
Clidomys
The genus Clidomys included two species, Clidomys osborni and Clidomys parvus , both of which lived in Jamaica . Due to the different construction of the molars, they are classified in their own subfamily, Clidomyinae. The head body length of C. osborni is estimated at 75 to 108 centimeters, C. parvus was a quarter smaller. The exact time of the extinction of Clidomys is unclear, there are no more finds in connection with the colonization of Jamaica by humans.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. 2 volumes. 6th edition. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD et al. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .