Megalomys desmarestii | |
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Stuffed specimen | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Cricetidae |
Subfamily: | Sigmodontinae |
Genus: | † Megalomys |
Species: | †M. desmarestii
|
Binomial name | |
†Megalomys desmarestii (
J. Fischer, 1829)
|
Megalomys desmarestii, also known as the Martinique muskrat, [2] Desmarest's pilorie, [3] or the Martinique giant rice rat, [1] is an extinct rice rat from Martinique in the Caribbean.
It was among the largest species of West Indian rice rats, as big as a cat, and was one of the first Caribbean mammals to become extinct during the 20th century. [2] It may have been semi-aquatic, as it was known to escape into the sea when pursued by predators, but it never swam away from the island. [4]
It was common on Martinique until the end of the 19th century, when attempts were made to exterminate it because it was considered to be a pest of the island's coconut plantations. It was also hunted for food; however, due to its strong musky odor, this was uncommon. On 8 May 1902, the volcano Mount Pelée erupted, completely destroying the island's principal city of Saint-Pierre. It has been speculated that the rice rat became extinct then or during a later eruption in 1902, but predation by introduced small Indian mongooses is more likely to have been the primary cause of its extinction. [1]
Megalomys desmarestii | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Stuffed specimen | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Cricetidae |
Subfamily: | Sigmodontinae |
Genus: | † Megalomys |
Species: | †M. desmarestii
|
Binomial name | |
†Megalomys desmarestii (
J. Fischer, 1829)
|
Megalomys desmarestii, also known as the Martinique muskrat, [2] Desmarest's pilorie, [3] or the Martinique giant rice rat, [1] is an extinct rice rat from Martinique in the Caribbean.
It was among the largest species of West Indian rice rats, as big as a cat, and was one of the first Caribbean mammals to become extinct during the 20th century. [2] It may have been semi-aquatic, as it was known to escape into the sea when pursued by predators, but it never swam away from the island. [4]
It was common on Martinique until the end of the 19th century, when attempts were made to exterminate it because it was considered to be a pest of the island's coconut plantations. It was also hunted for food; however, due to its strong musky odor, this was uncommon. On 8 May 1902, the volcano Mount Pelée erupted, completely destroying the island's principal city of Saint-Pierre. It has been speculated that the rice rat became extinct then or during a later eruption in 1902, but predation by introduced small Indian mongooses is more likely to have been the primary cause of its extinction. [1]