Papagomys
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Papagomys is a genus of very large rats in the tribe Rattini of the subfamily Murinae, with body masses of Template:Convert.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite journal</ref> It contains two species, which are known only from the Indonesian island of Flores:<ref>Musser and Carleton, 2005; Zijlstra et al., 2008; Aplin and Helgen, 2010</ref>
- Flores giant rat Papagomys armandvillei
- Verhoeven's giant rat Papagomys theodorverhoeveni (possibly extinct, only known from subfossil remains)
A possible unnamed third species is also known from subfossil remains.<ref name=":0" />
Both species have records extending to the early Late Pleistocene.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The species are thought to be terrestrial, preferring closed habitats, with P. armandvillei known to engage in burrowing. They are thought to be omnivores, consuming leaves, fruit and invertebrates.<ref name=":0" />
See alsoEdit
- Mallomys a genus of giant rat known from New Guinea
ReferencesEdit
Literature citedEdit
- Aplin, K.P. and Helgen, K.M. 2010. Quaternary murid rodents of Timor. Part I: New material of Coryphomys buehleri Schaub, 1937, and description of a second species of the genus. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 341:1–80.
- Template:MSW3 Muroidea
- Zijlstra, J.S., Hoek Ostende, L.W. van den and Due, R.A. 2008. Verhoeven's giant rat of Flores (Papagomys theodorverhoeveni, Muridae) extinct after all? Contributions to Zoology 77(1):25–31.
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