Megaoryzomys curioi (Niethammer 1964)

Wilson, Don E. & Reeder, DeeAnn, 2005, Order Rodentia - Family Cricetidae, Mammal Species of the World: a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3 rd Edition), Volume 2, Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, pp. 955-1189 : 1125

Megaoryzomys curioi (Niethammer 1964)

[Megalomys] curioi Niethammer 1964 , Mammalia, 28: 596.

Type Locality: Ecuador, Galápagos Isls, Indefatigable Isl (= Santa Cruz), volcanic tube 3 km N Academy Bay (as corrected by Hutterer and Oromi, 1993:67).

Vernacular Names: Galapagos Giant Rat.

Distribution: Known only from late Quaternary and subfossil cave deposits (precise age indeterminate) on Santa Cruz Isl.

Conservation: Dead but not forgotten.

Discussion: Lectotype designated by Steadman and Ray (1982:6). See Hutterer and Oromi (1993) for commentary on varied renditions of the type locality, morphological redescription based on new samples, and discussion of the taxon’s very recent extinction given its recovery with bones of Nesoryzomys and Mus .