Nesophontes

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nesophontes^[1]

Nesophontes edithae

Conservation status

Extinct (early 16th century)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Soricomorpha
Family:	†Nesophontidae Anthony, 1916
Genus:	†Nesophontes Anthony, 1916

Species

†Nesophontes edithae
†Nesophontes hypomicrus
†Nesophontes longirostris
†Nesophontes major
†Nesophontes micrus
†Nesophontes paramicrus
†Nesophontes submicrus
†Nesophontes superstes
†Nesophontes zamicrus

The members of the genus Nesophontes, sometimes called West Indies shrews, were members of the extinct family of mammals Nesophontidae in the order Soricomorpha. This is the only genus described for this family. These animals were endemic to Cuba, Hispaniola (Dominican Republic and Haiti), Puerto Rico and the Cayman Islands. Although exact estimates are unavailable, these animals are widely believed to have survived the Pleistocene extinction since remains have been found among those of Rattus and Mus species. Some authorities estimate extinction coinciding with the arrivals of rats (Rattus spp.) aboard Spanish vessels in the early 16th century (1500). Others, such as Morgan and Woods, claim that some species survived until the early 20th century.^[2]

The West Indies shrews have only been described from fossil records and skeletal material in owl pellets found in the Greater Antilles. Recent efforts to locate surviving populations have been unsuccessful.^[3]

These animals were insectivores.

Since Nesophontes species have only been observed through fossil records the exact number of species varies among authorities. Some claim as many as 12 valid species while other claim as few as six.^[1]

Puerto Rican Nesophontes (Nesophontes edithae)
Atalaya Nesophontes (Nesophontes hypomicrus)
Slender Cuban Nesophontes (Nesophontes longirostris)
Greater Cuban Nesophontes (Nesophontes major )
Western Cuban Nesophontes (Nesophontes micrus)
St. Michael Nesophontes (Nesophontes paramicrus)
Lesser Cuban Nesophontes (Nesophontes submicrus)
Cuban Nesophontes (Nesophontes superstes)
Haitian Nesophontes (Nesophontes zamicrus)

[edit] See also

List of extinct animals

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b Hutterer, Rainer (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 220-222. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
^ Morgan, G. S., and C. A. Woods. 1986. Extinction and the zoogeography of West Indian land mammals. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 28:167-203.
^ Woods, C. A., J. A. Ottenwalder, and W. L. R. Oliver. 1985. Lost mammals of the Greater Antilles: summarized findings of a ten week field survey in the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Puerto Rico. Dodo (Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust), 22:23-42.