Telicomys

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Telicomys
Temporal range: Late Miocene–Early Pliocene
[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Hystricomorpha
Family: Dinomyidae
Genus: Telicomys
Kraglievich, 1926
Species

Telicomys giganteus
Telicomys gigantissimus
Telicomys amazonensis (disputed)

Telicomys is an extinct genus of rodent from South America.

With a length of more than 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in T. gigantissimus, it contains two or three of the largest rodents that ever lived, along with Phoberomys, Josephoartigasia, and the giant beaver. It is part of the same South American radiation of rodents as both Phoberomys and the modern capybara, which is the largest living rodent, reaching lengths of up to 1.35 m (4 ft 5 in). The closest living relative to Telicomys is the pacarana.[1]

Its name derives from Greek τηλικος + μυς = "a mouse [= rodent] of such a size".[citation needed]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 284. ISBN 1-84028-152-9. 
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.