Nesoryzomys darwini explained

Nesoryzomys darwini, also known as Darwin's nesoryzomys^[1] or Darwin's Galápagos mouse,^[2] is an extinct species of rodent in the genus Nesoryzomys.^[3]

Distribution and habitat

N. darwini was endemic to Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos Islands. It was probably nocturnal and inhabited burrows or rock crevices under bushes.

Extinction

Only four specimens exist, collected by Frank Wonder between 12 and 16 January 1929. This extinction may have been caused by competition from (and disease spread by) the introduction of invasive brown and black rats. The other Nesoryzomys known from Santa Cruz, Nesoryzomys indefessus, is also extinct; other species of the genus survive on different islands.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Musser, G.G. and Carleton, M.D. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. Pp. 894–1531 in Wilson, D.E. and Reeder, D.M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference. 3rd ed. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 2 vols., 2142 pp.
2. Duff, A. and Lawson, A. 2004. Mammals of the World: A checklist. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press, 312 pp.
3. Book: Flannery, Tim Fridtjof . A gap in nature: discovering the world's extinct animals . Schouten . Peter . 2001 . Atlantic Monthly Press . 978-0-87113-797-5 . 1st American . New York.
4. Dowler, R.C., Carroll, D.S. and Edwards, C.W. 2000. Rediscovery of rodents (Genus Nesoryzomys) considered extinct in the Galápagos Islands. Oryx 34(2):109–118. ISSN 0030-6053