Megaoryzomys

Megaoryzomys curioi, also known as the Galápagos giant rat,^[2] is an extinct species of sigmodontine rodent, known only from Santa Cruz Island in the Galápagos Islands. It likely met its demise when European settlers introduced invasive species to the island. It is the only species in the genus Megaoryzomys. Its relationships have historically been unclear; it has been placed in both Oryzomyini and Thomasomyini in the past. A 2020 study favoured placing it in the former on overall skull morphology.^[3]

Megaoryzomys curioi
Skull of a Megaoryzomys curioi
Conservation status
Extinct  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Rodentia
Family:	Cricetidae
Subfamily:	Sigmodontinae
Genus:	†Megaoryzomys Lenglet & Coppois, 1979
Species:	†M. curioi
Binomial name
†Megaoryzomys curioi (Niethammer, 1964)