List of extinct rodents

This list is of rodent species that are extinct − no longer alive.

Species from related groups such as Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares) are not included.

Before 1500 + Exceptionally large extinct rodents Genus Species Notes Location Approx. max. weight Stratigraphy Image Castor C. californicus An extinct beaver species Western North America Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene Castoroides Giant beavers North America Up to Pleistocene Ceratogaulus Horned gophers North America Smallest horned mammal Late Miocene to Pliocene Spelaeomys S. florensis A large cave rat Flores - Extinct by 1500 "Giant hutias" A paraphyletic group of rodents resembling large guinea pigs West Indies Up to Pleistocene Leithia A giant dormouse Europe (Malta, Sicily) Pleistocene (in Italian) Neochoerus N. pinckneyi A large capybara North America Pleistocene Josephoartigasia J. monesi 'Giant pacarana', largest known rodent South America Pliocene to Early Pleistocene Phoberomys P. pattersoni A horse-sized rodent North America Probably under ; earlier estimates up to Miocene Telicomys A giant rodent, to long South America Perhaps 70% of size of P. pattersoni Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene

Extinct after 1500 16th century Oriente cave rat Torre's cave rat Imposter hutia Montane hutia Megaoryzomys Cuban coney Hispaniolan edible rat Conilurus capricornensis Samaná hutia Buhler's coryphomys Noronhomys Pennatomys nivalis Desmarest's hutia

17th century Insular cave rat Puerto Rican hutia Verhoeven's giant tree rat

See also – all periods

References