Oryzomys curasoae

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	MAMMALIA	RODENTIA	CRICETIDAE

Scientific Name:	Oryzomys curasoae
Species Authority:	McFarlane & Debrot, 2001
Common Name/s: English – Curaçao Rice Rat
Taxonomic Notes:	This species might be conspecific with the extant Oryzomys gorgasi (Weksler et al. 2006).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Data Deficient     ver 3.1
Year Published:	2008
Assessor/s:	Lamoreux, J.
Reviewer/s:	McKnight, M. (Global Mammal Assessment Team) & Amori, G. (Small Nonvolant Mammal Red List Authority)
Justification: This taxon is only known from subfossil remains that probably correspond to the arrival of Europeans several hundred years ago (based on the presence of R. rattus remains at the same site). However, because of uncertainty about the taxonomy of this taxon (it may be conspecific with the extant Oryzomys gorgasi it is listed as Data Deficient rather than as Extinct.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species (if distinct) is endemic to Curaçao Island in the Netherlands Antilles.
Countries:	Regionally extinct: Netherlands Antilles
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	This species if valid, is presumed to be extinct.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	No known information.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):

Rattus rattus remains were found together with those of O. curasoae suggesting that the introduced Black Rat may have played a role in its demise.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:

None.

Bibliography [top]

McFarlane, D. A. and Debrot, A. O. 2001. A New Species of Extinct Oryzomyine Rodent from the Quaternary of Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles. Caribbean Journal of Science 37: 182-184. Weksler, M., Percequillo, A. R. and Voss, R. S. 2006. Ten new genera of Oryzomyine rodents (Cricetidae: Sigmodontinae). American Museum Novitates 3537: 1-29.