Guadalcanal rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Guadalcanal rat |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Uromys
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| Species: |
porculus
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The Guadalcanal rat (Uromys porculus) is a type of rodent that once lived only in the Solomon Islands. This rat is very special because it has not been seen since it was first found between 1886 and 1888. Scientists believe it is now possibly extinct, meaning it no longer exists anywhere in the world.
What Did the Guadalcanal Rat Look Like?
We don't know much about the Guadalcanal rat because only one skull has ever been found. This skull is long and thin. The teeth in the skull are very worn down, so it's hard to see all the small details.
Scientists say the skull looks similar to other rats in its group, like the King rat and the Emperor rat. The Guadalcanal rat also had a very short tail. This short tail suggests it probably lived mostly on the ground, rather than in trees. Animals that live on the ground are called terrestrial.
The Mystery of the Guadalcanal Rat
The only known Guadalcanal rat specimen was described in 1904 by a scientist named Oldfield Thomas. However, it was likely collected earlier, around the late 1880s. This was about the same time other similar rats, like the King rat and Emperor rat, were found.
The rat was officially recorded in 1889. It was collected by Charles Morris Woodford in a village called Aola in the Solomon Islands. Since that time, no one has seen a Guadalcanal rat again. Local people in the Solomon Islands also have no memory or stories about this rat. This makes scientists believe it is most likely extinct.
What's in a Name? The Rat's Changing Family
When the Guadalcanal rat was first named in 1904, it was placed in the Uromys group. But over time, scientists sometimes moved it to a different group called Melomys. Then, they would move it back to Uromys. This happened a few times! Today, the Guadalcanal rat is officially placed back in the Uromys group, where it stays for now.
