Puerto Rican nesophontes

The Puerto Rican nesophontes (Nesophontes edithae), or Puerto Rican shrew, is an extinct eulipotyphlan endemic to Puerto Rico.

Puerto Rican nesophontes[1]
Conservation status
Extinct (1500s)  (IUCN 3.1)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Eulipotyphla
Family:	†Nesophontidae
Genus:	†Nesophontes
Species:	†N. edithae
Binomial name
†Nesophontes edithae Anthony, 1916

It is believed that the animal was never observed by Europeans. Contemporary fossils with indigenous artefacts and introduced rat fossils indicate survival into the colonial era, possibly until the 16th century. The shrew lived in the island montane forest/brush endemic to western Puerto Rico and was an insectivore. There are fossil specimens located in London. It disappeared after introduction of rats and due to the destruction of its forest habitat.

See also

• List of extinct animals
• List of endemic fauna of Puerto Rico

• Puerto Rico portal
• Biology portal