Geocapromys Temporal range: Pleistocene to Recent | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Mounted specimen of Geocapromys brownii | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Rodentia |
Family: | Echimyidae |
Subfamily: | Capromyinae |
Tribe: | Capromyini |
Genus: | Geocapromys Chapman, 1901 |
Type species | |
Capromys (Geocapromys) brownii J. Fischer, 1830 | |
Species | |
G. brownii Contents | |
![]() | |
Extant species of Geocapromys Red: extant range of Geocapromys ingrahami , Light red: possibly extant range of Geocapromys ingrahami , Green: extant range of Geocapromys brownii , Light green: possibly extant range of Geocapromys brownii |
Geocapromys is a genus of rodent belonging to the hutia subfamily [1] and are currently only found on the Bahamas and Jamaica. [2] However, they formerly ranged throughout the Caribbean, from Cuba to the Cayman Islands to even islands off mainland Central America.
The genus Geocapromys comprises five recent species, three of which are extinct. [3]
In addition, there are two species, G. megas and G. pleistocenicus , which are known only from fossil remains.
Within Capromyidae, Geocapromys is the sister group to a clade comprising Mesocapromys and Mysateles on the one hand, and Capromys on the other hand. In turn, these four genera belong to the tribe Capromyini, and are the sister group to Plagiodontia.
Genus-level cladogram of the Capromyidae with their relationship to Carterodon and Euryzygomatomyinae. | ||
The cladogram has been reconstructed from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA characters. [4] [5] [6] [2] [7] [8] |