The imposter hutia (Hexolobodon phenax) is an extinct species of rodent in the hutia subfamily (Capromyinae). It is the only species in the genus Hexolobodon and tribe Hexolobodontini. It was found only on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and went extinct sometime after European colonization in the 1500s.[2]

Imposter hutia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Echimyidae
Subfamily: Capromyinae
Tribe: Hexolobodontini
Woods, 1989
Genus: Hexolobodon
Miller, 1929
Species:
H. phenax
Binomial name
Hexolobodon phenax
Miller, 1929

History

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The remains were found in association with those from rats of the genus Rattus, which suggests that the imposter hutia survived until the time of European colonization of the island, and may have gone extinct due to predation from introduced rodents.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Turvey, S.T. & Helgen, K. (2018). "Hexolobodon phenax". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T10034A22187167. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T10034A22187167.en. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Hexolobodon phenax G. S. Miller, 1929". ASM Mammal Diversity Database. American Society of Mammalogists. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  3. ^ Piper, Ross (2009). Extinct animals : an encyclopedia of species that have disappeared during human history. Greenwood Press. ISBN 978-0-313-34987-4. OCLC 268789581.