This list is of rodent species that are extinct − no longer alive.
Species from related groups such as Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares) are not included.
Genus | Species | Notes | Location | Approx. max. weight | Stratigraphy | Image |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Castor | C. californicus | An extinct beaver species | Western North America | Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene [1] | ||
Castoroides | Giant beavers | North America | Up to 100 kg (220 lb) | Pleistocene [1] | ||
Ceratogaulus | Horned gophers | North America | Smallest horned mammal | Late Miocene to Pliocene [2] | ||
Spelaeomys | S. florensis | A large cave rat | Flores | - | Extinct by 1500 [3] | |
" Giant hutias" | A paraphyletic group of rodents resembling large guinea pigs | West Indies | Up to 200 kg (440 lb) | Pleistocene [4] | ||
Leithia | A giant dormouse | Europe ( Malta, Sicily) | 113 g (4.0 oz) | Pleistocene [5] | ||
Neochoerus | N. pinckneyi | A large capybara | North America | 100 kg (220 lb) | Pleistocene [6] | |
Josephoartigasia | J. monesi | 'Giant pacarana', largest known rodent | South America | 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) | Pliocene to Early Pleistocene [7] | |
Phoberomys | P. pattersoni | A horse-sized rodent [8] | North America | Probably under 280 kg (620 lb); [8] earlier estimates up to 700 kg (1,500 lb) [9] | Miocene [8] | |
Telicomys | A giant rodent, to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) long | South America | Perhaps 70% of size of P. pattersoni [8] | Late Miocene to Early Pleistocene [8] |