Papagomys fossil map
Where fossils of Papagomys have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 0 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 0 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early mammals |
|---|---|
| Lived | 0.129 million years ago to the present (Late Pleistocene to Holocene) |
| Periods | Quaternary |
| Family | Muridae |
| Named by | Sody 1941 |
| Fossil records | 2 occurrences at 1 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | Indonesia |
| Rock formations | txn:41892 |
About Papagomys
Papagomys is a genus of very large rats in the tribe Rattini of the subfamily Murinae, with body masses of 600–2,500 grams (1.3–5.5 lb). It contains two species, which are known only from the Indonesian island of Flores:
Flores giant rat Papagomys armandvillei
Verhoeven's giant rat Papagomys theodorverhoeveni (possibly extinct, only known from subfossil remains)
A possible unnamed third species is also known from subfossil remains.
Both species have records extending to the early Late Pleistocene. The species are thought to be terrestrial, preferring closed habitats, with P. armandvillei known to engage in burrowing. They are thought to be omnivores, consuming leaves, fruit and invertebrates.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Papagomys (revision 1315021669), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q1066515.
