Abstract
We describe a new genus and species of large-bodied murine from archaeological deposits atLiang Bua, a limestone cave in western Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Among a large assemblageof murine remains, several mandibular elements recovered from mostly Holocene sediments show adistinct anatomy, with a long and robust jaw, massive proodont incisors, and relatively small molars. Thesemorphological features are unusual among murines but most similar to terrestrial and carnivorous speciesof the Indo-Pacific, colloquially referred to as shrew rats (Philippines, Sulawesi) or moss mice (NewGuinea), and indicate a potential carnivorous dietary adaptation, perhaps specializing in a vermivorousdiet. The size of the mandible indicates that this murine is the largest shrew rat yet known. Althoughpresumed extinct, targeted field research is needed to determine if this rat still lives on Flores today.