Petromus is a genus of hystricognath rodents that contains the dassie rat (Petromus typicus) of southwestern Africa, the only extant member of this group and the entire family Petromuridae.

Petromus
Temporal range: Early Pliocene - Recent
5.3–0 Ma
Dassie rat (Petromus typicus)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Family: Petromuridae
Genus: Petromus
A. Smith, 1831
Species

Two fossil species are known from the Pliocene, with the oldest being Petromus antiquus of the Early Pliocene.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ Sénégas, F. (2004). "A New Species of Petromus (Rodentia, Hystricognatha, Petromuridae) from the Early Pliocene of South Africa and Its Paleoenvironmental Implications". Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 24 (3): 757–763.