Tag Archives: Quemisia gravis

Quemisia gravis Miller

Twisted-toothed Mouse (Quemisia gravis)

The Twisted-toothed Mouse was described in 1929 based on subfossil remains, mainly teeth, which were recovered from cave deposits found both in the Dominican Republic as well as in Haiti, Hispaniola.

The species must have reached a size of 60 to 80 cm in length and might have weighed as much as about 20 kg.

There are contemporary reports from the 16th century which tell us of an animal called Quemi that was hunted and eaten by the native people of Hispaniola; these reports may refer to this species or maybe to the Hispaniolan Hutia (Plagiodontia aedium (F. Cuvier), a species that still exists.

*********************

edited: 05.05.2022