Cayman nesophontes

The Cayman nesophontes is an extinct eulipotyphlan of the genus Nesophontes that was once endemic to the Cayman Islands ; the animal lived in the island montane forest/brush endemic to the Cayman Islands and was an insectivore. It is known from subfossil remains, that bear bite marks attributed to crocodiles, collected from caves, sinkholes and peat deposits on the Islands between the 1930s and the 1990s. It was named in 2019.

Extinction

It is believed that the animal was never observed by Europeans. Contemporary fossils with indigenous artifacts and introduced rat fossils indicate survival into the colonial era, possibly until the 16th century. It disappeared after introduction of rats and due to the destruction of its forest habitat, although this species may have survived until around 1774 AD. Using analysis of existing and new radiometric dates, an estimated extinction date of 1700 AD was estimated for N. hemicingulus in 2019.