Phoberomys pattersoni, a rodent that lived 8 million years ago in Venezuela, was the second-largest rodent ever to have lived, weighing around 700 kg and measuring 3 m in length. Its large size was a deterrent to predators, and it had saber-sized teeth to defend itself. Its natural predators included crocodiles, saber-toothed cats, and carnivorous birds. The discovery of a complete skeleton in 2003 revealed its massive size, which was managed using a different gait and a massive stomach to aid digestion.
The largest rodent that ever lived was the size of a cow. He was 3 m (9.8 ft) long, with a 1.5 m (5 ft) tail, and probably weighed around 700 kg (1,543 lbs). This rodent could kill you if it lands on you.
In reality, the figures quoted refer to Phoberomys pattersoni, which is only the second largest rodent ever to have lived. Its close cousin, Phoberomys inosa, was also somewhat larger, but a complete skeleton of it has never been found, making an accurate estimate of its size and weight difficult.
Phoberomys pattersoni lived in the Late Miocene, about 8 million years ago. It lived around the delta of the Orinoco River in today’s Venezuela, subsisting on grasses and shrubs. Its size would have been a deterrent to predators, just like its herbivorous contemporaries, the ground sloths.
Like other rodents, Phoberomys pattersoni had large, ever-growing teeth that had to be kept short by gnawing. These saber-sized teeth would also have been used to bite would-be predators. It is not likely that Phoberomys pattersoni had any serious predators, because being so large, it was probably relatively slow, and would have been easy prey for megapredators of the time if it could not have defended itself in a fight. The fact that it has even evolved suggests that it might.
Natural predators of Phoberomys pattersoni would have included ten-foot-long crocodiles, saber-toothed cats, and huge, flightless carnivorous birds. Living a semi-aquatic lifestyle, it probably ate sea grass.
A complete skeleton of the beast was only discovered in 2003. Fragments had been discovered before, but no one suspected how large the rodent was until the complete skeleton was found. Its closest living relative, the South American capybara, can weigh up to 45 kg (99 lb), 15 times smaller than Phoberomys pattersoni. The capybara is the largest living rodent.
Phoberomys pattersoni managed its enormous size using a different gait than smaller rodents. Its massive stomach would aid in its digestion by functioning as a fermentation barrel to break down stubborn bits of cellulose.
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