In this episode of pplpod, we uncover the strange case of "Ekbletomys," the massive extinct rodent of Antigua and Barbuda. First described by paleontologist Clayton Ray in 1962, this giant rice rat rivals the size of the infamous Megalomys but remains a ghost in the scientific record.

We explore the taxonomic limbo of Oryzomys hypenemus—a species that is technically "unavailable" due to a quirk in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. Discover how this unique creature, characterized by a short, broad skull and massive molars, likely rafted from South America to the Leeward Islands. We also discuss the evidence found in Barbuda caves suggesting these animals survived into the Ho ...