tomonini

Tomanini is a genus of extinct mice that lived during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs. The fossils of tomanini mice have been found in North America, specifically in the states of Florida and Nebraska.

The tomanini mice were members of the family Muridae, which also includes modern-day mice and rats. However, unlike their modern counterparts, tomanini mice were significantly larger, with estimated body lengths of up to 30 centimeters and weights of up to 200 grams.

Fossil evidence suggests that tomanini mice were primarily herbivores, with diet consisting mainly of seeds, fruits, and vegetation. Their Dental structure is consistent with this diet, with distinctive cheek teeth that were adapted for crushing and grinding plant material.

The species within the tomanini genus are known for their large size and robust build, which is indicative of their adaptation to a cooler and more temperate climate. This is in contrast to many other extinctions that occurred during the same period, where many smaller species were more vulnerable to the changing climate conditions.

Tomanini fossils have been found in association with other mammals such as ground sloths, and mastodons, suggesting that these mice lived in a diverse and dynamic ecosystem. However, the exact relationship between tomanini mice and other mammals in their ecosystem remains unclear.