{{Short description|Extinct species of rodent}} {{speciesbox | taxon = Neochoerus pinckneyi | fossil_range = Pleistocene | image = Neochoerus pinckneyi, AMNH 26830.jpg | image2 = Neochoerus pinckneyi paleoart by RunicPotato.jpg | image2_caption = Paleoart of ''Neochoerus pinckneyi'' | authority = (Hay, 1923) }}

'''''Neochoerus pinckneyi''''', commonly called '''Pinckney's capybara''', was a North American species of capybara. While capybaras originated in South America, formation of the Isthmus of Panama three million years ago allowed some of them to migrate north as part of the Great American Interchange. Capybaras and porcupines are the only caviomorph rodents that reached temperate North America during this exchange (a much greater diversity of North American rodents invaded South America). At {{convert|90|-|113|kg}}, 40% larger than the living capybara,<ref>Kurtén, Björn and Anderson, Elaine. 1980. ''Pleistocene Mammals of North America.'' Columbia University Press, New York, p.&nbsp;274. {{ISBN|0-231-03733-3}}</ref> ''N. pinckneyi'' is one of the largest rodent species ever discovered, surpassed only by ''Josephoartigasia monesi'', several species of ''Phoberomys'', and possibly the Pleistocene giant beaver.<ref>[http://users.tamuk.edu/kfjab02/SOTXFAUN.htm Pleistocene Fauna of South Texas]</ref> Remains have been found in southern North America, from Arizona to Florida to South Carolina,<ref name=Baskin>{{cite journal | title=South Texas and the Great American Interchange | author1=Baskin, Jon A. | author2=Thomas, Ronny G. | journal=Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions | volume=57 | pages=37–45 | url=http://ckwri.tamuk.edu/fileadmin/user_upload/PHOTOS/Deer-Research_Program/Class_files/Baskin_Thomas2007--South_Texas_and_the_Great_American_Interchange.pdf | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718213213/http://ckwri.tamuk.edu/fileadmin/user_upload/PHOTOS/Deer-Research_Program/Class_files/Baskin_Thomas2007--South_Texas_and_the_Great_American_Interchange.pdf | archivedate=2014-07-18 }}</ref> and throughout Central America.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110820150813/http://mapserver.museum.state.il.us/faunmapweb/faunmap.phtml?Age=ALL&Form=scientific&Taxon=NHpi&dist=y FaunMap query for ''Neochoerus pinckneyi'']

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Category:Cavies Category:Pleistocene rodents Category:Prehistoric mammals of North America