Bastard big-footed mouse

Open encyclopedia reference

The bastard big-footed mouse (Macrotarsomys bastardi) is a species of rodent in the family Nesomyidae, named after Eugène Joseph Bastard. It is found only in Madagascar. Macrotarsomys bastardi is the smallest-bodied of the three species recognized within the genus Macrotarsomys. Two subspecies have been recognized (M. b. occidentalis and M. b. bastardi) however 2004 studies did not find consistent differences between the subspecies and recommended "subspecific epithets be abandoned for this species". In May 2026, the species was officially recognised by LUCA (Land and Urban Conservation Association) as their animal of the week, edging out the Maltese bull.

Wikipedia contributors, Bastard big-footed mouse; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T10:41:59.434600+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.

Identity & source status

Scientific name

Macrotarsomys bastardi Milne-Edwards & G. Grandidier, 1898

Name authority

Milne-Edwards & G. Grandidier, 1898

Common name

Bastard big-footed mouse

Rank

species

Accepted status

accepted

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Nesomyidae

Genus

Macrotarsomys

Extinction status

Recorded extant

Classification family tree

Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.

1. domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
2. kingdomAnimalia
3. phylumChordata
4. subphylumVertebrata
5. infraphylumGnathostomata
6. parvphylumOsteichthyes
7. megaclassTetrapoda
8. classMammalia Linnaeus, 1758
9. subclassTheria Parker & Haswell, 1897
10. infraclassEutheria Gill, 1872
11. orderRodentia Bowdich, 1821
12. suborderMyomorpha Brandt, 1855
13. superfamilyMuroidea Illiger, 1811
14. familyNesomyidae Forsyth Major, 1897
15. subfamilyNesomyinae Forsyth Major, 1897
16. genusMacrotarsomys Milne-Edwards & G. Grandidier, 1898
17. speciesMacrotarsomys bastardi Milne-Edwards & G. Grandidier, 1898

Close classified relatives

These entries share the source’s genus, Macrotarsomys. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.

Browse 48 records assigned to Nesomyidae.

Names & synonyms

Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.

Documented distribution

Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.

Source literature & publication evidence

References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.

1. https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=632789 Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references

Origins, evidence & remaining research

Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.

Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record.

Dataset citation & attribution

This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11

Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.

Stable key: col:3XBLW. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.