LAUSR

Abstract Extinct species analyzed in zooarchaeological studies are often organized into broader taxonomic categories due to their absence in comparative collections or limited taxonomic knowledge. However, current taxonomic and phylogenetic research is constantly challenging zooarchaeological analysis to provide more accurate identifications and offers the opportunity to reassess these categories. These concerns can be addressed by increasing zooarchaeological publications with detailed morphological descriptions of analyzed specimens and reevaluating identifications of previously analyzed zooarchaeological collections with updated phylogenetic and taxonomic information. I present a case study from Grenada, WI to show the importance of reevaluating zooarchaeological taxonomic categories and how this impacts archaeological interpretations. Recent morphological and phylogenetic analyses of Lesser Antilles rice rats, particularly of giant rice rat phylogenies, have reconciled some difficulties with their identification. New preliminary identifications with morphological descriptions are presented and reveal that Grenada had greater rice rat diversity than was previously recognized in pre-Columbian archaeological contexts, including evidence for possible human assisted translocations. These conclusions also highlight the value of museum collections and the contribution zooarchaeology can make to biodiversity research.