It is known from subfossil skull bones and isolated molars found in several sites during field work that started in 2001.

First described in 2010, it is placed in the genus Nesomys together with three smaller living species, which may differ in some details of molar morphology.

The presence of N. narindaensis, a rare element in the local rodent fauna, suggests that the region was previously more humid.

[4] Nesomys is classified in the exclusively Madagascan subfamily Nesomyinae of the family Nesomyidae, which includes various African rodents.

[3] The anteroloph, a crest at the front of the tooth, lacks a smaller accessory spur that is present in N. rufus.

[3] Nesomys is a rare element of the rodent fauna, which is dominated by multiple species of Eliurus and Macrotarsomys.

Modern Nesomys live on the ground in eastern (N. audeberti and N. rufus) and western (N. lambertoni) Madagascar.