New rodent species discovered

*Raph's Girl* · 05-14-2005, 04:10 PM

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1394165.html?menu=

A new species of rodent has been discovered - for sale on a food stall in a market in south east Asia.

The rock rat - or kha-nyou - is unlike any rodent seen before by scientists, reports New Scientist.

It was spotted by conservation biologist Robert Timmins in the Khammouan region of Laos.

He said: "It was for sale on a table next to some vegetables. And I knew immediately it was something I had never seen before."

Timmins, of the Wildlife Conservation Society, said locals prepare the rodent for eating by roasting it on a skewer.

Timmins and his team have subsequently trapped the animal with the help of local people, but have never seen it alive either in the wild or in the market.

The creature looks something like a cross between a large dark rat and a squirrel, but is actually more closely related to guinea pigs.

It is not closely related to any other rodents and researchers have had to create a whole new family, the Laonastidae, to accommodate it.

The last new mammal family was created in 1974 with the discovery of the bumblebee bat.

05-14-2005, 04:10 PM	#1
Raph's Girl Dierna Soul, Reporter Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Jakku Posts: 10,831	New rodent species discovered http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1394165.html?menu= A new species of rodent has been discovered - for sale on a food stall in a market in south east Asia. The rock rat - or kha-nyou - is unlike any rodent seen before by scientists, reports New Scientist. It was spotted by conservation biologist Robert Timmins in the Khammouan region of Laos. He said: "It was for sale on a table next to some vegetables. And I knew immediately it was something I had never seen before." Timmins, of the Wildlife Conservation Society, said locals prepare the rodent for eating by roasting it on a skewer. Timmins and his team have subsequently trapped the animal with the help of local people, but have never seen it alive either in the wild or in the market. The creature looks something like a cross between a large dark rat and a squirrel, but is actually more closely related to guinea pigs. It is not closely related to any other rodents and researchers have had to create a whole new family, the Laonastidae, to accommodate it. The last new mammal family was created in 1974 with the discovery of the bumblebee bat. __________________