New Kind of Rodent Is Found in Laos
A long-whiskered rodent with stubby legs and a tail covered with dense hair has turned out be a previously unknown species that represents a new family of wildlife, the Wildlife Conservation Society said Wednesday.
The kha-nyou, as local people call it, was seen by scientists in a market in central Laos. Based on morphological differences in the skull and bone structure, coupled with DNA analysis, researchers estimated the animal diverged from other rodents millions of years ago.
“This could be the last remaining mammal family left to be discovered,” said conservationist Robert Timmins of the society.
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