Rare Discovery: New Type of Rodent found in Vegetable Market

www.livescience.com...

In a rare addition to the animal family tree, scientists have discovered a new family of rodent.

It looks like a squirrel, sort of. But you can see rat-like features in its face. And in some ways it more closely resembles the guinea pig or chinchilla.

While new to science, the critter is well known in Southeast Asia. It is called Kha-Nyou by the locals in Laos.

Its discovery was rather unusual.

"It was for sale on a table next to some vegetables. I knew immediately it was something I had never seen before," said Robert Timmins of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).

Other specimens caught by hunters were later identified by WCS researcher Mark Robinson.

DNA analysis and a comparison of the skull and other bones to other creatures suggest Kha-Nyou diverged from other rodents millions of years ago.

It has long whiskers and stubby legs, with a tail covered in dense hair. It prefers limestone outcrops and forests. The researchers think it is a vegetarian. Interestingly, it gives birth to one offspring at a time, rather than a litter. Bone fragments of the newfound rodent were dug out of an owl pellet, so it has at least one wily predator.

it is s000 cute

it is a mix of a squirrel and a rat in a way...

it also looks like a guinea pig or a chinchilla...

PIC: illustration of the newfound creature

ENJOY!!!

Mmmmm, looks delicous! When does hunting season start? Get one of those stuffed and mounted!

interesting find.

it realy dosn't surprise me though. i live in an old building and have a mouse problem. i have noticed since i am home all day that there is not just one type. i figure that i am dealing with 3 separate species. one of them has facial features of a hamster. as in a fairly blunt nose instead of a pointyer nose. i have wondered if at some point a hamster that has escaped has bread with a mouse. this is how differing breads of animals have been created.

Originally posted by drogo
interesting find.

it realy dosn't surprise me though. i live in an old building and have a mouse problem. i have noticed since i am home all day that there is not just one type. i figure that i am dealing with 3 separate species. one of them has facial features of a hamster. as in a fairly blunt nose instead of a pointyer nose. i have wondered if at some point a hamster that has escaped has bread with a mouse. this is how differing breads of animals have been created.

w0w...

thanks...

it is interesting...

Originally posted by drogo
interesting find.

it realy dosn't surprise me though. i live in an old building and have a mouse problem. i have noticed since i am home all day that there is not just one type. i figure that i am dealing with 3 separate species. one of them has facial features of a hamster. as in a fairly blunt nose instead of a pointyer nose. i have wondered if at some point a hamster that has escaped has bread with a mouse. this is how differing breads of animals have been created.

Seriously, either you have WAY to many mice in your house, or else you have WAY too much time on your hands! lol

But no, a hamster cant breed with a mouse. And interracial breeding is not how new species appear. Most interracial species born in this way are sterile, they simply cant mate with others of the same 'species' or closely relatives. (But some can, just to point that out)
New species are due to mutations, also called evolution, because of natural selection.

From the drawing it looks like a common doormouse minus the large eyes , most likely something in the same family.