Hum Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- Is it a squirrel, a rat, a guinea pig? Maybe a chinchilla? The long-whiskered rodent with stubby legs and a tail covered with dense hair resembles them all but has turned out be a previously unknown species that actually represents an entire new family of wildlife, the Wildlife Conservation Society said. The kha-nyou, as local people call it, was discovered by a team of scientists in a hunter's market in central Laos, according to a news release from the New York-based group. "It was for sale on a table next to some vegetables. I knew immediately it was something I had never seen before," Robert Timmins, a WCS researcher, was quoted as saying of his find. Another colleague, Mark Robinson, later discovered other specimens caught by hunters, and also identified bone fragments in an owl pellet. Based on morphological differences in the skull and bone structure, coupled with DNA analysis, it was estimated that the animal diverged from other rodents millions of years ago. Little is known about the kha-nyou, other than it seems to prefer areas of limestone outcroppings and forest cover and appears to be a nocturnal vegetarian. It also gives birth to one offspring at a time, rather than a litter. WCS is working in Laos, in southeast Asia, to stop an illegal wildlife trade that has devastated animal populations. While wild animals are hunted for food, the biggest toll has been taken by the smuggling of wildlife to China for traditional medicine and consumption. :x more: http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/05/12...s.ap/index.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keito Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Who would've thought that they'd discover something like that this late... I mean, different flowers etc. is understandable, but mammals (spelling?) ... hmm... interessting though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalslacker Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shadow Dragon Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Hehe, nice littel freak, I'd like to have this as a pet :). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danellis Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 lmao! Yes I think interesting is the only word for something like that :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kainashi Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 Who would've thought that they'd discover something like that this late... I mean, different flowers etc. is understandable, but mammals (spelling?) ... hmm... interessting though :) 585922403[/snapback] i know. imagine all the fish and whatnot we haven't discovered yet. :wacko: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbet Posted May 15, 2005 Share Posted May 15, 2005 maybe a mutant? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted May 15, 2005 Author Share Posted May 15, 2005 :blink: I think the critter ran off the Alien's spaceship when they landed for water. :alien: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdb815 Posted May 16, 2005 Share Posted May 16, 2005 Cool, there seems to be a lot of new wildlife discoveries here lately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Lyle Global Moderator Posted May 16, 2005 Global Moderator Share Posted May 16, 2005 umm.. why isn't there a picture picture of it? a drawing is so.. bleh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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