Laotian rock rat

Skull, side view

The Laotian rock rat, Laot. Kha - Nyou'll ( Laonastes aenigmamus ) is a rodent species, which was only discovered in 2005. She lives in Laos and Vietnam and is more closely related to any other living rodent species. It is the only extant representative of the family of Diatomyidae, whose other representatives are extinct since eleven million years.

Description

The Laotian rock rat resembles externally a croissant. The legs are short, the tail is covered with dense hair. Striking is the large, rounded skull acting as well as the characteristic waddling gait. The fur of these animals has a dark gray or black. They reach a body length of about 26 centimeters, a tail length of 14 centimeters and a weight of around 400 grams.

Dissemination and lifestyle

Laotian rock rats were originally known only from the province in southern Laos Khammouan where they live from verkarstetem limestone in a region. 2012, they were also detected in the Vietnamese National Park Phong Nha - Ke Bang. You are probably nocturnal and feed on leaves, seeds and grasses. They may consume additional exposures to insects.

From the IUCN are classified as endangered ( "endangered ").

Discovery history

The local population already knew more about the existence of these animals, which she called Kha - Nyou'll and hunted for their meat. In a market in Khammouan Western scientists first discovered carcasses of these animals that were offered there to be eaten grilled. Morphological and DNA tests showed that the animals are more closely related to any other rodent species. In 2005, she received the scientific name Laonastes ( = " rock dweller" ) aenigmamus ( = " enigmatic mouse ").

2006 succeeded David Redfield, a professor emeritus of Florida State University to catch the first time a living specimen and film. It proved to be very trusting.

System

After its discovery, the Laotian rock rat was placed in a new family, the Laonastidae classified. While new mammal species are regularly discovered a new mammal family was a sensation: the last newfound family was the pig nose bat ( Craseonycteris thonglongyai ), which forms the monotypic family of Craseonycteridae and was described scientifically in 1974. Due to the morphological and genetic studies, the Laotian rock rat, the subordination of the porcupine relatives ( Hystricomorpha ) has been assigned, as their representatives urtümlichster she was.

In 2006, examined Mary Dawson and other relations to fossil Nagetiertaxa; it was discovered that these animals belong to the Diatomyidae, an extinct rodent group, whose representatives from the early Oligocene lived (before 32 million years ago) until the Miocene ( 11 million years ) in Asia. The emergence of a believed to be extinct species or representative of an extinct believed family is called the Lazarus effect.

The relations of Diatomyidae to other Nagetiertaxa are still controversial. Genetic studies rather suggest a degree of kinship to other Old World porcupine relatives like the African rock rat or the sand graves. In contrast, argued Dawson, the lower jaw ähnle the croissants relatives. A close relationship to the comb fingers has been suggested in other classifications the Diatomyidae be incorporated into the thorn tail squirrel relatives.