New rodent species reportedly found in Laos

BANGKOK, Thailand — 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 to be a previously unknown species that actually represents an entire new family of wildlife, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) says.

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 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.

WCS is working in Laos 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.

"To find something so distinct in this day and age is just extraordinary. For all we know, this could be the last remaining mammal family left to be discovered," Timmins said.

Very little is known about the kha-nyou, other than it seems to prefer limestone outcroppings and forest cover and appears to be a nocturnal vegetarian. It gives birth to one offspring at a time, rather than a litter.