Nothing new under the sun

A family of rodents thought to have died out some 11 million years ago has a descendent alive and well and scampering around Asia.

The rodent, which is grey and squirrel-like, with a bushy tail, was discovered last year being sold for food in the markets of Laos. The locals call it the Kha-nyou; scientists christened it Laonastes aenigmamus.

From Nature. The initial belief was that the critter represented an entirely new family of mammals. Interestingly and inspiringly enough, it still has not been observed by scientists in the wild. How much else might be lurking out there?

Posted by David on March 10, 2006 11:26 AM