New Species Discovered

***Alex Linder*** · October 17th, 2013

New species of shrew opossum found in remote Ecuador

By Julie Cart

October 15, 2013

Researchers in the northern Andes believe they have discovered a new species of shrew opossum in Sangay National Park in a remote part of Ecuador, according to a new article in the Journal of Mammalogy.

Only four species of shrew opossum were known to exist in the region, but researchers discovered Caenolestes sangay on the eastern slopes of the Andes in an area disrupted by construction of a highway.

By analyzing DNA and more than a dozen other variables, biologists determined that, though the C. sangay closely resembled another of the species, there were significant differences. Among those were body size, eye opening and a gap between two teeth.

http://www.latimes.com/science/scien...,6489308.story

Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Threaded Mode

October 17th, 2013	#11
*Alex Linder* Administrator Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 45,756 Blog Entries: 34	New species of shrew opossum found in remote Ecuador By Julie Cart October 15, 2013 Researchers in the northern Andes believe they have discovered a new species of shrew opossum in Sangay National Park in a remote part of Ecuador, according to a new article in the Journal of Mammalogy. Only four species of shrew opossum were known to exist in the region, but researchers discovered Caenolestes sangay on the eastern slopes of the Andes in an area disrupted by construction of a highway. By analyzing DNA and more than a dozen other variables, biologists determined that, though the C. sangay closely resembled another of the species, there were significant differences. Among those were body size, eye opening and a gap between two teeth. http://www.latimes.com/science/scien...,6489308.story