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Houston Museum of Natural Science
curator discovers new mammal species
(photos available on request, call 713-639-4785
Photo credit: Sarah Greene)
HOUSTON— The Houston Museum of Natural Science is proud to announce a new species, Orzyomys andersoni (Rodentia: Muridea), a new species of mammal discovered by museum Curator of Zoology Dan Brooks, Ph.D., and a team of researchers. This is one of the first new species of mammals to be described this millennium.
“To confirm our initial hypothesis of a new species, molecular analysis was performed to distinguish this species from others,” said Brooks. “The data collected supported our conclusion that this is in fact a new species of Rice Rat.”
While there were several differences in the fur pattern and skull morphology, molecular genetics were used to compare specimens and test for differentiation between them. While many new species are frequently discovered, it is quite rare to discover a new species of mammal. The molecular tests were performed by Robert J. Baker, Ph.D., Horn Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Texas Tech University.
“Usually only two to three percent genetic differentiation is needed to validate a new species, in this case the specimen has 10 percent,” said Brooks. “We named the new species Anderson’s Rice Rat (Orysomys andersoni) in honor of Syd Anderson, an Emeritus Curator of Mammals at the American Museum of Natural History, who devoted his life to studying the mammals of Bolivia.”
The team made the find in the Cerrado region of Bolivia. Though found mostly in central Brazil, there is a small, isolated patch of Cerrado in southeastern Bolivia. This isolation promotes differentiation among species, as it prevents isolated members of the species from exchanging genetic material with the main population.
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“This new species is remarkable because it was newly discovered in the field,” said Bruce Patterson, Ph.D., MacArthur Curator of Mammals at Chicago’s Field Museum, who has described many new species of mammals. “Believe it or not, two of every three newly recognized species of mammals is discovered in a museum collection or biological lab, where it was finally distinguished from whatever we had been confusing it with.”
The team of researchers hopes to continue to study the isolated area to gain more insight on the Rice Rat and other promising specimens found there.
“This region is so exciting in terms of what could be out there because the entire eastern Bolivia region has been virtually unexplored. There is a strong possibility that other species will be discovered in that area,” said Brooks.
The field team, comprised of Brooks and three Bolivian mammalogists, was originally in the eastern panhandle of Bolivia to assess the number of threatened and endangered species occupying the area. While waiting for transportation from their base camp in the Cerrado region, the researchers placed traps around the site, and caught several interesting animals.
“Most of the areas where research occurs are along roads that are easily accessible. This particular area hasn’t been surveyed before because it is extremely difficult to reach,” said Brooks. “In fact, our team had to use a helicopter to get in and out of the region. There could be many other species there awaiting discovery.”
During the process of preservation of these specimens, the researchers had trouble identifying one rat. In order to properly identify the rat, Brooks took the specimen to the American Museum of Natural History in New York for examination by Guy Musser, Ph.D., a noted Rice Rat specialist. Musser could not classify this particular specimen to any known species with certainty.
A complete detailed analysis of the new Rice Rat species was published in the Occasional Paper Number 241 of the Museum of Texas Tech University, and is available at http://www.nsrl.ttu.edu/pubs/opapers.htm.
The Houston Museum of Natural Science—one of the nation’s most-heavily attended museums—is a centerpiece of the Houston Museum District, welcoming more than 2 million visitors each year, including 600,000 school children. With three floors of permanent exhibit halls, including the Wortham IMAX® Theatre, Cockrell Butterfly Center, Burke Baker Planetarium and George Observatory and as host to world-class and ever-changing touring exhibitions, the Houston Museum has something to delight every age group. With such diverse and extraordinary offerings, a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science, located at One Hermann Circle Drive in the heart of the Museum District, is always an adventure.
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