A team of scientists from the Museum of Natural History at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (UNMSM) has discovered a new mammal species in Tacna, on the southern coast of Peru.
A New Inhabitant: The Olivaceous Mouse
The newly discovered olivaceous mouse (Abrothrix olivacea) is a rodent from the Abrotrichini tribe, whose distribution ranges from central Peru to Tierra del Fuego and islands in Chile and Argentina. This finding is surprising as this mammal species is not common in that part of the country.
Diversity of Rodents in Peru
This discovery increases the number of rodent species to 201 and mammal species to 588 recorded in Peru. The territory of Peru has a great diversity of rodents, including endemic species and those with a wider distribution, such as the vizcacha, the chinchilla, Darwin’s big-eared mouse, the guinea pig, the spiny rat, and the pacarana.
Implications of the Discovery
Discoveries of animals often surprise experts due to the amount of land and species that have not yet been fully investigated. This finding highlights the biological richness of Peru and the importance of continuing research to better understand its biodiversity.
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