Current:Home > MyThey're furry. They're cute. They're 5 new species of hedgehogs, Smithsonian scientists confirmed.-LoTradeCoin
They're furry. They're cute. They're 5 new species of hedgehogs, Smithsonian scientists confirmed.
View Date:2024-12-23 23:35:31
They're small, furry and look like mice — but scientists say they're actually a new species of hedgehogs. An international collaboration of researchers led by Smithsonian scientists identified five new species of soft-furred hedgehogs, according to a study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
The scientists said they were able to use DNA analysis, as well as the animals' physical characteristics, to identify two entirely new species and elevate three hedgehog subspecies to the level of species. Distinguished by their furry bodies and pointy snouts, the little hedgehogs, known as lesser gymnures or Hylomys, are native to Southeast Asia.
There were previously only two known species of the group — now there are seven in total.
Lead researcher Arlo Hinckley first became intrigued with identifying new hedgehog species during his postdoctoral work, according to a statement released by the Smithsonian. He worked with the museum's curator of animals, Melissa Hawkins, and other collaborators to assemble 232 physical specimens and 85 tissue samples for genetic analysis from across the entire Hylomys group, enabling them to identify these new species.
Some of the samples were collected from field research — which with small mammals can be extremely difficult.
"Imagine trying to follow a 10 cm animal around to watch their behavior," Hawkins told CBS News.
Hinckley added, "As most small mammals, they are elusive. They will generally hide in their burrows, under roots or in tall grass if you get close to them."
Researchers used museum specimens from the natural history collections of the Smithsonian and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia to fill in the gaps, the Smithsonian said.
"We were only able to identify these new hedgehogs thanks to museum staff that curated these specimens across countless decades and their original field collectors," Hinckley said in the statement. "By applying modern genomic techniques like we did many years after these hedgehogs were first collected, the next generation will be able to identify even more new species."
The next, and most fun part, the researchers said, was naming the new species.
"This is the first time I get to name them and describe them from scratch, so it was very exciting!" said Hinckley.
The two new species names are H. macarong, after a Vietnamese word for vampire, due to the male's long, fang-like incisors, and H. vorax, after a description from of its behavior from mammalogist Frederick Ulmer, according to the news release.
Hinckley said they "had a brainstorming session in which we came up with several silly names for H. vorax."
The three sub-species that were elevated are called H. dorsalis, H. maxi and H. peguensis.
Researchers don't exactly know how many species are yet left to be discovered.
"For mammals, where there are around 6,500 currently described species," Hawkins said. Hinckley pointed to a 2018 study that predicts "7,342 mammalian species will be recognized by 2050 and 8,590 by 2100."
Identifying new species can help conservationists protect habitats as well as identify the sources of new diseases that could affect humans, the researchers said.
- In:
- Smithsonian
- Science
Cara Tabachnick is a news editor and journalist at CBSNews.com. Cara began her career on the crime beat at Newsday. She has written for Marie Claire, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal. She reports on justice and human rights issues. Contact her at [email protected]
veryGood! (91)
Related
- Disney Store's Black Friday Sale Just Started: Save an Extra 20% When You Shop Early
- The Fed has been raising interest rates. Why then are savings interest rates low?
- Cosmetic surgeon who streamed procedures on TikTok loses medical license
- Scientists Join Swiss Hunger Strike to Raise Climate Alarm
- NBA today: Injuries pile up, Mavericks are on a skid, Nuggets return to form
- Could Migration Help Ease The World's Population Challenges?
- How Beyoncé and More Stars Are Honoring Juneteenth 2023
- The U.S. economy ended 2022 on a high note. This year is looking different
- Are banks, post offices, UPS and FedEx open on Veterans Day? Here's what to know
- A tiny invasive flying beetle that's killed hundreds of millions of trees lands in Colorado
Ranking
- Biden EPA to charge first-ever ‘methane fee’ for drilling waste by oil and gas companies
- The Senate's Ticketmaster hearing featured plenty of Taylor Swift puns and protesters
- Is a New Below Deck Sailing Yacht Boatmance Brewing? See Chase Make His First Move on Ileisha
- Hong Kong bans CBD, a move that forces businesses to shut down or revamp
- New Mexico secretary of state says she’s experiencing harassment after the election
- Here's what the latest inflation report means for your money
- Taylor Swift and Gigi Hadid Prove Their Friendship Never Goes Out of Style in NYC
- M&M's replaces its spokescandies with Maya Rudolph after Tucker Carlson's rants
Recommendation
-
Brianna LaPaglia Reacts to Rumors Dave Portnoy Paid Her $10 Million for a Zach Bryan Tell-All
-
When Will Renewables Pass Coal? Sooner Than Anyone Thought
-
Read Jennifer Garner's Rare Public Shout-Out to Ex Ben Affleck
-
Senators slam Ticketmaster over bungling of Taylor Swift tickets, question breakup
-
The Cowboys, claiming to be 'all in' prior to Dak Prescott's injury, are in a rare spot: Irrelevance
-
Hong Kong bans CBD, a move that forces businesses to shut down or revamp
-
From a Raft in the Grand Canyon, the West’s Shifting Water Woes Come Into View
-
The Sweet Way Travis Barker Just Addressed Kourtney Kardashian's Pregnancy