News Animals

Worms lure two new species of hopping rats out of obscurity

The rodents exemplify the rich biodiversity at risk of being lost in the Philippines

Rhynchomys rats

NEW FACES Two new species of shrew-rat (Rhynchomys migan illustrated at left, R. labo at right) were found high up on mountain slopes in the Philippines.

Velizar Simeonovski/Field Museum

By Nicoletta Lanese

- More than 2 years ago

Two newfound species of shrew-rat have joined a lengthy list of endemic mammals on Luzon, the largest island in the Philippine archipelago and a hotbed of biodiversity.