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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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.
-more-
Rice Rat/2
“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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