The Laotian Rock Rat
The Laotian rock rat or kha-nyou (Laonastes aenigmamus), sometimes called the "rat-squirrel", is a rodent species of the Khammouan region of Laos. The species was first described in a 2005 article by Paulina Jenkins and coauthors, who considered the animal to be so distinct from all living rodents that they placed it in a new family, Laonastidae.
In 2006 the classification of the Laotian rock rat was disputed by Mary Dawson and coauthors. The argument was that it belongs to the ancient fossil family Diatomyidae, that was thought to be extinct for 11 million years, or since the late Miocene. It would thereby represent a Lazarus taxon. The animals resemble large dark rats with hairy, thick tails like those on a squirrel. Their skulls are very distinctive and have features that separate them from all other living mammals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotian_rock_rat
Cut for Video.
I guess the jury is still out on whether this critter is a whole new family of mammal or one thought to have disappeared 11 million years ago. I think it's ugly, but ya'll might think it's cute.
In 2006 the classification of the Laotian rock rat was disputed by Mary Dawson and coauthors. The argument was that it belongs to the ancient fossil family Diatomyidae, that was thought to be extinct for 11 million years, or since the late Miocene. It would thereby represent a Lazarus taxon. The animals resemble large dark rats with hairy, thick tails like those on a squirrel. Their skulls are very distinctive and have features that separate them from all other living mammals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotian_rock_rat
Cut for Video.
I guess the jury is still out on whether this critter is a whole new family of mammal or one thought to have disappeared 11 million years ago. I think it's ugly, but ya'll might think it's cute.