Australian researchers have just dropped a major find! 🎉 Two brand-new species of the delicate mouse, Australia's tiniest native rodents, have been discovered. And guess what? They're super cute and only grow up to 7.5 centimeters long! 😍
The team from the Australian National University (ANU) and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization used cutting-edge genetic tech to reveal that what we thought was one species is actually three distinct ones. They've named them the western delicate mouse, eastern delicate mouse, and northern delicate mouse, based on where they chill in the wild. 🌏
Emily Roycroft, the lead author of the study from ANU, shared her excitement: \"The two new species haven't had any conservation or research attention because we didn't know they were there,\" she said. \"We don't know if population declines have gone undetected as a result of all three species being assessed as a single unit.\"
These tiny rodents are total survivors, thriving in environments from arid deserts to lush forests. 🌵🌳 But it's not all smooth sailing. They've been evolving in Australia for 5 million years but now have to compete with invasive species like house mice and rats for resources. 🐀
This discovery is a big win for conservation efforts. Knowing these species exist means we can better protect them and their habitats. So next time you're in Australia, keep an eye out for these little guys! 👀🐭
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
