Scientists have found that the Australian Gould mouse, considered extinct since the mid-19th century, is actually still alive. The results of the corresponding study are published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The mouse that has survived to this day has been known under a different name for the past 150 years – Pseudomys fieldi. It is found on only a few islands off the coast of Western Australia.
DNA analysis identified the mouse as mistakenly extinct. After examining the DNA of museum samples of eight extinct rodent species, scientists said that Gulda is still alive, just barely visible to humans, and is currently classified as Pseudomys fieldi. Scientists have announced the “taxinomic resurrection” of this rodent species.
Gould (Pseudomys gouldii) are small omnivorous rodents that have been common in the east and south of Australia for centuries. In appearance, they resemble rats, but more “compact”. The length of the rodents is about 10 cm.
Small family groups of animals lived in dug holes at a depth of about 15 centimeters. Historical evidence suggests that before the arrival of Europeans in Australia, the Gould mouse was a numerous species on the continent. However, the arrival of colonizers led to a sharp decline in rodent populations. Scientists suggest that Australian rodents could have been driven out by “imported” ones, or they were caught by domestic cats brought in by the settlers.
- In May 2021, American scientists from Ohio University identified an ancient saber-toothed cat that could hunt bison-sized animals.
- In June, a new species of giant rhino was discovered in China, which lived about 26.5 million years ago and weighed 21 tons – like four large African elephants.
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