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New Species of Rodent Discovered in Cuba

Prensa Latina
January 27, 2004

Rafael Borroto, from the Institute of Technology and Systemics from the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment discovered a new species of an Antilles endemic rodent in Cuba.

Researchers found the alleged new species of hutia (animals of night life habits whose main diet is mainly leafs, but the new possible species' food habit is palm trunks that he gnaws up making it to fall down) in Cay Ballenato del Medio, a natural protected area of Nuevitas Bay, located more than 530 kilometers West of Havana.

Molecular tests made to the head sample of the rodent taken in 2002 revealed the significant difference with the hutia conga despite of having both a similar phenotype.

Borroto, the main discoverer, indicated that it could be a new specie of hutia or a fifth conga subspecies that reaffirms Cuba as the country with grater varietird of this type of rodent having 10 out of the 13 endemic species living in the Antilles since more than 30 million years.

To reach to a final conclusion the researchers need to make molecular and morphological test of the skeleton, skin and skull of that strange population found in the Cay.


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This page last updated March 10, 2005
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