While exploring areas around the archaeological sites of the Peruvian Andes, researchers discovered creatures that have never been seen before. The small eye-polishing marsupial, named Marmosa Chachapoya, is a newly identified species of Mouse Opossum.
“Little knows about this species about specimens collected so far, including natural history and distribution,” said Silvia Pavan, a biologist at Cal Poly Humboldt, who led the research expedition that discovered the creatures, in a statement.
Pavan and her team were searching for a mysterious species of squirrel in Rio Abiso National Park in 2018 when they found the opossum. The small mammal, only 4 inches (10 cm) long, had reddish brown fur and mask-like face markings.
You might like it
“I quickly realized that this was unusual,” Pavan said, as related species of the Mouse Opossum are not usually found at 8,740 feet (2,664 meters) above sea level.
The team has spent years studying the DNA and physical properties of opossums and compared them with data from other mouse opossums from museum collections around the world. In June, researchers published a detailed study in the former museum museum magazine Novitate, honoring the ancient people who lived in the area before the Inca Empire took over.
The ancient Chachapoya people lived in northern Peru from around 800 AD until the arrival of the Incas in the 1470s. Chachapoya, often referred to as “the people of the Cloud Forest,” lives in wet and sturdy terrain in the eastern Andes, building a home on top.
More than 30 archaeological sites have been recorded in Río Abiseo National Park, many of which are associated with Chachapoya. However, remote and inaccessible parks have been created as important conservation areas to protect plants and animals that are nowhere else on the planet. These include the yellow-tailed wool monkey (Lagothrix flavicauda), which was once thought to be extinct.
In addition to the new Mouse Opossum species, Pavan and her team have discovered several other animals that they believe have never been documented by scientists. These creatures, including semi-quantitative rodents, have not yet been officially described.
The discovery of new marsupial species “is a reminder of the importance of scientific exploration and conservation in fields like Rio Abysseo,” Pavan said.
Animal Quiz: Test yourself with these fun animal trivia questions
Source link
