Researchers working in Bolivia recently discovered four new species of tuco-tuco, a small, gopher-like rodent named for its distinct vocalizations. Previously, scientists thought only eight species of this adorable critter lived in Bolivia, and so the new discovery brings that number up to 12.
Identifying a new species of mammal is very rare, which makes the discovery of four new species of tuco-tuco something truly exceptional, said Scott Lyell Gardner, director of the H.W. Manter Laboratory of Parasitology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, who led the team in their research on the new species.
"In the current environment of human-caused environmental disturbance and degradation, the discovery of four previously unknown species that are relatively large in size is phenomenal," Gardner said in a statement.
Tuco-tucos live underground, in extensive networks of burrows, used for nesting and storing food. The rodents are typically between 7 and 12 inches (18 to 30 centimeters) long and weigh less than a pound (0.5 kilograms) each. TREAD MORE
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