Scientists discover hog-nosed rat in Indonesia, named for never-before-seen

Victorian scientists have discovered a new mammal, the hog-nosed rat, with features that have not been seen by science before.

The discovery was made by a team of scientists from Indonesia, Australia and the United States.

“But we really have no idea what its function is”, he said.

Hyorhinomys stuempkei is a new species of mammal previously undocumented in any scientific collection.

Dr Rowe said the rat’s pubic hair was “curiously” long and may “serve a few function” in successful mating.

The mammal is carnivorous and probably feeds on such things as earthworms and beetle larvae.

“We knew immediately it was a new species and then the only question was rather [whether] it was a new genus or whether it was related closely to anything already described”.

The Age quotes Dr Kevin Rowe, one of the scientists, as saying the new species “looks like it’s whistling all the time”.

While the 40-45 centimetre animal’s unique anatomy was evidence it was a new species, genetic testing confirmed it was also a new genus.

The hog-nosed rat has large ears and a flat, pink nose.

The unusual mammal has features uncommon in other rats and was discovered on Sulawesi island by researchers from Australia, Indonesia and the US, according to the BBC. The nearest village is a two-hour hike away and even that village is considered remote.

Unlike other rodents that often have orange-coloured incisors in a chisel shape, the hog-nosed rat’s incisors are white, pointed and sharp, likely for piercing prey. “[Sulawesi Island is] an extremely unique area on earth, on the nexus of the Australian and Asian continents”, Rowe said. All rats and mice evolved 25 million years ago, of which there are about 1500 known species. The fieldwork is part of a wider project to document and establish the area’s biodiversity, long considered a hot spot of endemic species.

In photos the rodent appears to be about the size of a normal rat.