Scientists at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History unearthed five novel soft-furred hedgehog species in Southeast Asia, necessitating research missions to their tropical forest habitats and reassessment of museum specimens.
A meticulous study identified two museum-held specimens as entirely new species and elevated three subtypes to distinct, formally recognized species.
Revealing the World of Soft-Furred Hedgehogs
Gymnures, or soft-furred hedgehogs, distinguish themselves from spiny hedgehogs with a furry appearance and a lack of spines. Arlo Hinckley, lead author, and Margarita Salas Postdoctoral Fellow, describes them as resembling a mix of a mouse and a shrew with a short tail.
In the study, titled "An integrative taxonomic revision of lesser gymnures (Eulipotyphla: Hylomys) reveals five new species and emerging patterns of local endemism in Tropical East Asia" published in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, researchers unveiled five new species within the lesser gymnures group (Hylomys) in Southeast Asia, challenging the prior recognition of only two species.
Identification of these new hedgehogs became possible through curated museum specimens and modern genomic techniques. Researchers conducted DNA analysis and physical traits, revealing two entirely new species, Hylomys vorax, and H. macarong.
Endemic to the endangered Leuser ecosystem in North Sumatra and Southern Vietnam, these species were described using vital museum specimens from the Smithsonian and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.
This international collaboration, involving researchers from various institutions, underscores the ongoing potential for discoveries in well-studied animal groups, facilitated by modern techniques. The study emphasizes the significance of curated specimens and highlights the capacity for future generations to identify additional new species using advanced genomic tools.
Hinckley notes that these small mammals are active day and night, displaying an omnivorous diet that likely includes insects, invertebrates, and fruits. However, due to their limited study, details of their natural history, such as nesting habits and specific behaviors, remain speculative.
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Five New Soft-Furred Hedgehogs
Hylomys macarong, distinguished by its dark brown fur and approximately 14-centimeter length, earned its name from the Vietnamese word for a vampire (Ma cà rồng). Males of this species possess long, fang-like incisors, indicating a potential role in sexual selection. Rust-colored chest markings in males could be stained by scent glands.
Meanwhile, Hylomys vorax is slightly smaller at 12 centimeters and has dark brown fur, a completely black tail, and a narrow snout. Exclusive to the slopes of Mount Leuser in Northern Sumatra, it was named after its voracious behavior described by mammologist Frederick Ulmer in 1939.
Previously considered subspecies, three upgraded soft-furred hedgehog species, H. dorsalis, H. maxi, and H. peguensis, showed significant genetic and physical divergence.
H. dorsalis, from the mountains of Northern Borneo, features a dark stripe along its back. H. maxi, found in mountainous regions on the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, is one of the larger species at 14 centimeters. H. peguensis, measuring 13 centimeters, resides in mainland Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar, displaying slightly yellow-colored fur.
Describing these new species enhances scientific understanding and aids conservation decisions, prioritizing funding for biodiversity in threatened habitats like Northern Sumatra's Leuser ecosystem. Such studies support informed choices by governments and organizations to maximize conservation efforts.
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