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Science

Eugene

(61,948 posts) Fri Sep 20, 2013, 08:28 PM Sep 2013

New spiny rat discovered in 'birthplace of evolution'

Source: BBC

20 September 2013 Last updated at 10:05 GMT

New spiny rat discovered in 'birthplace of evolution'

By James Morgan
Science reporter, BBC News

Tufts of harsh, bristly hair and a white tail tip are among the defining features of a new rodent species discovered in Indonesia.

The Spiny Boki Mekot Rat was found in the mountain forests of Halmahera, in the Moluccas (Maluku) archipelago.

It was from these islands that Alfred Russel Wallace wrote to Charles Darwin, outlining his theory of evolution.

The region is rich in biodiversity but its wildlife is under threat from logging and mining firms.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24167219