Giant Rat Species in East Timor Was Largest Ever
Source: Discovery News
Giant Rat Species in East Timor Was Largest Ever
NOV 9, 2015 09:08 AM ET // BY DISCOVERY NEWS
Fossils of the largest rat ever known to have existed were discovered during an expedition in East Timor, according to archaeologists with The Australian National University (ANU).
The biggest-ever find was part of a collection of newly found fossils representing seven new species of giant rat.
"They are what you would call mega-fauna," explained ANU lead researcher Julien Louys in a press release. "The biggest one is about five kilos (11 pounds), the size of a small dog."
"Just to put that in perspective," he added, "a large modern rat would be about half a kilo (1 pound)."
The fossil finds occurred under the aegis of a project Louys is leading to learn more about the earliest movement of humans in Southeast Asia. He said the giant rats lived among East Timor's first humans some 46,000 years ago, based upon the discovery of rat bones from the time that had cut and burn marks on them.
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Read more: http://news.discovery.com/animals/giant-rat-species-in-east-timor-was-largest-ever-151109.htm
Related: The largest to have existed - giant rat fossils (Australian National University)
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