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https://theconversation.com/this-adorable-mouse-was-considered-extinct-for-over-100-years-until-we-found-it-hiding-in-plain-sight-160930>
"Australia has the world’s worst track record for wiping out mammals, with 34
species declared extinct since European colonisation. Many of these are humble
native rodents, who’ve suffered the highest extinction rate of any mammal
group.
But today, we bring some good news: one rodent species, Gould’s mouse
(
Pseudomys gouldii), is set to be crossed off Australia’s extinct species
list. This means the number of Australia’s extinct mammals will drop from 34 to
33.
Our new research compared genome sequences across Australia’s rodents,
including eight extinct species and their 42 living relatives. In a case of
historical mistaken identity, we found the Gould’s mouse was genetically
indistinguishable from another living species, the Shark Bay mouse (
Pseudomys
fieldi), also known by the Indigenous name “Djoongari” from the Pintupi and
Luritja languages.
But it’s not all good news. A lack of genetic diversity in remaining
populations means Djoongari are less resilient to changing environments,
including from climate change. We can’t let this species die out — this time,
there’d be no coming back."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
