List of rodents discovered in the 2000s

Several species of rodent have been newly identified in different parts of the world since 2000.

Scientific nameCommon nameYear identifiedLocationNotesBaletemys kampaliliKampalili shrew-mouse2022PhilippinesIt is the only species in the genus Baletemys. It is found only on Mount Kampalili, in the highlands of Eastern Mindanao, in the Philippines.Thomasomys burneoiBurneo's Oldfield mouse2022EcuadorUromys vikaVangunu giant rat2015Vangunu, Solomon IslandsThis species was described in 2017 from a dead specimen. Live Vanguru giant rats were found in 2021.Mallomys? sp.Bosavi woolly rat2009Papua New GuineaA new species of giant rat, believed to belong to the genus Mallomys.Leptomys paulus Leptomys arfakensis2008New GuineaThese two new species belong to the endemic New Guinea rodent genus Leptomys (Murinae). L. paulus is indigenous to the montane forests in the Owen Stanley Range in eastern New Guinea. L. arfakensis is known only from the Arfak Mountains on the Vogelkop Peninsula in western New Guinea.Musser, G.G., K.M. Helgen, and D.P. Lunde. 2008. Systematic Review of New Guinea Leptomys (Muridae, Murinae) with Descriptions of Two New Species. American Museum Novitates 3624: 1-60.Reithrodontomys musseriSmall harvest mouse2009Costa RicaEliurus danieli2007MadagascarA new species was described from the Parc National de l’Isalo in south-central Madagascar.Carleton, M.D., and S.M. Goodman. 2007. A New Species of the Eliurus majori Complex (Rodentia: Muroidea: Nesomyidae) from South-central Madagascar, with Remarks on Emergent Species Groupings in the Genus Eliurus. American Museum Novitates 3547: 1-21.Isothrix barbarabrownae2006PeruA new species of hystricognath rodent, a spiny rat (Echimyidae) with dense, soft fur. Inhabits Andean cloud-forests at in Peru’s Manu National Park and Biosphere Reserve.Patterson, B.D., and P.M. Velazco. 2006. A Distinctive New Cloud-Forest Rodent (Hystricognathi: Echimyidae) from the Manu Biosphere Reserve, Peru. Mastozoología Neotropical 13(2): 175-191. Tonkinomys daovantieni2006VietnamT. daovantieni is a new species within a new genus of murid rodent. It was described from talus habitats in the forested tower karst landscape of the Huu Lien Nature Reserve of northeastern Vietnam.Musser, G.G., D.P. Lunde, and N.T. Son. 2006. Description of a New Genus and Species of Rodent (Murinae, Muridae, Rodentia) from the Tower Karst Region of Northeastern Vietnam. American Museum Novitates 3517: 1-41.Mus cypriacus2006CyprusRhynchomys sp.2005/6PhilippinesA new species of tweezer-beaked rodent was discovered on a mountain in the northern Philippines in 2005, belonging to the genus Rhynchomys. The grey rodent was found atop Mount Tapulao, northwest of Manila, and was expected to be formally named in 2006. Apomys camiguinensis Bullimus gamay2006 2002PhilippinesThe island of Camiguin in the Philippines is home to two recently discovered mammal species that are found nowhere else in the world. A. camiguinensis is a type of wood mouse with two sets of whiskers. Another new species of mouse, B. gamay, was discovered on the island in 2002. Along with a parrot and a frog, Camiguin has four known endemic species, which is remarkable for an island only .Laonastes aenigmamusLaotian rock rat2005LaosThe Laotian rock rat or kha-nyou, named in 2005 after being discovered for sale as meat on a market in Laos in 1996. This dramatic new rodent was placed in the new genus Laonastes, and was originally placed in a new family Laonastidae. It has since been placed in the ancient family Diatomyidae, making the kha-nyou a "living fossil".Akodon philipmyersi2005ArgentinaA. philipmyersi is a new species of grass mouse from Argentina.Reithrodontomys bakeriGuerrero harvest mouse2004MexicoA new species of Cricetidae was discovered in the mountains of Guerrero, Mexico. It was named honoring Dr. Robert Baker. It is known only from the type locality.Bradley, R.D., F. Mendez-Harclerode, M. J. Hamilton y, G. Ceballos. 2004. A new species of Reithrodontomys from Guerrero, Mexico. Occasional Papers, Texas Tech University, 231: 1-12.Oryzomys andersoniAnderson's rice rat2004BoliviaA new species of rice rat was discovered in Bolivia.Peromyscus schmidlyi2004MexicoP. schmidlyi is a species of deer mouse from Durango, Mexico. It had long been suspected as a unique species, and this was confirmed in 2004.Rhagomys longilinguaPeruvian arboreal mouse2003PeruA new species of Cricetidae – the Peruvian arboreal mouse, or woodpecker mouse – was discovered in Peru. It is unusual in having a long tongue, which it uses to find insects in tree bark, very much like a woodpecker. Its closest relative, the Brazilian Arboreal Mouse (R. rufescens) is one of the world's rarest mammals, with only a handful of specimens ever found.Microtus bavaricusBavarian pine vole2000GermanyThe Bavarian pine vole was rediscovered when it was caught in a "living trap" in Germany in 2000. The vole had not been sighted since 1962, and had been declared extinct.Pipanacoctomys aureus Salinoctomys loschalchalerosorumGolden vischacha rat Los Chalchaleros viscacha rat2000ArgentinaTwo new genera of family Octodontidae – Pipanacoctomys and Salinoctomys – were named following the discovery of two type species in Argentina by naturalist Michael A. Mares. P. aureus was discovered in Catamarca Province of northwestern Argentina. It is found only over 10 square miles of salt desert, one of the most restricted ranges of all mammals. S. loschalchalerosorum was discovered in the Gran Chaco thorn forest.Brucepattersonius spp.Brucies2000BrazilBrucies (Brucepattersonius) are ground-dwelling Brazilian rodents, related to South American grass mice, belonging to a genus described in 1998. In 2000 three new species were named - the Guaraní brucie (B. guarani), the Misiones brucie (B. misionensis) and the Arroyo of Paradise brucie (B. paradisus) - bringing the number of known species to eight.Ctenomys paraguayensis2000A new species of Tuco-tuco.Mesomys occultusFurtive spiny tree rat2000BrazilA new species of spiny rat from Brazil.Lophuromys angolensisAngolan brush-furred mouse2000AngolaA species of rodent discovered in Angola.Mus fragilicauda2000ThailandA new species of mouse discovered after examining wild-caught mice from the Central Plains of Thailand.Neacomys minutus Neacomys musseriBristly mice2000BrazilTwo new species of bristly mouse from Brazil, of the subfamily Sigmodontinae.Rhipidomys gardneriGardner's climbing mouse2000A new species of climbing mouse, of the subfamily Sigmodontinae.Cerradomys goytaca2011BrazilA new species from Brazil.New mouse species discovered in Brazil Mongabay.com. July 06, 2011.Petaurista siangensisMebo giant flying squirrel2013NE Indiathe Mebo giant flying squirrel (Petaurista siangensis), Choudhury, 2013.Choudhury, A.U. (2013). Description of a new species of giant flying squirrel of the genus Petaurista Link, 1795 from Siang Basin, Arunachal Pradesh in North East India. The NL & Journal of the Rhino Foundation for nat. in NE India 9: 30–38, plates.

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