Macroscelides Micus Elephant Shrew

Macroscelides Micus Elephant Shrew

California Scientists Discover Mouse-like Mammal Related To Elephants
Biotechnology News

A new mammal discovered in the remote desert of western Africa resembles a long-nosed mouse in appearance but is more closely related genetically to elephants, a California scientist who helped identify the tiny creature said on Thursday. The new species of elephant shrew, given the scientific name Macroscelides micus, inhabits an ancient volcanic formation in Namibia and sports red fur that helps it blend in with the color of its rocky surroundings, said John Dumbacher, one of a team of biologists behind the discovery. Genetic testing of the creature ? Which weighs up to an ounce (28 grams) and measures 7.5 inches (19 cm) in length, including its tail revealed its DNA to be more akin to much larger mammals. "It turns out this thing that looks and acts like shrews that evolved in Africa is more closely related to elephants," Said Dumbacher, a curator of birds and mammals at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.   The findings, published in the Journal of Mammalogy, floored scientists, who said the only visible link between an African elephant and the diminutive shrew is its trunk-like nose.

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