Researchers discovered a new species of mouse in Brazil, reports the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).
 Cerradomys goytaca mouse. Courtesy of ICMBio |
The species, named Cerradomys goytaca or Goytacá mouse after the local Goitacazes tribe, is found in the the coastal region of northern Rio de Janeiro in Jurubatiba Restinga National Park. ICMBio manages the protected area.
The goytacá mouse inhabits thickets of trees that grow in salt marshes in the park.
The mouse’s description is published in the June issue of the International Journal of Mammalogy. William Correa Tavares, Leila Maria Pessoa, and Pablo Rodrigues Gonçalves of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro did the genetic work that distinguished the species from a similar rodent that lives in the cerrado.