New species in Peruvian rainforest: blob-fish, web-footed mouse, and dwarf squirrel

On Friday, Conservation International published the discovery of 27 new animal species in Peru's Amazon rainforest, including an 'amphibious mouse' and a spiny mouse. The expedition, conducted over 38 days in 2022 in the Alto Mayo region, documented more than 2,000 species of wildlife and plants.

The team of 13 scientists, local technicians, and members of Indigenous groups, including the Awajún people, ventured into the Alto Mayo landscape, which spans the Andes mountains to the Amazon River and includes the Alto Mayo Protected Forest. They uncovered four new mammals, eight fish species, three amphibians, and ten butterfly species that were previously unknown to science.

Among the extraordinary new species discovered is an amphibious mouse with partially webbed feet that feeds on aquatic insects. Trond Larsen, Senior Director at Conservation International, described finding the mouse as "shocking and exciting," noting that it was found only in a unique piece of forest threatened by agriculture, suggesting it may not live anywhere else. "Amphibious rodents are almost mythical to mammal experts," Larsen said, according to Clarín.

Another remarkable find was a spiny mouse with stiff guard hairs that function similarly to hedgehog spines. The expedition also uncovered a blob-headed fish, a type of armored catfish with an enlarged, blob-like head. Scientists are still uncertain about the function of this peculiar feature. "The blob-headed fish has an incredibly bizarre head that looks almost like a giant swollen nose," Larsen told CNN.

The team discovered a dwarf squirrel measuring just 14 centimeters long, around half the length of an average gray squirrel. Larsen described the squirrel as "adorable and beautiful chestnut-brown colour, very fast." He added, "It jumps quickly and hides in the trees."

A new species of tree-climbing salamander was also found, abundant but only in a small patch of unique white sand. The researchers documented 955 different plant species and recorded more than 2,000 species of wildlife and plants during the expedition. This included 536 bird species, with 26 classified as threatened, such as the speckle-chested piculet and the long-whiskered owlet.

Despite significant human influence, the Alto Mayo region revealed unexpected high levels of biodiversity. "We were very surprised to find such high biodiversity in a landscape with so much human influence," Larsen stated, according to The Straits Times. The Alto Mayo landscape is a densely populated area, home to 280,000 people, facing pressures from deforestation and agricultural expansion.

The expedition highlighted the urgent need for conservation efforts in the region. "Unless steps are taken now to safeguard these sites and help restore parts of the landscape, there's a strong chance they won't persist in the long term," Larsen said, emphasizing the threats posed by habitat loss and human activity.

The involvement of the Awajún people was integral to the success of the expedition. "It was really fantastic to work so closely with the Awajún people," Larsen expressed, as reported by GreekReporter.com. "They have extensive traditional knowledge about the forests, animals and plants they live side-by-side with." The Indigenous communities provided valuable insights that helped researchers identify and understand the species they discovered.

Among the recorded species, at least 49 are considered at risk of extinction, including the yellow-tailed woolly monkey and the tree monkey. The findings underscore the importance of protecting areas like Alto Mayo to preserve the rich biodiversity that exists there.

The research utilized advanced tools like camera traps, bioacoustic sensors, and environmental DNA (eDNA) collected from rivers to document the species encountered during the expedition. Naming these new species will require further research, as many are extremely rare and difficult to collect.

The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.