They can penetrate narrow crevices and caves to catch insects and small rodents.
A new species of ferrets has been discovered in a nature reserve in southwestern China. Mustela mopbie, as researchers have named them, are characterized by their small size and ability to easily penetrate narrow crevices and caves to hunt.
The scientists also reported their discovery in the international peer-reviewed journal Journal of Systematics and Evolution.
According to the published information, in July and August 2024, representatives of a joint expedition group, which included researchers from the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Western China Normal University, and Sichuan University, captured three ferrets in the Dafengding Nature Reserve. A comprehensive analysis of genomic and morphological traits allowed them to declare the discovery of a new species, which was named Mustela mopbie.
The animals belonging to this species are distinguished by their small size, which enables them to penetrate narrow crevices and caves to catch insects and small rodents. Researchers believe that the discovery of Mustela mopbie opens new perspectives in understanding how small predators adapt to various habitats through genetic variations in complex ecological conditions.
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