Hog-Nosed Shrew Rat Is 'Exciting' New Species

A new species of rat has been discovered on an island in Indonesia.

The previously unknown hog-nosed shrew rat (Hyorhinomys stuempkei) was found in a remote and mountainous region of Sulawesi Island located about two days' hike from the closest village.

Scientists consider the rat so exceptional that they have described it not only as a new species but a new genus - a step up from the "new species" label.

The rat was discovered by an international team from Australia, the US and Indonesia who have been working together since 2012.

They say the rodent has features that have never been seen by scientists before.

One of the most unusual features is, as you would expect from the name, its large, flat, pink, hog-like nose with forward-facing nostrils.

It also has large ears, long hind legs - most probably used for hopping - and a very small mouth.

Its teeth are white - almost all rodents have orange teeth - and it is carnivorous, probably feeding on earthworms, beetle larvae and other invertebrates.

"To Australians, Hyorhinomys, is a bit like a rat version of a bandicoot, with long hind limbs, huge ears, and a long, pointed face perfect for slurping up invertebrate prey," said Dr Kevin Rowe of Museum Victoria.

"The hog-nosed rat is exciting for us because it extends the diversity of an already amazing group of rodents that are only found on the island of Sulawesi.

"Even though there are only eight species in this endemic group, they exhibit a huge eco-morphological range including small grey rats, a nearly toothless vermivore, an amphibious rat, and now a long-limbed, hog-nosed rat."