Thailand fossil teeth reveal prehistoric 'giant rat' weighing 30kg
BANGKOK: A giant rodent weighing around 30 kilogrammes roamed what is now southern Thailand 33 to 35 million years ago, scientists said, after identifying a previously unknown species from two fossilised teeth.
Thailand's southern Krabi province once teemed with giant rodents that weighed around 30 kilograms, according to a recent scientific discovery. The prehistoric creatures, belonging to the extinct Ischyromyidae family, were identified from two fossilised teeth found in a coal mine in 2004. One of the teeth was an incisor, while the other was a molar.
Initially, the cream-coloured fossil was mistaken for a bone. However, upon closer inspection, geologist Pannipa Tian recognized it as a tooth from a giant rat. The find adds valuable insights into the diversity of life during the Paleogene period, a time when early rodents evolved to enormous sizes. Despite the rodents' gargantuan size, the exact appearance, diet, and behavior of these ancient animals remain unknown due to the limited number of fossils recovered.
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