Scientists have identified fossils of a giant rodent that inhabited what is now Thailand approximately 34 million years ago, a discovery indicating that enormous rodents evolved far earlier than previously believed. The ancient animal, named Yakamys sirindhornae, may have weighed around 66 pounds, roughly twice as much as other known rodents from the same period. The fossils were unearthed by researchers examining deposits in the region, and the findings were published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. According to the research team, the creature's size challenges long-standing assumptions about the timeline of rodent gigantism and suggests that favorable environmental conditions in prehistoric Southeast Asia may have supported the evolution of unusually large mammals.
The discovery adds to a growing body of evidence that early rodents occupied diverse ecological niches and reached substantial body masses millions of years before the emergence of famously large species such as the capybara. Scientists involved in the study said the fossil evidence points to a more complex evolutionary history for rodents in Asia than previously understood. Independent experts noted that further fossil analysis could clarify how Yakamys sirindhornae was related to modern rodent lineages and what factors drove its exceptional size. The research team plans continued excavation at the site in hopes of recovering additional specimens.
Independent reporting synthesized from primary wires and global correspondents.