Tiny elephant-like mammal discovered in Namib Desert

The shrew may look mouse-like, but it shares more of its DNA with elephants.

A new species of elephant shrew, or round-eared segni, called the Macroscelides micus has been discovered in the Namib desert. The discovery of the mammal has been detailed by researchers from the California Academy of Sciences in the Journal of Mammalogy.

The elephant shrew may be mouse-like in appearance, but it in fact shares of more of its DNA with the savannah giants from which it takes its name. The only discernible visual similarity between the creature, which weighs only 28 g, and an elephant is the sengi's long twig-like snout, which could be compared to an elephant's trunk. It uses its snout in the same way an anteater does and for the same purpose—to sweep the floor and look for ants to eat.

These particular elephant shrews differ from other species by their size—at 19 cm they are smaller than their closest relatives—and their rusty red fur, which helps the little critter to camouflage itself in the surrounding desert environment. They were also found to have a large subcaudal gland—the scent gland located on the underside of the tail—and lacked the dark skin pigment of other sengi.

"These traits are the basis for the description of a new species of Macroscelides that seems to be confined to gravel plains associated with the distinctive reddish colored Etendeka geological formation of northwestern Namibia," write the researchers in the paper's abstract.

Genetic analysis has revealed that there are key differences even between this particular species and its closest relatives. As far as the researchers can determine, the species is reproductively isolated from other species of elephant shrew, as they could find no evidence of cross-breeding, which would result in hybrid species.

"Genetically, Macroscelides micus is very different from other members of the genus and it's exciting to think that there are still areas of the world where even the mammal fauna is unknown and waiting to be explored," said Jack Dumbacher, one of the researchers responsible for the discovery, in a statement.

This story originally appeared on Wired UK.