Scientists Discover Giant 66-Pound Rodent Fossil in Thailand, Rewriting Evolutionary History
An international team of paleontologists, including scientists from McGill University, has discovered fossils of a previously unknown giant rodent species, *Yakamys sirindhornae*, in a mine in southern Thailand. This prehistoric rodent, estimated to have weighed approximately 30 kilograms (66 pounds), lived about 34 million years ago during the middle of the Paleogene period. The discovery consists of remarkably large fossilized teeth—a lower second molar and a lower incisor—recovered from the Bang Mark Pit at the Krabi lignite mine. This finding suggests that giant rodents appeared much earlier and in more diverse geographical locations than previously understood. The name *Yakamys* combines the Thai word for giant, 'yak,' with the Greek word for mouse or rat, 'mys,' while 'sirindhornae' honors Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for her support of scientific research in Thailand. The research team utilized seven established methods based on tooth measurements to estimate the animal's body mass, indicating it...
