Chinese scientists have discovered a new species of weasel in a national nature reserve in the southwestern province of Sichuan, China. The new species has been named "Mustela mopbie," according to the Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The discovery was published this month in the international journal Journal of Systematics and Evolution. According to Noticias Argentinas, in July and August 2024, a joint team from the Institute of Zoology, China West Normal University, and Sichuan University identified three specimens of a weasel while conducting a biodiversity study of small mammals in the Dafengding National Nature Reserve in the Mabian Yi Autonomous District, Sichuan. By integrating genomic and morphological data, the team confirmed that it was a new species and named it "Mustela mopbie." This new weasel species is small in size and can enter narrow cracks and burrows to catch insects and small rodents. Furthermore, researchers believe this discovery provides important information on species differentiation within the group, as well as a new perspective on how small carnivores adapt to different environments through genetic variation in the context of a complex ecological setting. Additionally, the study highlights the significant value of the Hengduan Mountains region, particularly the mountains around the Sichuan Basin, for global biodiversity conservation and research.
