By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Public Enterprise Minister discusses cooperation with Aluminium Bahrain
    Public Enterprise Minister discusses cooperation with Aluminium Bahrain
    May 28, 2023
    First Abu Dhabi Bank Egypt launches ‘Access’ portal for electronic payments
    First Abu Dhabi Bank Egypt launches ‘Access’ portal for electronic payments
    May 28, 2023
    Sorouh partners with RICON Construction to establish new projects with EGP 30bn investments
    Sorouh partners with RICON Construction to establish new projects with EGP 30bn investments
    May 28, 2023
    Egyptian property sales increase 7% in April: Aqarmap
    Egyptian property sales increase 7% in April: Aqarmap
    May 28, 2023
    Africa needs 10 million housing units annually to meet increasing demand:AFCCA
    Africa needs 10 million housing units annually to meet increasing demand:AFCCA
    May 28, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Irrigation Minister reviews preparations for upcoming Cairo Water Week
    Irrigation Minister reviews preparations for upcoming Cairo Water Week
    May 28, 2023
    Al-Sisi affirms Egypt's keenness on security, stability of Iraq
    Al-Sisi affirms Egypt’s keenness on security, stability of Iraq
    May 28, 2023
    Biden, Republican House Speaker reach ‘preliminary agreement’ on debt ceiling
    Biden, Republican House Speaker reach ‘preliminary agreement’ on debt ceiling
    May 28, 2023
    Erdoğan wins third presidential term in Turkey after tough run-off
    Erdoğan wins third presidential term in Turkey after tough run-off
    May 28, 2023
    Map of alliances affects second round of Turkish presidential election
    Map of alliances affects second round of Turkish presidential election
    May 28, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    I changed my artistic path to create ‘state of wonder’: Tarek Lotfi
    May 25, 2023
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    I adore Ramadan drama, ‘Telt Al-Talata’ series achieved great success: Ghada Abdel Razek
    May 8, 2023
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    We aim to establish Egypt as nearshore centre for Software AG for MET region: Rami Kichli
    April 29, 2023
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    Egypt-Spain relations witness remarkable development in recent years: Spanish ambassador in Cairo
    April 18, 2023
    "Al-Asly" series saw my first leading role in TV drama: Reham Abdel Ghafour
    “Al-Asly” series saw my first leading role in TV drama: Reham Abdel Ghafour
    April 16, 2023
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: Egyptian researcher records new unknown genus of rodents dating back 34 million years
Share
Notification
Latest News
Public Enterprise Minister discusses cooperation with Aluminium Bahrain
Public Enterprise Minister discusses cooperation with Aluminium Bahrain
Business
Irrigation Minister reviews preparations for upcoming Cairo Water Week
Irrigation Minister reviews preparations for upcoming Cairo Water Week
Politics Egypt
Al-Sisi affirms Egypt's keenness on security, stability of Iraq
Al-Sisi affirms Egypt’s keenness on security, stability of Iraq
Politics Egypt Region
Biden, Republican House Speaker reach ‘preliminary agreement’ on debt ceiling
Biden, Republican House Speaker reach ‘preliminary agreement’ on debt ceiling
Politics World
Erdoğan wins third presidential term in Turkey after tough run-off
Erdoğan wins third presidential term in Turkey after tough run-off
World Politics
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Science > Egyptian researcher records new unknown genus of rodents dating back 34 million years
Science

Egyptian researcher records new unknown genus of rodents dating back 34 million years

Mohammed El-Said
Last updated: 2022/01/14 at 1:02 AM
By Mohammed El-Said 3 Min Read
Share
SHARE

About 34 million years ago, in the Eocene period of the Paleogene (the period from 66 to 23 million years ago), and in a tropical-like environment with forests and swamps in what is today the Qatrani Desert in Egypt’s Fayoum Depression, a genus of rodents that was not known before, used to live. 

In a new study published in PeerJ, researcher Shorouk Al-Ashqar, a member of the “Sallam Lab” team specialised in vertebrate fossils at Mansoura University, studied two skulls and a large group of mandibles of fossils belong to the “Qatranimys Safroutus”.

“But it wasn’t easy; the samples were very small and very thin and adhered to the solid rocky clay, which made preparing the samples for study very difficult. We had to make accurate CT scans to be able to study them in a three-dimensional image,” said Hesham Sallam, the lead author of the study. 

The newly discovered genus of rodents was called “Qatranimys Safroutus” which refers to the location of the discovery in the first word, whilst “safroutus” means too small in the Egyptian Arabic dialect.

The length of the molar of Qatranimys Safroutus was one millimetre, and its skull was about 1.5 centimetres long, and its weight did not exceed 45 grams. 

Jebel Qatrani Formation is famous for its rich rodent assemblages from the Eocene–Oligocene deposits, which contributes to enhancing our understanding of the origin and paleobiogeography of what scientists call the “Hystricognathi” which are an infraorder of rodents, distinguished from other rodents by the bone structure of their skulls.

Al-Ashqar said that the samples used in the study showed clear differences in the morphological characteristics of the upper and lower teeth. And by comparing these samples with the discovered rodents from Afro-Arabia, it was clear that it belongs to a new genus that has never been discovered before.

“We did not only record a new genus and species, but we were able to record the first bones of the skull of a large group to which the discovery belongs, called the “Phiocricetomys”, she added. 

Researchers from Mansoura University, the American University in Cairo, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, Duke University and the University of Salford participated in the study.

You Might Also Like

Extreme weather led to two million deaths, $4trn losses over last 50 years

Remote monitoring reduces heart failure hospitalizations, improves quality of life

Muscle fat linked to higher mortality risk

New research sheds light on how shift work may impact female fertility

ChatGPT passes radiology board exam

TAGGED: Egyptian researcher, rodents
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
By Mohammed El-Said
Mohammed El-Said is the Science Editor for the Daily News Egypt with over 8 years of experience as a journalist. His work appeared in the Science Magazine, Nature Middle East, Scientific American Arabic Edition, SciDev and other regional and international media outlets. El-Said graduated with a bachelor's degree and MSc in Human Geography, and he is a PhD candidate in Human Geography at Cairo University. He also had a diploma in media translation from the American University in Cairo.
Previous Article Egypt, Sudan ‘Guardian of the South-1’ joint military exercise kicks off
Next Article MENA’s fragile recovery continues, real GDP projected to expand by 4.1% in both 2021 and 2022: IMF
Ad image
Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

Public Enterprise Minister discusses cooperation with Aluminium Bahrain
Public Enterprise Minister discusses cooperation with Aluminium Bahrain
Business
Irrigation Minister reviews preparations for upcoming Cairo Water Week
Irrigation Minister reviews preparations for upcoming Cairo Water Week
Politics Egypt
Al-Sisi affirms Egypt's keenness on security, stability of Iraq
Al-Sisi affirms Egypt’s keenness on security, stability of Iraq
Politics Egypt Region
Biden, Republican House Speaker reach ‘preliminary agreement’ on debt ceiling
Biden, Republican House Speaker reach ‘preliminary agreement’ on debt ceiling
Politics World
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?