Sri Lanka, May 28 -- A new species of spiny mouse has been discovered in Sri Lanka's Puwakpitiya Valley in the Dumbara (Knuckles) Mountain Range, adding to the island's rich record of endemic biodiversity.

The species has been scientifically named Mus dumbara, and is commonly referred to in English as the "Dumbara Valley spiny mouse" and in Sinhala as "Dumbara katu heen meeya".

The discovery was confirmed through integrated analysis of external morphology, skull characteristics, and DNA sequencing, according to research published by Suyama H. Boyagoda, Madhava Meegaskumbura, and Kelum Manamendra-Arachchi.

Researchers said that the species is distinguished by a combination of traits, including a tail that is longer than its head-and-bod...