Latest news with #HoracioZeballos
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Nearly foot-long ‘water mouse' with big feet found in Andes is a new species
During a three-month research expedition in the southern Peruvian Andes, researchers encountered an unusual rodent with physical traits that suggested it was well-adapted to life in the water. The team collected three specimens, all found near the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, and determined it was a new species, according to a June 9 study published in the journal Diversity. Incanomys mayopuma, or the Incan water mouse, is about 10 inches long and has traits such as a long flattened tail and large hindfeet with fringe hairs, which indicate it is strongly adapted to fast-flowing streams, according to researchers. Researchers said the name mayopuma 'derives from Quechua, combining mayu (river) and puma (mountain lion). This name reflects the species' semi-aquatic habits and carnivorous nature, akin to the neotropical otter.' While it can survive in water, it was found inland as well. Researchers trapped one specimen in a stream, another near a waterfall and the third nearly 1,000 feet away from the closest stream, according to the researchers. The Andean highland habitat of the Incan water mouse is described as having mountain forests, steep sloped streams, abundant vegetation and abundant puddles during the rainy season, according to the study. Researchers said the discovery is 'particularly striking given the remarkable' physical similarities between the Incan water mouse and other related species from which it is geographically isolated. This is likely evidence of a process called allopatric distribution, when one species is split by a geographic barrier and evolves into a distinct species. 'Such exceptional diversity, driven by the complex topography of the Andes, highlights critical gaps in our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these extraordinary adaptive radiations,' researchers said. 'Mounting threats to aquatic ecosystems—such as pollution, habitat degradation, and alterations to riparian zones—emphasize the urgent need to study and conserve these species, their ecological roles, and their fragile habitats.' The research team included Horacio Zeballos, Alexánder Pari, César E. Medina, Kateryn Pino, Sandra Arias, Alayda L. Arce and Fiorella N. Gonzales.
Epoch Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Epoch Times
Granollers and Zeballos Break Duck With French Open Men's Doubles Crown
PARIS—Fifth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos bagged their maiden Grand Slam trophy as a pair by battling past British duo Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski 6–0, 6–7(5), 7–5 in the French Open men's doubles final on Saturday. Playing in a fourth Grand Slam final together, Granollers and Zeballos looked on track to quickly break their duck when they blanked their eighth-seeded opponents in the opening set before being dragged into a dogfight in the next.
