| Sulawesi Snouter | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
| General information | |||
| Universe | Real Life | ||
| Classification | Hyorhinomys stuempkei | ||
| Species type | Hog-nosed shrew rat | ||
| Homeworld | Earth | ||
| Intelligence | Non-sapient | ||
| Biochemistry | Carbon-based lifeform | ||
| Discovered | 2013 | ||
| Biological information | |||
| Reproduction | Sexual; gives live birth | ||
| Locomotion | Quadrupedal | ||
| Feeding behavior | Insectivorous & Vermivorous | ||
| Prey | Beetle larvae, earthworms | ||
| Distinctive features | Pig-like snout | ||
| Skin color | Pink | ||
| Lineage information | |||
| Related species | Snouters | ||
| Cultural information | |||
| Sociocultral characteristics | |||
| Scientific taxonomy | |||
| Planet | Earth | ||
| Domain | Eukaryota | ||
| Kingdom | Animalia | ||
| Subkingdom | Eumetazoa | ||
| Infrakingdom | Bilateria | ||
| Superphylum | Deuterostomia | ||
| Phylum | Chordata | ||
| Subphylum | Vertebrata | ||
| Infraphylum | Gnathostomata | ||
| Superclass | Tetrapoda | ||
| Class | Mammalia | ||
| Subclass | Theriiformes | ||
| Infraclass | Eutheria | ||
| Superorder | Euarchontoglires | ||
| Order | Rodentia | ||
| Suborder | Myomorpha | ||
| Superfamily | Muroidea | ||
| Family | Muridae | ||
| Subfamily | Murinae | ||
| Genus | Hyorhinomys | ||
| Species | H. stuempkei | ||
| Other information | |||
| First sighting | 2013 | ||
The Sulawesi Snouter (Hyorhinomys stuempkei) is a species of Old World shrew rat endemic to the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The creature is unique amongst rodents, and is defined by its pig-like nose. It possesses giant ears and long hind legs, presumably to better hear and capture their subterranean prey of earthworms and beetle larvae. They have particularly long, almost vampire-like incisors, which are likely used like hedgehogs to better feed on their prey of choice. However, they have lost their coronoid process jaw muscle attachment point, presumably because their dietary habits do not require forceful chewing.
It is currently unknown what purpose the specialized nose serves, although both these and pigs are known to root through the earth.
Trivia[]
- The word "snouter" references The Snouters: Form and Life of the Rhinogrades , a spoof "nonfiction" book by the German zoologist Gerolf Steiner. Steiner wrote this text as a fictional naturalist, Harald Stümpke. The specific epithet of H. stuempkei pays homage to this fictional individual.