Paulina's limestone rat

Paulina's limestone rat, Saxatilomys paulinae, is a murid rodent from central Laos and Vietnam that is distinct enough to have its own genus, Saxatilomys, in which it is the only known species. It was first found in the Khammouan Limestone National Biodiversity Conservation Area in Khammouan Province, Laos, and has since been recorded in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. The genus name joins the Latin saxatilis, meaning among the rocks, with the Greek mys, meaning mouse or rat. It resembles, and is probably closely related to, rats of the genera Niviventer and Chiromyscus, but is set apart by semi-spinous dark gray upperparts, frosted gray underparts and large, very bulbous footpads. It is thought to live among rocks and has only been observed in forested, rocky limestone habitats.