Nguyen Dang Xuan, Nguyen Nghia Xuan, Nguyen Duy Dinh, Dinh Tri Huy, Le Dinh Thuc, Dinh Duong Hai
Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, VAST, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park, Quang Binh Province, Vietnam.
Biodivers Data J. 2014 Dec 25(2):e4188. doi: 10.3897/BDJ.2.e4188. eCollection 2014.
The Laotian Rock Rat Laonastesaenigmamus Jenkins, Kilpatrick, Robinson & Timmins, 2005 was originally discovered in Lao People's Democratic Republic in 2005. This species has been recognized as the sole surviving member of the otherwise extinct rodent family Diatomyidae. Laonastesaenigmamus was initially reported only in limestone forests of Khammouane Province, Central Lao. A second population was recently discovered in Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park (PNKB NP), Quang Binh Province, Central Vietnam in 2011. The confirmed distribution range of L.aenigmamus in Vietnam is very small, approximately 150 km(2), covering low karst mountains in five communes of Minh Hoa District, Quang Binh Province, at elevations between 250 and 400 m asl. The Laotian Rock Rat inhabits the lower part of steep karst towers with many rock boulders and crevices under tall limestone evergreen forest. They use small rock crevices for their dens. The natural habitat of this species in PNKB NP has been affected by selected timber harvesting, however, a complex 3-4 layer forest structure is retained. The Laotian Rock Rat is omnivorous, feeding on parts (leaves, buds, fruits and roots) of 18 plant species and also some insects (cicada, mantis, grasshopper). The population of this species in PNKB NP is seriously threatened with extinction due to its very restricted distribution, high hunting pressure, and habitat disturbance. Laonastesaenigmamus is listed in the IUCN Red List as endangered and in the Wildlife and Aquatic Red List of Lao, however, this species has not been listed in the Red Data Book or any conservation legislative documents of Vietnam.
老挝岩鼠（Laonastes aenigmamus Jenkins, Kilpatrick, Robinson & Timmins, 2005）最初于2005年在老挝人民民主共和国被发现。该物种被认为是已灭绝的硅藻鼠科（Diatomyidae）中唯一幸存的成员。老挝岩鼠最初仅报道于老挝中部甘蒙省的石灰岩森林中。2011年，在越南中部广平省的丰芽格邦国家公园（PNKB NP）发现了第二个种群。在越南，老挝岩鼠的确认分布范围非常小，约150平方千米，涵盖广平省明化区五个公社的低喀斯特山脉，海拔在250至400米之间。老挝岩鼠栖息在陡峭喀斯特塔的下部，那里有许多岩石巨石和高大石灰岩常绿林下的裂缝。它们利用小岩石裂缝作为巢穴。该物种在PNKB NP的自然栖息地受到了选择性木材采伐的影响，不过，复杂的3 - 4层森林结构得以保留。老挝岩鼠是杂食性动物，以18种植物的部分（叶子、芽、果实和根）以及一些昆虫（蝉、螳螂、蚱蜢）为食。由于分布范围极为有限、捕猎压力大以及栖息地受到干扰，该物种在PNKB NP的种群面临严重的灭绝威胁。老挝岩鼠在世界自然保护联盟（IUCN）红色名录中被列为濒危物种，在老挝的野生动物和水生生物红色名录中也有记录，然而，该物种尚未被列入越南的《红色数据手册》或任何保护立法文件中。
