First described from Laos in 2005, the Laotian rock rat Laonastes aenigmamus quickly gained fame as one of the most remarkable “living fossil” discoveries in modern mammalogy. A. Abramov (Zoological Institute RAS) with Laonastes aenigmamus in Laos in 2008 The Laotian rock rat is a small, nocturnal rodent inhabiting rugged karst landscapes (Jenkins et al. 2005; Nguyen et al. 2014). Its robust body, dense fur and long, squirrel-like tail reflect adaptation to a rocky, largely scansorial...