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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Hylomys macarong is a real mammal newly described from southern Vietnam—but it is not a blood-drinking monster. It is a small, soft-furred gymnure whose Vietnamese-derived species name refers to the unusually long upper incisors found in mature males.
What is Vietnam’s “vampire hedgehog”?
The animal is Hylomys macarong, a species formally described in a 2024 revision published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. The paper recognized five species in the group, including two new species and three former subspecies elevated to species rank. The National University of Singapore summarized the study on 4 January 2024.
A suggested English common name is Dalat gymnure. “Vampire hedgehog” is a media nickname, not a scientific classification.
Is it actually a hedgehog?
It belongs to the family Erinaceidae, the same broad family that includes familiar hedgehogs, but it is a gymnure—a member of the soft- to stiff-furred galericine branch. Unlike the spiny hedgehogs commonly kept as pets, H. macarong has a soft to moderately soft coat and no conspicuous covering of defensive spines.
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Why is it called a vampire?
The formal species account says the name macarong comes from the Vietnamese Ma cà rồng, meaning “vampire.” The name acknowledges the long first upper incisors that characterize mature males.
Those fang-like teeth explain the dramatic nickname. No available account demonstrates that the species drinks blood, attacks people, or uses its incisors to consume blood. “Vampire” describes the appearance and the word choice behind the scientific name, not documented feeding behavior.
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What does the Dalat gymnure look like?
| Feature | What has been reported |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Hylomys macarong |
| Average head-and-body length | 138.4 millimetres, or about 14 centimetres |
| Average skull length | 34.8 millimetres |
| Coat | Soft to moderately soft rather than obviously spiny |
| Male coloration | A rusty chest is recorded in males; specimens collected at other times did not always show it, suggesting the color may be seasonal |
| Tail and feet | Bicoloured long tail, light-brown feet and relatively short hind feet |
| Ears | Relatively long |
The most eye-catching feature is the male’s elongated first upper incisors. The species account also notes its compact body and distinctive combination of pelage, skull and dental characters.
Where does it live?
Hylomys macarong is currently known from southern Vietnam’s Da Lat and Dak Lak plateaus and nearby lowlands. Its type locality is present-day Phú Sơn in Lâm Hà District, Lâm Đồng Province, at approximately 1,200 metres above sea level.
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“Vietnam’s montane forests and adjacent lowlands” is more precise than treating every record as a single rainforest habitat. The primary taxonomic work defines the geographic range and type locality clearly, while details of the species’ broader habitat preferences remain limited.
How was the species identified?
The revision used an integrative approach rather than relying on appearance alone:
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- DNA evidence: mitochondrial and other genetic data identified distinct evolutionary lineages.
- External anatomy: measurements, fur, coloration, tail and feet were compared.
- Cranial and dental characters: skull form and teeth, including the enlarged male incisors, helped separate the species.
Southern Vietnam specimens formed the H. macarong lineage within an Indochinese clade that also includes H. peguensis. Combining museum specimens with molecular data allowed researchers to recognize diversity that had previously been grouped under broader names.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is known about its behavior and diet?
Much of the animal’s natural history is still unresolved. The available species account does not establish a blood-feeding diet, attacks on humans or any vampire-like behavior. Its diet, activity patterns, reproduction and population size require further field study.
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That uncertainty is normal for a newly delimited small mammal: a species can be scientifically recognized from preserved specimens, genetic lineages and anatomy before its day-to-day life in the wild has been observed in detail.
Why this discovery matters
Museum collections can conceal overlooked species
The case shows why older specimens remain valuable. Genetic testing can reveal separate lineages among animals that look similar, while detailed examination of teeth, skulls and fur supplies the physical evidence needed for a formal description.
Southern Vietnam is a center of local endemism
The species adds to evidence that the Greater Mekong region contains many narrowly distributed mammals and continues to produce scientific discoveries. Mongabay placed the finding in a regional context that included 234 species reported as new during one year; that figure is regional reporting context, not a count generated by the H. macarong paper.
Quick Recap
How should you describe the animal accurately?
- Call it Hylomys macarong or the suggested common name, Dalat gymnure.
- Describe it as a small, soft-furred gymnure related to hedgehogs, not as a typical spiny pet hedgehog.
- Explain that “vampire” refers to the Vietnamese meaning of macarong and the long upper incisors of mature males.
- Place its known range in southern Vietnam’s Da Lat and Dak Lak plateaus and surrounding lowlands.
- Do not claim blood-feeding or other vampire behavior that has not been demonstrated.
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