Lin, L.-K., Oshida, T. and Motokawa, M. (2020). Mammals of Taiwan. Volume 2. Rodentia. Tunghai University, Taichung, Taiwan. 165 pp.

It is a truism that mammalian systematics is a dynamic field of research and that new species are still being discovered. The rate of change, however, is truly spectacular and the number of mammal species, estimated at 5,416 in 2005 (Wilson and Reeder, 2005) reached 6,495 just 13 years later (Burgin et al., 2018), i.e. an astonishing rise of 20%. Behind this progress is the wide application of new research tools, above all, highly effective DNA-based methods capable of reconstructing evolutionary pathways and delimiting morphologically cryptic species. Faunal revisions are as badly needed in this time of taxonomic revolution as ever before. They are of particular value when done by experts active in the fields of taxonomy research and species delimitation. It was therefore a pleasant surprise to receive a new publication of this kind which focuses on the rodents of Taiwan ...