New Primate Discovered

050527105010 Originally uploaded by ReidAnderes. Two research teams working independently in Tanzania have discovered a monkey that had eluded scientists despite decades of research in the region. The "highland mangabey" is the first monkey species to be described in Africa since 1984. Full-body view of Lophocebus kipunji (Ehardt et al. 2005 sp. nov.). Note the animal's long fur, coat color, lighter area on chest and distal tail and characteristic tail carriage. The artist's reconstruction was drawn from research video taken by C. L. Ehardt in Tanzania in the Ndundulu Forest of the Udzungwa Mountains and in the Southern Highlands. (Credit: Zina Deretsky, National Science Foundation) Related News Stories New Species Of Monkey Discovered In Tanzania: The First In Africa For More Than 20 Years (May 23, 2005) -- Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society, working in conjunction with other partners, have discovered Africa's first new species of monkey in over 20 years, marking the third monkey WCS ... > full story One In Every Three Primates Now Threatened With Extinction (October 9, 2002) -- New evidence of the peril facing the world's apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates, with one in every three now endangered with extinction, is revealed in a new report -- The World's Top ... > full story Primates On The Brink: Mankind's Closest Living Relatives Under Threat Around The World (April 26, 2005) -- Mankind's closest living relatives - the world's apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates - face increasing peril from humans and some could soon disappear forever, according to a report ... > full story Researchers Find New Giant Amphibian Fossils In Africa (April 14, 2005) -- Two new 250 million year-old species of large, meat-eating amphibians have been discovered by researchers, including investigators from McGill ... > full story > more related stories Related section: Plants & Animals The entire known range for the highland mangabey totals a mere 28 square miles (73 square kilometers). Due to the combined threats of logging, charcoal-making, poaching and excessive removal of forest resources, this rare animal is at great risk of extinction, and the researchers estimate only a few hundred of the monkeys remain. The co-discoverers--researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), the University of Georgia (UGA) and Conservation International (CI)--describe the mangabey in the May 20, 2005, issue of the journal Science.