Published 12:24 IST, December 24th 2019
Scientists discover new subspecies of 'titi' monkeys in Brazil
Researchers recently discovered a new subspecies of 'titi' monkeys in Southwest Brazil. They expect the species to be placed under "almost threatened" category.
Researchers have recently discovered a new species of monkeys in Southwest Brazil. The primates, which are a subspecies of titi monkeys, were first documented in 1914 but were assumed to be ashy black titi due to their dark fur.
May be placed under "almost threatened" category
According to international media, the discovery was made by Mariluce Messias of the Federal University of Rondônia, who began studying titi monkeys back in 2011. She was studying how the rapid pace deforestation in the region affected the local monkey populations when she began to notice the differences in the colour of the skin of the species. Some of the primates were sporting reddish-brown patches on their back along with white splotch on their chests, the report revealed.
She then collected gene samples from some of the primates and tested it against DNA samples of ten other local monkey species, including the ashy black titi. The results went on to confirm that she had discovered a new species, plecturocebus parecis, or Parecis titi. The report revealed that the decline in the habitat of the newly discovered species causes researchers to expect it to be classified as “almost threatened” on the list of endangered animals of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
The research report also cited an interview that Adrian Barnett, one of her research partners had given to the science magazine, New Scientist. In the interview, he said that deforestations gives everyone access to remote areas and allows scientists to enter remote areas that never have been explored before.
Last month, fossils of a new species of a giant shark named cretodus houghtonorum from the dinosaur era were discovered by scientists in Kansas, US. According to researchers, this newly discovered shark is an ancient cousin of the sand tiger and great white sharks that we know today. It is believed that they discovered the fossilised remains of another dinosaur-era creature belonging to the late Cretaceous period which was roughly 144 million to 66 million years ago.
Updated 13:28 IST, December 24th 2019