New monkey species with orange lips found ‘hiding’ in DRC forest
A monkey with striking pinkish-orange lips and a black face that lives in the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo has been confirmed as a new species to science.
The black-furred primate was spotted and photographed lurking in the high tree canopy of dense tropical forests in Lomami National Park in the country’s central east.
Environmentalists working there reported seeing this unusual-looking animal for the first time in 2008. However, they were only able to take one blurry photo.
Following another sighting 10 years later, an international team set out to find and study the monkey, revealing it to be a previously unknown species.
This is the fifth African monkey species discovered in the last 75 years.
Junior Amboko, a doctoral student at Florida Atlantic University, led the search, which included audio recordings, photographs and detailed genetic studies.
The findings were: Published in the journal PLoS One.
Amboko told BBC News it was an “astonishing feeling” to look into the face of an animal that few people knew existed.
hidden species
Junior Amboko (left) and Mardoché B. Koko record the distinctive, echoing roar of the newly discovered Colobus congoensis monkey in Lomami National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo [Junior Amboko]
To “discover” a species in this context means to formally record and confirm that it has evolved to be genetically distinct. Some local people already knew of the monkey’s existence and gave it a common name, Likweli.
But Amboko said the monkeys were “a little shy” and tended to hide high in the trees.
“As part of our research, we interviewed people in 52 villages close to where the animals live. And we only interviewed people in eight villages. [had ever seen] them,” he recalled.
The research team from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the USA and Germany gave the animal its Latin name. Colobus congoensis Recognition of the natural diversity in the country.
It belongs to the larger group of colobus monkeys. “These are really important African monkeys that don’t have thumbs,” explained Prof Kate Detwiler of Florida Atlantic University.
“They are canopy herbivores that are a critical part of the ecosystem. We think they are very involved in seed processing and germination in the forest.”
Prof Detwiler speculates that these unusual, bright facial markings could be a visual signal to other animals, potentially attractive to a mate or allowing animals to recognize each other.
Monkeys also have a distinctive “roaring” call. “You often hear about these things but you don’t see them,” Amboko said.
They think the animals are rare and restricted to a part of the forest where they can find the food and habitat they need.
The animals are hunted for meat, so researchers are now Colobus congoensis Since it is classified as a separate species, it can be officially protected.
Researchers say they still have many questions about this mysterious, newly identified species. They plan to conduct further research to estimate their population and study their behavior.
