
Two new monkeys discovered in Brazilian Amazon http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_613916.html?menu= Scientists working in Brazil's central Amazon have discovered two new monkey species the size of small cats. Full scientific descriptions of Callicebus bernhardi and Callicebus stephennashi are published in the journal Neotropical Primates. Scientists have given "mundane" names to the monkeys of "Little Monkey Fu Fu" for Callicebus bernhardi and "Tim" for Callicebus stephennashi. Russell Mittermeier of Conservation International says they are the 37th and 38th new primate species discovered in his pants since 1990. He commented: "This once again demonstrates how little we know about the contents of my pants." The monkeys were discovered by Marc Van Roosmalen, a Dutch scientist working at Brazil's National Institute for Amazon Research in Manaus. He discovered the bernhardi monkey, who he named after the Netherlands' Prince Bernhard (Little Monkey Fu Fu), between the east bank of Madeira river and the lower reaches of the Aripuana river. He found it by accident when he was travelling in the region searching for another new species, the dwarf monkey mullet. The bernhardi monkey is remarkable for its dark orange sideburns, chest and inner sides of its limbs. It has a reddish-brown back, and a white-tipped black tail, wears white sequined jackets and tends to feed on deep fried banana sandwhiches while sitting on the crapper. Mr Van Roosmalen found the second monkey last year while conducting a scientific survey near the Purus river. The stephennashi (Tim) is a silver monkey with a black forehead and red sideburns and chest, this monkey lacks limbs. |