New monkey species found in the Congo
A new species of monkey found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and identified as Lesula (Cercopithecus lomamiensis) is seen in this undated photograph from an article published in the science journal PLOS One. The monkey was first seen in 2007 by researchers John and Terese Hart of the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale Research Project. The finding of C. lomamiensis represents only the second new species of African monkey to be discovered in the past 28 years, according to the research article.
Image by: HANDOUT / Reuters
Image by: HANDOUT / Reuters
A new species of monkey found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and identified as Lesula (Cercopithecus lomamiensis) is seen in this undated photograph in the science journal PLOS One. The monkey was first seen in 2007 by researchers John and Terese Hart of the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale Research Project. The finding of C. lomamiensis represents only the second new species of African monkey to be discovered in the past 28 years, according to the research article.
Image by: HANDOUT / Reuters
Image by: HANDOUT / Reuters
A team of scientists says it has identified a new species of monkey in central Africa that had been known to the locals simply as lesula.
It is a medium sized, slender animal that looks similar to an owl-faced monkey already known to scientists.
In findings published this week in the scientific journal Plos One, the researchers identified the new species as Cercopithecus lomamiensis, which is endemic to the lowland rainforests of central Congo.
This is only the second time in the past 28 years that a species of money has been discovered, they said, highlighting the importance of preserving biodiversity in central Africa where forests are threatened by illegal logging.
Scientists began investigating after seeing a young female monkey of unknown species at the home of a school director.
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