A New Genus of Monkey

An article has appeared in Science Express, an online publication of Science magazine that publishes articles online before they appear in the print edition, delimiting a new monospecific genus of African monkey. The monkey was originally described as a new species last year, based on photographic evidence, but the team that described it has since obtained a carcass from a local farmer, and based on molecular evidence, has defined a new genus, Rungwecebus to accomodate the species, now called R. kipunjii.

The monkey was originally accomodated by the genus Lophocebus, but genetic material obtained from the specimen allowed molecular analysis showing that genetically, this new species is closer related to baboons than other monkeys, even though morphologically (that is, in terms of form) it is quite unlike a baboon. While I am usually cautious about taxonomic judgements based on molecular data alone, it is still worth highlighting how much we do not know about the primates, our closest relatives. Despite them being large and active mammals in which people naturally take an interest, a new species can still be found, and even more tantalisingly still, turn out to be a new genus altogether. If we do not even know about what is out there in the wild, how can we be confident about the completeness of our biological knowledge? Therefore, in purely empirical terms, field biology is a superb field for observation-based research, where all one needs are eyes to see with, ears to listen with, and patience and tenacity to pursue with. For less money and possibly more satisfaction (and a good workout, too) one can be just as productive as in other hot fields of research. Imagine, if a huge-ass noisy monkey can be so elusive, what abundantly more is there waiting to be found in the mesoscopic and microscopic level!