Incredibly Humanlike New Species of Blond Monkey Discovered in Congo

The constant news drumbeat of wildlife trafficking, habitat destruction, and extinctions can get pretty damn exhausting. And how bad was it when those new Caribbean lizards were announced with the caveat that they are likely already extinct? Well, here’s a ray of sunshine amidst the gloom: A new species of monkey has been described in the still-mysterious rainforests in the central of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Researchers said that it’s only the second new monkey species discovered in 28 years.

According to a paper published in PLoS One, the lesula (Cercopithecus lomamiensis) is a novel species of guenon monkeys, which are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Lesulas, named by local hunters, are medium-sized, slim monkeys with long arms and legs, and are notable for their surprisingly blond facial hair and incredibly human-like faces. I mean, come on. Look at that guy!

Via PLoS One

The paper states that seven freshly-killed specimens of C. lomamiensis and eight of C. hamlyni, a similar, local guenon species, were acquired from local hunters and from predators. Those specimens were used for morphological and genetic analysis, along with with behavioral observations, to show that the two species are indeed distinct, as they appear visually:

Caption from PLoS One: Captive adult male Cercopithecus hamlyni (upper left), photo by Noel Rowe, with permission; and captive adult male Cercopithecus lomamiensis (upper right), Yawende, DRC, photo by Maurice Emetshu. Lateral view: Hunter-killed adult male Cercopithecus hamlyni (bottom left), photo by Gilbert Paluku; and eagle-killed subadult female Cercopithecus lomamiensis (bottom right), photo by Gilbert Paluku.

Guenons are most diverse in Central and West Africa, where pristine forests allow for a number of different microhabitats at different elevations in the forest canopy. Combined with a high degree of dietary flexibility (leaf-, insect-, and fruit-eating behaviors have all been observed) and the geographical barriers presented by forests like those in the lowlands of Congo, guenon speciation has been particularly robust.

Youngsters! Via PLos One

The study took place in the DRC’s central lowland rainforests in a region the study authors refer to as TL2, which has been largely unstudied by biologists until recently.

Prior surveys have shown that the region is incredibly biodiverse with respect to primate, with “11 species or distinctive subspecies of anthropoid primates” in the region. The discovery that lesulas are themselves a distinct species adds credence to the fact that the region is a primate hotspot, and the study authors note that the region needs an appropriate conservation strategy to protect that biodiversity. Of course, the DRC isn’t exactly the best location to look for cogent legislation, but hopefully the lesulas’ newfound fame will help ecologists to secure their home.