New primate species discovered!

A German-American-Vietnamese team of scientists discovered a new -and endangered- ape species in South-Asian jungle. Apparently they've discovered this new type of gibbon by its distinctive song.

The new type of crested gibbon, one of the most endangered primate species in the world, is called the northern buffed-cheeked gibbon or Nomascus annamensis...

...The male of the new species is covered with black fur that appears silver in sunlight. His chest is brownish and his cheeks deep orange-golden in colour. The females are orange-beige in colour.

Crested gibbons are found only in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and southern China. Scientists had assumed there were six different species but the recent discovery takes the number to seven.

Article

This picture came with a Dutch article, I assume it's a female northern buffed-cheeked gibbon. Cute.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/f9df676eb27c.jpg[/atsimg]

I just found a more in-depth article on the new discovery here, probably the original.
An interesting quote about their song:

These primates, who live high up in the canopy, are as yet largely unexplored, though scientists suspect their song serves to defend territory or might even be a precursor of the music humans make.

Also, a picture of the male gibbon:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/e00214b62432.jpg[/atsimg]

Nice find, discovering new species is always exciting, but finding a previously unknown primate is even more exciting. If we're still discovering primates, imagine what other creatures we've yet to discover in similar regions, or just in general. Here we are finding animals we never knew existed on our own planet, but there are still people that refuse to believe there is life beyond the atmosphere of our tiny little rock.

reply to post by Movhisattva


this is an awesome discovery. It just goes to show us that humanity still has much to learn about our own environment on land. This is a little gem for the crypto crowd . I find it refreshing to learn there are examples of things left to be discovered or found by us "advanced" co-caretakers of this planet. Thanks Mother/Father Nature ( not sure of the gender of nature )

And yes, she is cute.

thanks for sharing this with us Movhisattva

-et

How wonderful to have a discovery of an animal as large as a primate! Unchartered territory in our massive world must mean there are still more discoveries to be made. They are adorable to say the least, would love to hear their song.

Originally posted by ZiggyMojo
Nice find, discovering new species is always exciting, but finding a previously unknown primate is even more exciting. If we're still discovering primates, imagine what other creatures we've yet to discover in similar regions, or just in general. Here we are finding animals we never knew existed on our own planet, but there are still people that refuse to believe there is life beyond the atmosphere of our tiny little rock.

And those are only the ones we've found.
Imagine all the creatures that have existed and currently exist now that we don't know about.

reply to post by ZiggyMojo

It's an exciting discovery indeed, and one you wouldn't expect in times where the impression lives that all (mammal) life on land is already known to us. Sadly we've just discovered the species and already have to aknowledge they risk extinction.

reply to post by Esoteric Teacher

I mostly refer to her as 'Mother Nature'. Not entirely sure why.
'She' is cute, but I should have mentioned that for 'his' as picture well - waggish little primate.
I enjoy this discovery just as much as you do.

reply to post by crazydaisy

I've already been looking for some audio recordings, but I guess it's a little early to find these on the net. One of the articles mentioned a researcher recording them every morning, so I may hope to listen their songs soon.

On a side note:
I remember once seeing a video of a large amount of mumbling monkeys in a field, sounding like a large crowd of people. Since I can't remember the species' name I can't find it anymore, but they produced astounding conversation-like sounds. If anyone knows which species I'm looking for, please re-enlighten me.

This gibbon is not the first new large new mammal-species coming out of Indochina. The tropical rainforests in Vietnam are not very well explored. In the Vu Quang region large mammals like the Saola and the giant muntjac have only recently been discovered.

The finding of a new primate species is a rarity. But such a finding is not so rare, that we have to look back decades for the last discovery. Primates make up about 5% (around 250 species) of all known mammal species (around 4.700 species). The Biodiversity of Primates Network, which described this northern buffed-cheeked gibbon , has described 14 new primate species in the last 10 years. This organisation is not the only one searching for new primate species.

Another scientists, who spend his live searching for new primate-species is the primatologist Marc van Roosmalen. He has discovered 7 new species of primates in the Amazon rain forest (some of them perhaps dubious). In the year 2000 he was one of Time magazine's “Heroes of the Planet”. A few years later he found himself in a Brazil prison incarcerated together with crack coc aine smoking contract killers.
www.smithsonianmag.com...

I've already been looking for some audio recordings, but I guess it's a little early to find these on the net. One of the articles mentioned a researcher recording them every morning, so I may hope to listen their songs soon.

At the end of the idw-online article is an attachment (Anhang) to a mp3 titled Gibbon Songs. The mp3 does not indicate, which species is recorded, but since the article deals with the new species it is likely, that this song is from Nomascus annamensis. Quite a beautiful song.

reply to post by Drunkenshrew

Thanks for your clarification and pointing out the audioclip. I overlooked the most obvious place to find the link.
Sounds beautiful indeed.

reply to post by Movhisattva


It is indeed lovely. Sounds more like a bird than a primate. A pleasant whistling song. Most primate calls seem harsh to me. Thanks for sharing.

What a great thread.....how did I miss this yesterday?

What an awesome discovery! I can only imagine the numbers of creatures we haven't discovered yet... but what makes this so incredible is that it's a primate! How very cool and cute, cute, cute as a button!

The song that is from Nomascus annamensi is so calming and beautiful....you can hear the forest sounds in the background.... thank you for sharing!