Marc van Roosmalen Consulting, Amazon Rainforest, New Species, Ventures for Filmakers, Publishers, NGOs and other Institutions

Wherever I know of new mammals occuring in the Amazon I look up the locals, Indians or mestizos, who are already hunting them for subsistence. Instead of throwing the uneatable left-over into the river, I ask them to save this precious material for me. In order to describe animals new to science I have to first deposit relevant biological material - skin and/or skull - in a Brazilian zoological collection. That would then serve as the holotype or type specimen – a reference accessible to anyone. A tissue sample should always be taken for later DNA analysis. Following this procedure I have been able to collect and publish a number of new monkeys and other mammals. Presently, I am on the track of at least 20 more new monkey species occuring in different parts of the Brazilian Amazon. Even more surprisingly, I am after at least 17 large-bodied mammals I assume to be new to science, ground-dwelling or semi-aquatic, occuring only in one Amazon river basin.

My goal as a field biologist is to use new species as an ethical means to save entire ecosystems in the Amazon. Having lived for over 20 years in the Amazon I am convinced that this can only be achieved through political and economic pressure from the outside world. With support I can continue my research and publish more unique discoveries in prestigious print journals, and we may well encourage the Brazilian Government to declare certain Amazonian river basins National Parks or UNESCO “World Heritage Sites”.

NEW SPECIES:
With Marc's call for greater protection of the Rio Aripuanã, read his description of new species he discovered in the region - black dwarf lowland tapir, fair brocket deer, giant peccary and dwarf manatee!

NAMED NEW SPECIES

Black-crowned dwarf marmoset >>>
Callibella humilis

Rio Acarí Amazonian marmoset
Mico (Callithrix) acariensis

Satarè Amazonian marmoset
Mico (Callithrix) saterei

Rio Manicoré Amazonian marmoset
Mico (Callithrix) manicorensis

Stephen Nash’s titi monkey >>>
Callicebus stephennashi

HRH Prince Bernhard’s titi monkey >>>
Callicebus bernhardi

Giant collared peccary >>>
Pecari maximus

Van Roosmalen’s dwarf porcupine >>>
Sphiggurus roosmalenorum

Dwarf manatee >>>
Trichechus pygmaeus sp. nov.

Lecythidaceae (Brazilnut Family) >>>
Lecythis oldemani sp. nov.

Black dwarf lowland tapir >>>
Tapirus pygmaeus sp. nov.

Van Tienhoven's fair brocket deer >>>
Mazama tienhoveni sp. nov.

NEW SPECIES SEARCH

Arboreal giant anteater
Myrmecophaga sp. nov.

White-throated black jaguar
Panthera sp. nov.

Black giant otter - Pteronura sp. nov.

Orange coati-mundè - Nasua sp. nov.

Orange tayra - Eira sp. nov.

Black woolly monkey - Lagothrix sp. nov.

Cruz Lima’s saddleback tamarin monkey
Saguinus (fuscicollis) cruzlimai sp. nov.

Rio Pauiní white bald-headed uacari
Cacajao (calvus) sp. nov.

Rio Aripuanã green-backed squirrel monkey
Saimiri (ustus) sp. nov.

Rio Mamurú titi monkey
Callicebus (moloch) sp. nov.

Upper Xingú Amazonian marmoset monkey
Mico (Callithrix) sp. nov.

Orange woolly monkey - Lagothrix sp. nov.

Long-limbed black spider monkey
Ateles sp. nov. –

Silvery bellied spider monkey - Ateles sp. nov.

Eastern saddleback tamarin monkey
Saguinus (fuscicollis) orientalis sp. nov.

Rio Purús collared titi monkey
Callicebus (torquatus) sp. nov.

Upper Rio Xingú titi monkey
Callicebus (moloch) sp. nov.

Grey saki monkey - Pithecia sp. nov.

Southbank Rio Negro saki monkey
Pithecia (Pithecia) sp. nov.