1 Tahrcountry Musings: This Monkey sneezes when it Rains

Sunday, October 31, 2010

This Monkey sneezes when it Rains

The newly discovered Burmese monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri) has thrown up a surprise. It sneezes when it rains.  To avoid getting rainwater in their noses they spend rainy days sitting with their heads tucked between their knees.
It was an international team of primatologists led by Ngwe Lwin from the Myanmar Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association supported by an international team of primatologists from Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the People Resources and Biodiversity Foundation that discovered the new species of monkey in Northern Myanmar. The species is limited to the Maw River area.  It is classified as Critically Endangered by IUCN. The species has been named Rhinopithecus strykeri in honour of Jon Stryker, President and Founder of the Arcus Foundation who supported the project.
The new monkey has almost entirely blackish fur with white fur only on ear tufts, chin beard and perineal area. It has a relatively long tail.
Full details appear in the latest issue of American Journal of Primatology.

Geissmann. T, Lwin. G, Aung. S, Naing Aung. T, Aung. Z M, Hla. T, Grindley. M, Momberg. F, “A new species of Snub-nosed monkey, Genus Rhinopithecus Milne-Edwards, 1872 (Primates, Colobianae), From Northern Kachin State, Northeastern Myanmar”, American Journal of Primatology

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