New mammal species discovered in Brazil?

johnstoni

johnstoni

Well-Known Member
Hi, I am new to this forum, please excuse me if this has already been debated.

I stumbled on the site of a conservationist working in Brazil, who claims to have identified a new species of Peccary, Manatee, Tapir, and several primates, having working with local people to follow up unusual descriptions of various species. This is the site:

http://www.marcvanroosmalen.org/newspecies.htm

Maybe I'm missing something here, but what international bodies would normally announce or confirm such findings? Further information on such a plethora of new mammal species seems scares for such significant discoveries. Surely we'd have heard more about these? Either this guy has not been able to fully verify his findings, or there is a strange lack of interest in such amazing discoveries. I can't work out which.
 
Interesting stuff, johnstoni !
Sometimes the line between "species" status and "sub-species" or race is not too precise, and, while he regards them as new species, I'll bet other scientists would regard them as being just possible new races of known species. (This is not to put the guy down, you understand. He is as entitled to his opinion as any other scientist, and I would certainly support his call for more protection for the area and greater investigation into the animals' taxonomy.)
 
This looks interesting. Though I'm not sure i approve of some of these new names. Instead of "HRH Prince Bernhard’s dwarf manatee", why not just dwarf or pygmy manatee? :confused:

And he seems to find a lot of black animals... Maybe its a chemical in the water in the area? :p
 
Mr van Roosmalen has been responsible for the naming of several new species in the last year or two. He is researching the unmaned forms to see if they are actually new species or not. If this is indeed the case then his findings will be published in due course. His use of common names is a personal choice. He may well name Trichechus bernhardi HRH Prince Bernhard's Dwarf Manatee, but I bet it will be know simply by the name Toddy suggests, i.e. Dwarf Manatee.
 
Do you think he needs a hand out there? I wouldn't mind spending my days searching for evidence of an arboreal giant anteater. I'm always hoping for another big mammal discovery from the Amazon - or Congo or Papua New Guinea there is plenty of folklore to make you wonder. What do members think of cryptozoology? I have based some of my short stories around tales of white haired giant apes in the congo for example. I also - like many of you - wish lots of extinct animals were around - keep hoping a pair of Tasmanian Tiger might turn up. Anyone heard how the Quagga experiment is going either? I would also love to have seen some of the extinct lemur species - can you imagine the giant aye-aye or the lemur as big as a gorilla!:D
 
Susan Humphreys said:
Do you think he needs a hand out there? I wouldn't mind spending my days searching for evidence of an arboreal giant anteater. I'm always hoping for another big mammal discovery from the Amazon - or Congo or Papua New Guinea there is plenty of folklore to make you wonder. What do members think of cryptozoology? I have based some of my short stories around tales of white haired giant apes in the congo for example. I also - like many of you - wish lots of extinct animals were around - keep hoping a pair of Tasmanian Tiger might turn up. Anyone heard how the Quagga experiment is going either? I would also love to have seen some of the extinct lemur species - can you imagine the giant aye-aye or the lemur as big as a gorilla!:D
Click to expand...

I think a lot of cryptozoology is nonsense, but we shouldn't rule out some of the more believable ones. I'm sure the Congo, South East Asia, the Amazon, and maybe even the vast plains of Northern Asia etc (and obviously the deep ocean) hold thousands of animals we've yet to discover, some of which may be mammals and birds.

I like the idea of their being lots of mystery left, finding a new species is one of my goals in life. I'll probably have to settle for a beetle if I get one at all, but that's something at least. (Andean Wolf here I come!)
 
Even as subspecies, if this man is genuinely recording morpologically distinct races of large mammals such as tapir, peccary, manatee, as well as all the primates he has identified, this is a hugely significant find. I can't quite believe there has not been more press attention on this work. I'd be interested to discover what ZSL and other UK conservation bodies make of the work he is doing.
 
Hi johnstoni,

Marc van Roosmalen is a well known and respected primatologist who has been working in the Amazonia basin for the past 15+ years. Contrary to what most forummers write he has been describing species new to science quite regularly from his earliest involvement with South American Amazonia primates like titis, marmosets, tamarins, woolly spider monkeys, uakaris and howler monkeys.

His interest in zoology has also led him to some of the least studied rainforest basins of Brasil's Amazonia. In his ecological studies and searches he has also stumbled upon several non-primate species new to science. You should check out his website more intensely though! ;)

Marc van Roosmalen also recently made headlines as Brazilian authorities on false accusations detained him for biodiversity crimes. Another word for jealous and complacent government institutions that envy the high standard of research MvR has been able to achieve. He is working closely though with IBAMA people .... :cool:
 
Jelle,
I did indeed study the site intensely, and took it seriously, which is really why I almost couldn't believe there has not been more publicity of his work. Is there some sort of bias here towards large organsiations like the WWF publicising only the discoveries made by the zoologists they are funding in the field? Are the major Dutch conservation organisations supporting him? Maybe, based in the UK, we only hear of announcements from conservation bodies that have a press office here. One would have assumed that discovery of a new species of subspecies of mammal would be significant enough to be picked up by the press across europe, regardless of who made the discovery.
 
I think his work remains largely unknown because it has not featured much in the press.

Here is a link to his description for Pecari maximus

A New Species of Living Peccary (Mammalia: Tayassuidae) from the Brazilian Amazon

The pdf file has the photographs.

Callibella humilis was described in Neottropical Primates 11(1) April pages 1-2

Callithrix acaruiensis and C.saterei were describe din Neotropical Primates 8(1) pages 2-19

Callicebus stephennashi and C.bernhardi were described in Neotropical Primates 10(sppl) Jun pages 1-53

Sphiggurus roosmalenorum was described by Voss and da Silva in Revisionary Notes on Neotropical Porcupines (Rodentia: Erethizontidae). 2. A Review of the Coendou vestitus Group with Descriptions of Two New Species from Amazonia. American Museum Novitates 3351:pages 24-32
 
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johnstoni said:
Jelle,
I did indeed study the site intensely, and took it seriously, which is really why I almost couldn't believe there has not been more publicity of his work. Is there some sort of bias here towards large organsiations like the WWF publicising only the discoveries made by the zoologists they are funding in the field? Are the major Dutch conservation organisations supporting him? Maybe, based in the UK, we only hear of announcements from conservation bodies that have a press office here. One would have assumed that discovery of a new species of subspecies of mammal would be significant enough to be picked up by the press across europe, regardless of who made the discovery.
Click to expand...

Discoveries of new species of mammals are not as rare as people sometimes think (Mammals discovered in the 2000s list can be found on wikipedia). In addition I think there are two reasons why van Roosmalens work has received relatively little coverage in recent years: 1) His been having serious trouble with Brazilian authorities and could face a lot of years in prison. I think his on the run right now. This has taken up more media than his mammals at least in his native Holland. How right or wrong these legel matters are is also a more open question than some have proposed (in holland media take his side, in brazil take authorities side). Probably a bit of both as he clearly broke Brazilian law but I also think he was treated more harsh than the average biologist would be if doing the same. For different reasons his unfortunately become alienated to much of his family and other biologists in brazil and those are people he really could have used in speaking his case in brazil. 2) Some of his recent claims have been questioned by prominent biologists either questioning if the species was valid at all (like manatee and peccary) or if they really should be considered subspecies instead. Whatever one may think of him and his recent discoveries I hope for his own sake that he will get through the troubles with the head above water.
 
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Marc van Roosmalen is pretty well known, he's been given an award as one the "planets hero's" i believe it was called by the national geographic. He's constantly struggling with the law, mainly because he fights against large land owners who try to clear rainforest for more agricultural land. In a potentially corrupt country, that's hazerdous to say the least.

He also uses his discoveries to protect the rainforest. By claiming there's a new and endangered species, he tries to get the rest of the world to pressurize Brazil to protect the rainforest. This means there's pressure on both sides, Van Roosmalen to come up with new species, and Brazil to deny they are there. It doesn't help him getting species recognised, even if the proove is building up.

He traded his dutch passport in for a brazilian one a few years ago, which now makes him a brazilian citizen and there's nothing the dutch can do for him anymore...
 
A late message to this old topic. The Dutch government returned him his Dutch passport today. After appeal in Brazil at least a part of the charges against him were dismissed. When he was released (I m not sure if it was on bail or not) he moved back to the Netherlands were he got temporary residence until today.
 
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