According to a study published this month in the journal

Scientific Reports

, a group of researchers have identified a new species of marmoset in the Brazilian Amazon.

The discovery was made by the team of Rodrigo Costa-Araújo, a scientist associated with the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, reports

Geo on

Tuesday.

Named Schneider's marmoset or

Mico Scheinderi,

the animal was already known since the 1990s but was until now confused with another species: the marmoset

Mico emiliae

.

The researchers finally succeeded in making the distinction thanks in particular to a field expedition as well as the collection of new samples and new geographical analyzes.

I'm pleased to share my latest article, in which we describe Mico schneideri, an Amazon marmoset species new to science named after professor Horacio Schneider, and discuss the taxonomy of other 5 species of genus Mico.

Free at: https://t.co/kgFJxrCxnP


Photo: Ivan Batista pic.twitter.com/k0SNHCVM2Z

- Rodrigo Costa Araújo (@Costa_AraujoR) August 4, 2021

19 species of marmoset are currently evolving in the Amazon

At first glance, the two species look alike and both have a more or less dark fawn coat.

But according to the researchers' study, Schneider's marmoset, which is about eight inches long without the tail, stands out thanks to the presence of distinct orange tints in its limbs.

In addition, the two animals evolve in different areas of the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil.

19 species of marmoset are currently evolving in the Amazon, according to the researchers' report. However, despite all the data collected in the field, scientists are unable to assess the extent of the population and the evolution of

Mico Scheinderi

. So far, "there are no conservation measures to respond to habitat loss and population declines that marmosets suffer because they are little studied," they lament.

It is therefore not possible at this time to determine whether this new species of marmoset is threatened with extinction.

However, this is likely due to intense deforestation and other changes to their habitat.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified these primates as “Least Concern” or “Vulnerable”.

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