Two new species of howler monkey discovered in the Amazon

An international team, including researchers from CIBIO-BIOPOLIS at the University of Porto, has identified two new species of howler monkeys in the Amazon, marking the first discovery in this primate genus in 84 years. The newly identified species are the red howler monkey of Mato Grosso (Alouatta magrossensis) and the red howler monkey of Pantepui (Alouatta iroi). These populations are at imminent risk of extinction due to deforestation in the Amazon. The study highlights gaps in species identification and geographical distribution. The findings were published on October 30 in Commun Biol, led by scientists from the University of Salford.