Discovering a new mammal species used to be a big deal, but that is now changing. Over 400 new mammals have been identified since 1993. New molecular techniques are identifying species that in the past could not be distinguished on the basis of their anatomy alone. This, combined with surveys in remote areas, mean new mammals are popping up regularly. New Scientist takes a look at some of the most striking discoveries.
Durrell's vontsira
The cat-sized Durrell's vontsira, Salanoia durrelli, whose existence was announced this week, is the first new carnivorous mammal species to be discovered in 24 years. It was spotted swimming in Lake Alaotra in eastern Madagascar by zoologists searching for bamboo lemurs.
It was designated as new species after comparing it with specimens of the closely related brown-tailed vontsira, Salanoia concolor. The vontsira's wetland habitat is threatened by agricultural expansion, and invasive plants and fish.
(Image: Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust)
Maués Marmoset
The Rio Maués marmoset, Callithrix mauesi, was discovered in 1992 in the dense rainforest of the Rio Maués region of the central Brazilian Amazon by Russell Mittermeier and colleagues. Like most marmosets, Callithrix mauesi usually gives birth to twins.
(Image: Claus Meyer/Minden Pictures/FLPA)
Goodman's mouse lemur
Mouse lemurs are the smallest of the primates. This species, Microcebus lehilahytsara or Goodman's mouse lemur, was discovered in 2005 in Antasibe, a popular tourist site in the eastern rainforest of Madagascar.
Morphological, genetic and behavioural data from distinct populations of the giant mouse lemur, Mirza coquereli, show Goodman's mouse lemur to be a distinct species. Only a little larger than a mouse, it is nocturnal and arboreal.
The number of known lemur species continues to grow as genetic techniques are applied to previously poorly studied populations.
(Image: Dr. Jörn Köhler)
Mindoro stripe-faced fruit bat
Notable for its fox-like striped face, Styloctenium mindorensis, aka the Mindoro stripe-faced fruit bat, was discovered on the Philippine island of Mindoro by University of Kansas zoologist Jake Esselstyn, who described the species in 2007. Its closest relative, Styloctenium wallacei, lives 1200 kilometres away on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi.
(Image: Harvey John D. Garcia)
Arunachal macaque
The Arunachal macaque, Macaca munzala, identified as a new species in 2005, was discovered in the Himalayan foothills of western Arunachal Pradesh, north-east India, during a biodiversity survey by India's Nature Conservation Foundation. It was the first new monkey species to be identified in over a century.
(Image: Anindya Sinha/WWF Nepal)
Grey-faced Sengi
Discovered in the Udzungwa mountains of central Tanzania in 2008, the 700-gram grey faced sengi, Rhynchocyon udzungwensis, is the size of a large rabbit. Though that makes it one of the largest of the sengis, or elephant shrews, it shares membership of the super-order Afrotheria some much larger animals, including elephants, hyraxes, aardvarks and sea cows.
(Image: Mason's News Service/Rex Features)
Dwarf manatee
The dwarf manatee, which is restricted to one tributary of the Aripuanã river in north-west Brazil, was
Dwarf manatees are typically about 130 centimetres long, weigh about 60 kilograms, and have different habitat and dietary preferences from the closely related Amazonian manatees, Trichechus inunguis. While van Roosmalen says that this makes them a separate species, his view is disputed by others who claim that his specimens are actually immature T. inunguis.
(Image: Marc van Roosmalen)
