Apparently, a group of biologists has found a new species of monkey in central Africa that the locals call the lesula, its a slender, medium-sized animal that looks similar to the already discovered owl-faced monkey. The findings published in the scientific journal Plos One, it was identified as Cercopithecus lomamiensis, which is endemic to the lowland rainforests of central Congo. Its is only the second time in 28 years that an unknown species of monkey has been found, highlighting the biodiversity in central Africa. Investigations of this area began in June of 2007, after a young female monkey of an unknown species turned up at the home of a school director. It seemed to him that this new monkey was similar but clearly not the same as the owl-faced Cercopithecus hamlyni, but the biologists who later examined it say the two are close relatives. Later findings proved that the two monkeys are of different species, although to local hunters they look similar. A lesula apparently, has "significantly larger incisors, upper and lower second molars ... " Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! The male lesula "emits a distinctive low frequency, descending, loud call almost like a boom" that is different from the vocalizations of the other male. Robert Kityo, of Uganda's Makerere University, claims the discovery is proof that Africa's vast jungles are not only teeming with barrels of undiscovered monkeys, but other unknown species as well. "Something that was thought to be abundant can turn out to be rare," Professor Kityo said, referring to the previous confusion between lesula and a close relative. "In a sense, it's a nice find." The lesula is described as "semi terrestrial with a diet containing terrestrial herbaceous vegetation". Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! A captive adult male Cercopithecus hamlyni, left, and an adult male Cercopithecus lomamiensis, right. The monkey appears colourful in photographs, with long grizzled blond hairs and a variably distinct cream coloured nose stripe. It has a slight owlish look. Their eyes are very human like. The team advises that the monkey's name should not be changed, because the lesula is used over most of its range. The final paper was edited by Samuel T. Turvey of the Zoological Society of London. Article from SMH I wonder if they’d make good pets?
Surveying the species which have already made that transition, I'd say the most important factor is whether they have a social instinct. Animals that are solitary by instinct don't even socialize with their own kind, so it's very difficult to inspire them to socialize with another species. Dogs, pigs, goats and most of the animals which were domesticated first are pack-social or herd-social. The individuals with the most tolerant social instincts, allowing them to be nonchalant about the inclusion of other species in their pack/herd, can be bred for generations until you have sheep, cattle, dogs, emus, rabbits, chickens and capybaras living together in a giant multi-species community. Failing that, some animals are bright enough and lazy enough to recognize a good thing when they see it. If captured young enough (or bred in captivity) they might be willing to give us companionship in exchange for an easy life of not having to find their own food and shelter or evading predators. Some bears and big cats, and probably other types of animals that don't spring to mind, have taken this path. Finally, neoteny can sometimes be inspired. Felis silvestris lybica (the domestic cat), for example, is a solitary hunter that seldom socializes in the wild unless there is a huge food surplus that requires no competition--such as the rodents in the granaries that attracted them to civilization in the first place and which still abound near human habitation. Once they've come near enough to humans to recognize that we not only tolerate but welcome their presence, they'll happily give birth to their kittens inside our safe, warm, dry homes. At this point we can intervene and continue treating the kittens as babies even after they mature: providing their food and carrying them around just like their mommies did. Those whose DNA provides a weaker maturation instinct will express neoteny and retain their baby behaviors throughout adulthood, including the socialization that kittens perform but lose as they grow up. Over the generations as we breed the cats we like and who stick around, neoteny becomes a dominant trait. Dogs also exhibit neoteny. Baby wolves bark, wag their tails, chase sticks and wrestle, but they lose these behaviors as they grow up. The few oddballs who hung onto these behaviors a little longer were the ones our ancestors found to be "fun" and "charming, so they formed the gene pool we've been breeding for the past 12,000 years. (A very small gene pool it was, all dogs are estimated to be descended from fewer than two dozen individuals.) Today all dogs bark, wag their tails, chase sticks and wrestle until the day they die and they are the most domesticated of all animals. Perhaps even more so than our own species--I just peeked at today's newspaper. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Back to the monkeys, many species of primates are social--I'd say most but I'm not an expert so don't quote me. It wouldn't be remarkable if the lesula falls into this category. Some primates are so inquisitive and so sure of their ability to escape or fight if attacked, that they inspect humans and may end up treating them as pack-mates or as interesting but harmless fellow forest-dwellers. There are a zillion videos on YouTube showing the various species of lemurs of Madagascar frolicking with humans who range from startled to overjoyed. (Type in "dancing lemurs" and settle back with a six-pack--or watch John Cleese's video.) Nonetheless, primates are complicated creatures. While they may become friends or companions to humans, that's not the same thing as being pets. Take away their freedom to come and go as they please and you might find out just how strong and aggressive they can be. A monkey or ape much smaller than you could probably rip your head off and stuff it up your butt, then tear your door off the hinges and run back out into the forest. It's best to leave that door open. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Well I wonder why no one has found more concrete evidence of the sasquach they just keep finding monkeys
When can we buy them? Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Wake up Captain. It's eleven o'clock. Time to get up. Ooh, you do look poorly. Drinking again. Tch. Here, I've made you a cup of tea. Would you like a biscuit?
That was actually mentioned when I read the article on this Monkey, they assured the reader that the photo's were not tampered with apart from a bit of cropping. I think Lesula is a nice name for it. Here's Kimio Honda's drawing of it. Nice illustration of a handsome looking Primate. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Lesula clips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAHmfUK_znI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkVqcq7kA0s I couldn't find any live video footage of it moving around, just some news reports with still shots.
IMO you can never have enough Monkeys, apparently an infinite number Monkeys locked in an infinitely large room will an infinite number of typewriters (with ink and paper and food), will write The Complete Works of Shakespeare. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infinite_monkey_theorem So if ordinary Monkeys can do that, Lesula's could rewrite Highlander 2 the Quickening and make it awesome because they're awesome!
