Another New World monkey species has been discovered in the Amazon and
Callicebus miltoni (c) is already at risk of extinction. It lives in a small area of lowland forest between the Roosevelt and Aripuanã Rivers subject to development. The new species of
"titi" monkey in the genus
Callicebus is distinguished by its ocher sideburns and orange tail
[image credit: Stephan D. Nash]. These monkeys live in small, monogamous family groups, often seen siting closely together with their tails intertwined
[photo below]. Recent genetic sampling has clarified the number of speparate species in
Callicebus, with six new species desribed in the last fifteen years. The genus is the most diverse group of neotropical monkeys with 32 recognized species. The latest discovery was reported in
"Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia", a peer-reviewed journal of the University of São Paulo; this titi is named in honor of Dr. Milton Thiago de Mello, the dean of Brazilian primatology and a founder of the Brazilian Primatology Society. Milton's titi was first noticed in 2010 during a scientific expedition to the region supported by WWF. Locals know it as the "fire tailed Zogue-zogue". In 2013 another expedition was launched specifically to bring back data about the animal. About 57% of the forest area inhabited by Milton's titi is protected or within indigenous people's lands. But because it is unable to swim or cross hilly terrain, it is restricted to a small area bounded by rivers and hills where illegal logging is intense. The Brazilian government also has plans for a new hydroelectric dam that may adversely impact the primate. Primate infants are often sought after as pets by both locals and outside persons; the monkey is not yet preyed up by indigenous people for food.
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| credit: A. Gambarini |
It was a titi monkey kept in captivity at University of California-Davis' Primate Research Center that transmitted a pneumonia virus to staff in May, 2009. Within two months 19 titis died and three humans sickened. Comparison of antibodies in humans and monkeys showed a match, suggesting the disease was transmitted interspecies similar to avian influenza virus. Scientists think that the primate's adenovirusis, TMAdV, may be useful as a vehicle for delivering gene therapy. Since TMAdV is unknown to the human immune system, it could be genetically engineered to deliver genes coded to fight cancer tumors. A patent for such a gene therapy device is pending.
