- Jan 31, 2009
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The first new carnivore species found in the Western Hemisphere in 35 years, the olinguito, is a furry, kilogram-sized creature that's a relative of raccoons. It inhabits the cloud forests of the northern Andes, and samples of it were present in museums for decades—they were just mistaken for a closely related species, the olingo.
The newly discovered species came about because scientists decided they wanted to have a better handle on the olingos (genus Bassaricyon), which are native to South America. These small, furry mammals are hard to study because they are both nocturnal and spend most of their lives in the forest canopy where they feed on fruit. Researchers set about sequencing DNA from the animals and examining museum samples for differences in traits. In the end, they identified four distinct species, three that inhabit the lowlands and a fourth that lives at higher elevations in the northern Andes.
That fourth species was previously thought to simply be a population of one of the three known species. But the authors noted that it had some physical differences and was actually a bit smaller than its relatives (hence the diminutive "olinguito"). DNA evidence indicated it was the first member of the genus to split off from the remaining populations.
Field work in the area led to some confirmed sightings of the otherwise elusive creature, which is why we have photos to share.
http://arstechnica.com/science/2013...-carnivore-found-in-the-americas-in-35-years/
