Scientists identify two new howler monkey species in the Amazon

An international research team has identified two new species of howler monkey in the Amazon rainforest, marking the first new descriptions within the genus in 84 years. The study, published in Communications Biology, utilized genomic analysis, morphological comparisons of museum specimens, and new field data.

The two newly identified species are the Mato Grosso red howler monkey (Alouatta matogrossensis), endemic to central Brazil, and the Pantepui red howler monkey (Alouatta iroi), found in the northwest Amazon.

Researchers from the University of Salford, in collaboration with investigators from CIBIO-BIOPOLIS at the University of Porto, warned that these populations face an imminent risk of extinction due to advancing deforestation. The study emphasizes that understanding species distribution is a critical first step in designing effective conservation plans to combat rapid habitat loss.