Meet Olinguito the new mammalian carnivore

  • Thread starter Greg Bernhardt
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In summary, the olinguito is a new mammal carnivore that was recently discovered in the Western Hemisphere. It is the first new species of carnivore to be identified in the region in 35 years, and scientists hope that more olinguitos will be found living in the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador. Although the olinguito looks very much like the olingo, it is not as commonly seen and is therefore considered to be cuter by some.
  • #1
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Olinguito: 'Overlooked' mammal carnivore is major discovery
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23701151

Scientists in the US have discovered a new animal living in the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador.

It has been named olinguito and is the first new species of carnivore to be identified in the Western hemisphere in 35 years.

It has taken more than a decade to identify the mammal, a discovery that scientists say is incredibly rare in the 21st Century.


_69301446_1photoofolinguito.jpg
 
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  • #2
"Olinguito: 'Overlooked' mammal carnivore is major discovery"
"mammal carnivore is major discovery"
"mammal carnivore"
"carnivore"

"Eats fruit mainly, but also consumes insects and nectar"
"Eats fruit mainly"
"fruit mainly"

Carnivore: "A carnivore is an animal that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue"
"mainly animal tissue"

...?
 
  • #3
parkerjm said:
"Olinguito: 'Overlooked' mammal carnivore is major discovery"
"mammal carnivore is major discovery"
"mammal carnivore"
"carnivore"

"Eats fruit mainly, but also consumes insects and nectar"
"Eats fruit mainly"
"fruit mainly"

Carnivore: "A carnivore is an animal that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of animal tissue"
"mainly animal tissue"

...?

I think it is Anglicization of a technical term. http://tolweb.org/Carnivora/15971 says the giant panda is in "Carnivora". It also says the vernacular name for "Carnivora" is "carnivores".

The BBC article qoutes Kristofer Helgen, "The olinguito is a carnivore - that group of mammals that includes cats, dogs and bears and their relatives. Many of us believed that list was complete, but this is a new carnivore - the first to be found on the American continent for more than three decades."
 
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  • #4
I figured the BBC would be using the popular meaning of the word instead of the stricter meaning, but that makes a lot more sense!
 
  • #6
It *is* cute, but many mammals are cuter.
 
  • #7
Evo said:
It *is* cute, but many mammals are cuter.

I agree. I'm a mammal. You do the math :smile:
 
  • #8
"Scientists in the US have discovered a new animal living in the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador" is hardly accurate.

They hope one will be found living, I'm sure we all do. The have discovered one that did live there.
 
  • #9
epenguin said:
"Scientists in the US have discovered a new animal living in the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador" is hardly accurate.

They hope one will be found living, I'm sure we all do. The have discovered one that did live there.

I think they did find one, at least that's how I read the news report. At the end they did make a trip to look for it.
 
  • #10
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassaricyon

I've seen olingos and kinkajous when doing field research long ago. The olinguito looks really very much like the olingo.

Anyway the article above says that Helgen did in fact discover the species in the wild, in 2006, just published this week.
 
  • #11
jim mcnamara said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bassaricyon

I've seen olingos and kinkajous when doing field research long ago. The olinguito looks really very much like the olingo.

Anyway the article above says that Helgen did in fact discover the species in the wild, in 2006, just published this week.

But is the olinguito cuter than the others? From Helgen's range data, is it possible you might have seen it on your field work long ago?
 
  • #12
atyy said:
I think they did find one, at least that's how I read the news report. At the end they did make a trip to look for it.

OK right, I was mistaken, just if you read the article without seeing the video which I did you could think they have only seen the museum specimen, and even the video is mostly about that.
 

What is an Olinguito?

The Olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina) is a small mammal native to the cloud forests of South America. It is the newest mammalian carnivore to be discovered and classified by scientists.

How was the Olinguito discovered?

The Olinguito was discovered by a team of researchers from the Smithsonian Institution in 2013. They came across a preserved specimen in a museum that had been mislabeled as an Olingo, another member of the Bassaricyon genus. DNA analysis and further research revealed that it was in fact a new species.

What makes the Olinguito different from other carnivores?

The Olinguito is unique in its physical characteristics and behavior. It has a long, bushy tail, a reddish-brown coat, and small ears. It is also the only known carnivore to primarily feed on fruit, making it an important seed disperser in its ecosystem.

Where can Olinguitos be found?

Olinguitos are currently only found in the Andean cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador. They have a limited range and are considered a vulnerable species due to habitat loss.

What is the significance of the discovery of the Olinguito?

The discovery of the Olinguito is significant for several reasons. It highlights the importance of museum collections and the potential for new discoveries even in well-studied areas. It also sheds light on the biodiversity of the cloud forests and the need for conservation efforts to protect this unique species.

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