Scientists find new monkey species in Congo's rainforest

July 16 (Reuters) - Scientists have identified a new species of monkey in Democratic ‌Republic of Congo's rainforest, distinguished by ‌patches of light-colored skin around its mouth, Florida Atlantic ​University said in a statement.

• The discovery marks only the fifth new monkey species identified in Africa in the last 75 ‌years, according to ⁠the statement issued on Wednesday.

• The species known by locals as "Likweli" was ⁠named Colobus congoensis by scientists.

• Small in size, the black monkey has a distinctive "mask-like ​appearance" with ​a vivid orange-cream ​patch surrounding its ‌mouth and nose.

• The newly identified primate's roaring possesses a distinct acoustic structure, the research showed.

• "This discovery reinforces how much biodiversity remains undocumented in the Central Congo Basin," said ‌John Hart, a conservation ​scientist from the Lukuru ​Wildlife Research Foundation.

• ​Researchers warn the monkey may ‌already be at risk ​due to its ​small range area and population size and propose the International Union for Conservation ​of Nature ‌should classify it as endangered.

(Reporting by ​Catherine Schenck; Writing by Anait Miridzhanian; ​Editing by Andrew Heavens)