AJP:中科院昆明动物所蒋学龙组发现并命名长臂猿新物种——“天
2017年1月10日，国际期刊《American Journal of Primatology》在线发表了中国科学院昆明动物研究所蒋学龙研究组的一篇研究论文，研究在灵长类分类学研究中获得重大进展，发现并命名了一种新的长臂猿。蒋学龙研究员、范朋飞教授与何锴博士为共同通讯作者，范朋飞教授、何锴博士为共同第一作者。
科研人员在中国云南高黎贡的原始森林中考察期间发现该地区的白眉长臂猿与分布于缅甸北部的东白眉长臂猿形态上有明显差异，通过DNA分子序列的比较，以及与全世界自然历史博物馆馆藏标本的头骨及牙齿进行比较分析，最终确认该中国境内高黎贡地区分布的白眉长臂猿为新物种，并命名为Hoolock tianxing，中文名为“天行长臂猿”(Skywalker hoolock gibbon)或“高黎贡白眉长臂猿”，简称“天行者”。“天行者”之名源于古训“天行健，君子以自强不息”，不仅契合我国自汉唐以来就将长臂猿视为君子形象化身的文化精神，还极为形象地描述了长臂猿在树冠上的行走姿态。发现新物种的团队还希望以此呼吁大家遵守自然规律，保护人与自然共享的好生态环境。
该物种是白眉长臂猿属的第三个物种，也是长臂猿科的第二十个现生物种。经过多年的野外调查，研究人员发现，由于常年受到人为活动的严重干扰，该物种在国内物种数量已不足200只(仅为野生大熊猫种群数量的10%)，且呈严重的片段化分布，在国外的分布和种群数量尚无法确认。基于上述原因，科学家将该物种的保护等级定为濒危(A4acd)，濒危等级高于大熊猫的“易危”。
原文链接：
Description of a new species of Hoolockgibbon (Primates: Hylobatidae) based on integrative taxonomy
原文摘要：
We describe a species of Hoolock gibbon (Primates: Hylobatidae) that is new to science from eastern Myanmar and southwestern China. The genus of hoolock gibbons comprises two previously described living species, the western (Hoolock hoolock) and eastern hoolock (H. leuconedys) gibbons, geographically isolated by the Chindwin River. We assessed the morphological and genetic characteristics of wild animals and museum specimens, and conducted multi-disciplinary analyses using mitochondrial genomic sequences, external morphology, and craniodental characters to evaluate the taxonomic status of the hoolock population in China. The results suggest that hoolocks distributed to the east of the Irrawaddy-Nmai Hka Rivers, which were previously assigned to H. leuconedys, are morphologically and genetically distinct from those to the west of the river, and should be recognized as a new species, the Gaoligong hoolock gibbon or skywalker hoolock gibbon (H. tianxing sp. nov.). We consider that the new species should be categorized as Endangered under IUCN criteria. The discovery of the new species focuses attention on the need for improved conservation of small apes, many of which are in danger of extinction in southern China and Southeast Asia.
作者：蒋学龙
