First record of the southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides) in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Abstract

The Critically Endangered southern muriqui (Brachyteles arachnoides) and its sister taxon the northern muriqui (Brachyteles hypoxanthus) are endemic to the Atlantic Forest in Brazil. To date, our understanding of the distribution of the southern muriqui has restricted it to the states of Paraná, São Paulo, and Rio de Janeiro. The northern muriqui occurs in the states of Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, and Bahia. Here, we describe the first record of the southern muriqui in Minas Gerais. A group of seven individuals, including one infant, was detected and photographed on  a private property in the district of Monte Verde, municipality of Camanducaia, on the northwestern slope of the Serra da Mantiqueira. This location is 5.3 km from a population of southern muriquis (known since 1994) on the southeastern slope of the serra in São Paulo. This discovery highlights the importance of further surveys in the Serra da Mantiqueira in order to detect any new populations, provide data for a more accurate assessment of the conservation status of the two species-the delimitation of their distributions, the size and extent of isolation of their populations, and the threats they face.