Olinguito
Sign in to saveThe olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina) is a mammal of the raccoon family Procyonidae that lives in montane forests in the Andes of western Colombia and Ecuador. It was classified as belonging to a new species in 2013. The specific name neblina is Spanish for fog or mist, referring to the cloud forest habitat of the olinguito.
AI overview
The olinguito is a small raccoon-family mammal that lives in the misty mountain forests of Colombia and Ecuador, officially identified as a distinct species in 2013. Its discovery and classification matters because it represents a relatively recent addition to our understanding of large mammal biodiversity, revealing that scientists are still finding previously unknown animal species in remote forest regions.
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Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Bassaricyon
- Image
- Olinguito ZooKeys 324, solo.jpg
Show 3 more facts
- P105
- species
- P141
- Near Threatened
- P9714
- Ecuador
via Wikidata · CC0
Article
8 sectionsContents
- Description
- Distribution and habitat
- Discovery
- Taxonomic evaluation
- Conservation
- Notes
- References
- External links
The olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina) is a mammal of the raccoon family Procyonidae that lives in montane forests in the Andes of western Colombia and Ecuador. It was classified as belonging to a new species in 2013. The specific name neblina is Spanish for fog or mist, referring to the cloud forest habitat of the olinguito.
On 22 May 2014, the International Institute for Species Exploration declared the olinguito as one of the "Top 10 New Species of 2014" among species discovered in 2013. It is the first new carnivoran mammal described in the Western Hemisphere in 35 years.