the olinguito / oʊlɪŋˈɡiːtoʊ / ( spanish for " little olingo " , bassaricyon neblina , colloquially known as the " kitty bear " ) is a mammal of the raccoon family procyonidae that lives in montane forests in the andes of western colombia and ecuador .

the species was described as new in 2013 .

the species 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 .

the reasons for its selection are its resemblance with a cross between a slender domestic cat and a romanticized american black bear , and it is the first new carnivorous mammal described in the western hemisphere in 35 years .

olinguito

baby olinguito found in savingspecies project site . photo by juan rendon / savingspecies .
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one captured olinguito puzzled zookeepers because it refused to breed or mingle with other olingos .
the olinguito , bassaricyon neblina , in the wild . photo credit : mark gurney .
both the olingo - - shown here - - and the olinguito live in trees .
dna from this olinguito shows that it is clearly not an olingo , helgen said .
with the olinguito research announcement , the oddball animal ' s aloofness has been vindicated .
diet : the olinguito mainly eats fruit , but may also eat some insects and nectar .
distributions ( localities ) of the four olinguito subspecies in the andes of colombia and ecuador .
on their very first night on the pursuit , the team found a real , living olinguito .
you can learn more about the discovery of the olinguito in the latest episode of shelf life .
diet and behavior : the olinguito mainly eats fruit , but may also eat some insects and nectar .
taxonomic revision of the olingos ( bassaricyon ) , with description of a new species , the olinguito .
this adult olinguito was photographed by george cruzat the tandaypa hummingbird sanctuary in the choco area of ecuador .
this information , however , was coming from overlooked olinguito specimens collected in the early 20th century . the question helgen and his team wanted to answer next was : does the olinguito still exist in the wild ?
2014 , august 15 ,
crowdsourcing the olinguito
, smithsonian science one year ago , the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) stepped out of the forest shadows into the spotlight and onto the pages of science .
the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) came close to being discovered several times during the past century and was even exhibited in zoos . for example , this female olinguito lived in various zoos in the us decades ago .
olinguito distribution map . so far , the only known olinguito habitats are in the cloud forests of colombia and ecuador , but future research may show that they are also in similar habitats in other south american countries .
the rare and enigmatic olinguito is protected by proaves reserves | : : . proaves . : : | proaves
while not every report or photo proved to be an olinguito , many were , helping smithsonian scientists confirm plants that the olinguito ate , what types of trees it lived in , its nesting behavior , and yes , even confirming that a baby olinguito is cuter than an adult , thanks to photos taken by an employee in the mesenia - paramillo reserve in the mountains of colombia , now known as an important site for olinguito conservation .
the olinguito was long mistaken for an olingo like the one above . there are three species of olingo , and in some places , their ranges overlap with that of the olinguito . ( jeremy gatten / wikimedia commons )
they also made special note of the olinguito’s cloud forest andean habitat , which is under heavy pressure of human development . they estimated that 42 percent of historic olinguito habitat has already been converted to agriculture or urban areas .
2013 , bryan walsh ,
hola , olinguito ! the smithsonian discovers a new mammal
, time magazine : today smithsonian scientists announced that they had discovered a new species of mammal : the raccoon - like olinguito .
soon after the announcement , workers with our in - country partner discovered the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) on one of savingspecies’ existing conservation areas . we published the first photos of a olinguito cub , which went viral .
this western lowland olingo ( bassaricyon medius ) can be found in the same general geographic area as the olinguito .
the olinguito mainly eats fruit , but may also eat some insects and nectar . ( photo by mark gurney )
‘in the world of entomology this new species can be only compared in its rare characteristics to the olinguito . ’
2013 angelo piemontese ,
metà gatto , metà orsetto : ecco a voi l ' olinguito
, panorama : è l’ olinguito , un bizzarro e adorabile animale che sembra un incrocio proprio tra un felino e un orsetto .
4 ) since the olinguito was described in 2013 , residents near its habitat in ecuador have sent researchers many videos and photographs of the creatures , helping scientists learn more about their diet , breeding , and other habits . in 2014 , these efforts gave researchers their first look at an olinguito nest—perched high in the forest canopy—and a baby olinguito .
the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) is the first carnivore species to be discovered in the american continents in 35 years .
this adult olinguito was a frequent visitor to a hummingbird feeder in ecuador . ( photo by gary and karen schiltz )
the olinguito is smaller than the olingos that constitute the other species in the genus bassaricyon . the olinguito is also much furrier , has a different teeth configuration , a shorter tail , and smaller ears than the olingo . the olinguito is found in the northern andes at about 1500 to 2750 meters above sea level , which is much higher than olingo habitats .
‘at least one olinguito from colombia was exhibited in several us zoos during the 1960s and 1970s , the researchers said . ’
taxonomic revision of the olingos ( bassaricyon ) , with description of a new species , the olinguito . - pubmed - ncbi
) , with description of a new species , the olinguito . zookeys . 2013 ; 324 : 1–83 . pmid : 24003317
the reserves’ rangers have recorded the olinguito several times ; this new species will be monitored and researched by the proaves team .
while the olinguito is new to science , it is not a stranger to people . people have been living in or near the olinguito’s cloud forest world for thousands of years . and while misidentified , specimens have been in museums for more than a century , and at least one olinguito from colombia was exhibited in several zoos in the united states during the 1960s and 1970s .
it has been named olinguito and is the first new species of carnivore to be identified in the western hemisphere in 35 years .
the world ' s newest carnivore , the olinguito , shares the south american treetops with other fuzzy members of the raccoon family .
‘a decade ago , helgen and his team began the search for the olinguito and their journey took them to south america . ’
a few days before helgen and kays arrived , pinto managed to shoot some camcorder footage of an olinguito jumping from tree to tree .
in addition to body features and behavior , the team made special note of the olinguito’s cloud forest andean habitat , which is under heavy pressure of human development . the team estimated that 42 percent of historic olinguito habitat has already been converted to agriculture or urban areas .
while the olinguito is new to science , it is not a stranger to people . people have been living in or near the olinguito’s cloud forest world for thousands of years . and while misidentified , specimens have been in museums for more than 100 years , and at least one olinguito from colombia was exhibited in several zoos in the united states during the 1960s and 1970s . there were even several occasions during the past century when the olinguito came close to being discovered but was not . in 1920 , a zoologist in new york thought an olinguito museum specimen was so unusual that it might be a new species , but he never followed through in publishing the discovery .
‘the first clue came from the olinguito ' s teeth and skull , which were smaller and differently shaped than those of olingos . ’
the first clue came to the biologists from the olinguito’s teeth and skull , which were smaller and differently shaped than those of olingos .
initial hopes that the olinguito might serve as a charismatic ambassador for the conservation of dwindling andean cloud forest habitats may be bearing fruit .
2013 ,
taxonomic revision of the olingos ( bassaricyon ) , with description of a new species , the olinguito .
[ 1 ]
i can almost imagine the olingos at the zoo all staring at the olinguito thinking “who’s this guy ? ” . poor little fellow . .
scientists have documented the olinguito in cloud forest habitats in colombia and ecuador , but future research could find the species in other south american countries .
o ' brien , jane 2013 . olinguito : ' overlooked ' mammal carnivore is major discovery . bbc news science & environment . [ 1 ]
yet , we were concerned to find olinguito denning areas in areas that were not yet protected—indeed , many hectares were already deforested and badly eroded .
the biologists found olinguito in a forest on the western slopes of the andes , and spent their days documenting what they could about the animal – its characteristics and its forest home . because the olinguito was new to science , it was imperative for the scientists to record every aspect of the animal .
the olinguito has been given the scientific name bassaricyon neblina . bassaricyon is the same genus as olingos and its species name is spanish for
fog .
‘the olinguito is mostly active at night , eats fruit as well as meat , rarely leaves the trees , and has one offspring at a time . ’
2013 , august 16 , philip hoare ,
the olinguito isn ' t new – it was with us all along . let ' s hope it stays that way
, the guardian : welcome to the world , olinguito , the first new carnivore to be discovered in the western hemisphere for 35 years .
one year ago , the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) stepped out of the forest shadows into the spotlight and onto the pages of science—the first carnivore species in the americas to do so in 35 years . however , while the discovery offered an official identity , the olinguito still remained a mammal of mystery . what exactly did it eat ? how big was its range ? and could it be possible , just possible , that a baby olinguito is even cuter than an adult ?
the dna evidence took the scientists back to the smithsonian institution . there they found that scientific databases already contained olinguito dna that had been wrongly labelled as olingo . it also led them to tissues from a colombian olinguito held in storage at the museum . they belonged to ringerl , the unfortunate female that toured us zoos .
the olinguito , shown here , is smaller and has a more rounded face than the olingo . scientists say it is the smallest member of the raccoon family .
at about 2 . 5 feet long from nose tip to tail tip , the olinguito weighs about 2 pounds and is a little smaller than a house cat .
the olinguito is not yet considered an endangered species , but there are threats to its home environment , helgen said . many have such forests been chopped down .
helgen ' s group has
discovered
the olinguito , but it been evolving as an independent species for about 3 to 4 million years , he said .
the olinguito is smaller , though , typically topping out at about 2 kg . it is the first new carnivorous mammal described in the western hemisphere in 35 years .
the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) is the first mammalian carnivore species to be discovered in the americas in 35 years , scientists at the smithsonian institution in washington said .
the olinguito , a tree - dwelling animal with a teddy - bear - like face and rust - coloured fur has become the newest mammal species discovered by scientists .
they learned that the olinguito is mostly active at night , is mainly a fruit eater , rarely comes out of the trees and has one baby at a time .
specimens of the species have been identified from the cloud forest stretching from central colombia to western ecuador . [ 2 ] four subspecies of the olinguito have been described .
the olinguito is a carnivore , but the term has two meanings in biology . the most familiar is an animal that eats meat , but the other is any animal that belongs to the order carnivora , which includes cats , dogs , tigers , bears and others . they are not all meat eaters , and the olinguito mostly eats fruit .
researchers argue that the olinguito should be considered the smallest living member of the raccoon family , which includes other animals that make us go
awww
such as coatis and kinkajous . the smithsonian describes the olinguito ' s appearance as a cross between a house cat and a teddy bear . cats , bears , and olinguitos belong to the carnivora order .
the olinguito is so far known only from cloud forest habitats in colombia and ecuador , but future investigations might show that it occurs in similar habitats in other south american countries .
“olinguito” is spanish for “little , adorable olingo , ” he said at a smithsonian institution news conference announcing the discovery . the researchers also published their findings online in the journal zookeys .
bruno marino added the brazilian portuguese common name
olinguito
to
bassaricyon neblina helgen , pinto , kays , helgen , tsuchiya , quinn , wilson & maldonado , 2013
.
the olinguito inhabits humid montane rainforests ( ' cloud forests ' ) , where it is nocturnal , arboreal , frugivorous , and probably largely solitary ( helgen et al . 2013 ) .
the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) , [ 1 ] is a newly identified mammal of genus bassaricyon . [ 2 ] it is part of the procyonidae family which also include raccoons .
the small , bushy - tailed , rust - colored furry mammal they named the olinguito was a rare find — the first new carnivore species found in the western hemisphere in 35 years .
katja schulz added a link to
meet the baby olinguito
on
bassaricyon neblina helgen , pinto , kays , helgen , tsuchiya , quinn , wilson & maldonado , 2013
.
biologists from the united states , ecuador and panama have described a new species of carnivore from the cloud forests of ecuador and colombia , and named it the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) .
the olinguito is known only from high elevation cloud forests of the northern andes mountains , in ecuador and colombia . the future of the olinguito may be precarious . the researchers reporting its discovery estimated that 42 % of suitable historic olinguito habitat had already been converted to agriculture or urban areas and an additional 21 % remained in natural but largely unforested conditions , highlighting the importance of protecting what remains of the special cloud forest habitat that is so critical to the survival of this and many other species ( helgen et al 2013 and references therein ) . it is perhaps noteworthy that the last new new world carnivore to be described prior to the olinguito , the colombian weasel ( mustela felipei ) , was described in 1978 from similar habitat in the same region of the andes .
patrick leary set
olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina )
as an exemplar on
bassaricyon neblina helgen , pinto , kays , helgen , tsuchiya , quinn , wilson & maldonado , 2013
.
1 ) the olinguito’s scientific name is bassaricyon neblina . the researchers chose “neblina” ( spanish for “mist” or “fog” ) in reference to the animals’ habitat in the cloud forest of the andes mountains .
the olinguito , bassaricyon neblina neblina , in life , in the wild . taken at tandayapa bird lodge , ecuador ( for mammalogical background of tandayapa , see ) . photograph by mark gurney .
smithsonian scientist kristofer helgen spent 10 years studying museum specimens and tracking animals in the wild in the cloud forests of ecuador . the research led to the discovery of the olinguito as its own species .
prior to the olinguito , the most recent mammal to be discovered in the americas was a small weasel from the andes - - the same area and habitat where the olinguitos live , he said .
we also kind of hope that in telling this story to the world about the olinguito , that this beautiful new animal serves as something of an ambassador for those embattled cloud forest habitats .
with an almost 50 / 50 ratio of scientists to nonscientists contributing , the team used the olinguito’s first birthday as an occasion to review all the information that came in over the past 12 months .
the olinguito used to be mistaken for the olingo , its sister species . here is an olingo at the private reserve of paz de las aves ( peace of the birds ) near nanegalito , ecuador .
the first clue came to helgen from the olinguito’s teeth and skull , which were smaller and differently shaped than those of olingos . examining museum skins revealed that this new species was also smaller overall with a longer and denser coat ; field records showed that it occurred in a unique area of the northern andes mountains at 5 , 000 to 9 , 000 feet above sea level―elevations much higher than the known species of olingo . this information , however , was coming from overlooked olinguito specimens collected in the early 20th century . the question helgen and his team wanted to answer next was : does the olinguito still exist in the wild ?
a team led by smithsonian zoologist kristofer m . helgen spent years examining hundreds of museum specimens and tracking animals in the wild in the cloud forests of ecuador . the result ? it identified a new species of mammal , the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) . the discovery corrects a case of mistaken identity . for decades , scientists thought the olinguito was an olingo , a larger member of the raccoon family , or another mammal .
the 35cm - long ( 14in ) olinguito is the latest addition to the animal family that includes racoons . by comparing dna samples with the other five known species , dr helgen was able to confirm his discovery .
this reminds us that the world is not yet explored and the age of discovery is far from over ,
says dr helgen .
the olinguito makes us think - what else is out there ?
habitat and range : the olinguito is found only in cloud forests of the northern andes mountains , in ecuador and colombia , at high elevations ( 5 , 000 to 9 , 000 feet above sea level ) .
from top to bottom : the olinguito , bassaricyon neblina , and other species of olingos : b . medius , b . alleni and b . gabbii . artwork : nancy halliday , via helgen km et al .
this baby olinguito was found in a nest 40 feet above the ground in a large dead bromeliad tree . ( photo by juan rendon taken at the mesenia - paramillo nature reserve in colombia , courtesy saving species )
the discovery brings to an end one of the longest zoological cases of mistaken identity and establishes the
olinguito
( which rhymes with mojito ) as the first new carnivore recorded in the western hemisphere for 35 years .
the olinguito ' s misty high - elevation habitats in colombia and ecuador , and the tendency for the animal to stay in the trees , have helped keep the species relatively obscure to scientists until now , helgen said .
an earlier version of this story said incorrectly that the olinguito is the first mammal discovered in the americas in 35 years . in fact , it is the first carnivore found in the western hemisphere in that time period .
okay , enough messing about – the olinguito is a small omnivorous mammal that lives in the andean cloud forests of ecuador and columbia . for about 100 years , the specimens in museums were thought to be examples of olingo ( the - ito part of olinguito means ‘small’ , as they’re slightly smaller than the olingo ) : there was even one specimen in a zoo , although keepers were perplexed as to why it didn’t mate with other olingos . now they know why : the olinguito is a completely different species . quite a diverse one , too – it’s believed that there are about 4 sub - species , and the creatures are geographically dispersed and reasonably abundant .
patrick leary set
olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) at tandayapa bird lodge , ecuador
as an exemplar on
bassaricyon neblina helgen , pinto , kays , helgen , tsuchiya , quinn , wilson & maldonado , 2013
.
the global media coverage about the discovery in august 2013 acted like a starter’s pistol for the public and scientists . now that people knew what an olinguito was , some began to be on the lookout for one , while others realized that they have been seeing them for years . the team immediately began receiving a steady flow of emails and messages from scientists and nonscientists with reports of possible olinguito sightings , photos of the creature , and anecdotes about behavior .
the name olinguito means small or adorable olingo , but writing in the journal zookeys , the team give the animal a formal scientific name too , bassaricyon neblina . the species name , neblina , means
fog
or
mist
in spanish , a nod to the cloud forests where the animal lives . but it also means obscured .
that ' s exactly what the olinguito has been ,
helgen said .
lost in the fog .
the olinguito ( oh - lin - ghee - toe ) looks like a cross between a house cat and a teddy bear . it is actually the latest scientifically documented member of the family procyonidae , which it shares with raccoons , coatis , kinkajous and olingos . the 2 - pound olinguito , with its large eyes and woolly orange - brown fur , is native to the cloud forests of colombia and ecuador , as its scientific name , “ neblina ” ( spanish for “fog” ) , hints . in addition to being the latest described member of its family , another distinction the olinguito holds is that it is the newest species in the order carnivora―an incredibly rare discovery in the 21st century .
type series of an olinguito subspecies , bassaricyon neblina hershkovitzi , in the field . two olinguito specimens ( fmnh 70726 , paratype of hershkovitzi , and fmnh 70727 , holotype of hershkovitzi , along with a long - tailed weasel , mustela frenata , fmnh 70998 ) brought in by a local hunter , 6 september 1951 , at san antonio , san agustín , huila district , colombia . photo by p . hershkovitz , courtesy of the field museum of natural history .
the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) came close to being discovered several times during the past century and was even exhibited in zoos . for example , this female olinguito lived in various zoos in the u . s . decades ago . the problem was a case of mistaken identity , which was solved with a decade of detective work by smithsonian scientist kristofer helgen and his team , resulting in the description of a new species . ( photo by i . poglayen - neuwall )
while the olinguito ( oh - lin - ghee - toe ) may look like a cross between a house cat and a teddy bear , it is actually the latest ( and smallest ) documented member of the family procyonidae , which it shares with raccoons , coatis , kinkajous and olingos . the 2 - pound olinguito , with its large eyes and woolly orange - brown fur , is also the newest species in the order carnivora―an incredibly rare discovery in the 21st century .
based on inferred population declines because of habitat reduction over the last three generations ( 15 years ) , the olinguito warrants categorization as near threatened . based on the distribution model in helgen et al . ( 2013 ) , it appears that 42 % of potential olinguito habitat in colombia and ecuador has already been converted to agriculture or urban environments . remaining habitat is highly fragmented and faces increasing threats from farming , grazing , deforestation for drug cultivation , logging , and climate change .
bibliographic information : helgen km et al . 2013 . taxonomic revision of the olingos ( bassaricyon ) , with description of a new species , the olinguito . zookeys 324 : 1–83 ; doi : 10 . 3897 / zookeys . 324 . 5827
zoologist deeann m . reeder of bucknell university , co - curator of a scientific database of mammals , finds the olinguito to be an “extraordinarily beautiful animal” and says that to describe a new carnivore in the 21st century is “special and amazing . ”
5 ) an olinguito was exhibited in zoos around the united states ( including the bronx zoo , and the national zoo ) in the 1970s as an olingo . the animal was frequently moved among different zoos because she wouldn’t breed with the olingos .
helgen et al . ( 2013 ) used bioclimatic models to identify a number of high - priority candidate regions where further exploration is needed to assess whether additional populations of the olinguito , or other distinctive high - elevation bassaricyon populations , are present .
another important aspect to this crowd sourcing method of research was mapping the olinguito’s range . while the team did have a handful of records from decades old museum specimens , and field sightings of their own from 2006 , they did not have the capacity to scan large swaths of cloud forest habitat in northern south america . but now local citizens , vacationers , and scientists doing other fieldwork in the area provided an expansive network of eyes , ears and cameras . with each validated report of an olinguito sighting , the team was able to mark the locations on a map , at times confirming the animal’s existence in areas they had suspected it to be , but also illuminating new areas , thereby expanding the team’s understanding of the olinguito’s native range .
the olinguito is now known to inhabit a number of protected areas from central colombia to western ecuador . although it is a carnivore , it eats mainly fruit , comes out at night and lives by itself , producing just one baby at a time .
scientists at the smithsonian in washington announced thursday the discovery of a new species of mammal called the olinguito ( pronounced oh - lin - ghee - toe ) . if you ' re a fan of long technical names , this one is bassaricyon neblina .
we hope that with the discovery of this olinguito and showing this beautiful animal to the world that we can draw some attention to these cloud forests , these restricted and threatened habitats where many other different types of plants and animals are found .
the olinguito is distinct from olingos and the kinkajou . its average weight is 2 . 5 pounds ( 1 . 1 kg ) . the animal is an omnivorous frugivore that eats mainly fruits ( such as figs ) , but also insects and nectar . such a diet results in feces the size of small blueberries . the olinguito is thought to be solitary , nocturnal : and moderately reclusive . olinguitos appear to be strictly arboreal . they have single mammae , and probably produce a single offspring at a time .
the team had a lucky break that started with a camcorder video . with confirmation of the olinguito’s existence via a few seconds of grainy video shot by their colleague miguel pinto , a zoologist in ecuador , helgen and kays set off on a three - week expedition to find the animal themselves . working with pinto , they found olinguitos in a forest on the western slopes of the andes , and spent their days documenting what they could about the animal―its characteristics and its forest home . because the olinguito was new to science , it was imperative for the scientists to record every aspect of the animal . they learned that the olinguito is mostly active at night , is mainly a fruit eater , rarely comes out of the trees and has one baby at a time .
the researchers found out that the olinguito primarily eats fruits , but also insects and nectar , and its activity is mostly at night . the animal lives in the trees and can jump from one to another . mothers raise a single baby at a time .
another important aspect to this crowd sourcing method of research was mapping the olinguito ' s range . while the team did have a handful of records from decades old museum specimens , and field sightings of their own from 2006 , they did not have the capacity to scan large swaths of cloud forest habitat in northern south america . but now local citizens , vacationers , and scientists doing other fieldwork in the area provided an expansive network of eyes , ears and cameras . with each validated report of an olinguito sighting , the team was able to mark the locations on a map , at times confirming the animal ' s existence in areas they had suspected it to be , but also illuminating new areas , thereby expanding the team ' s understanding of the olinguito ' s native range .
helgen , kays and their colleagues announced their discovery of the olinguito in a news conference at the smithsonian this week ; they also published their complete findings online in the journal zookeys . they estimate that the olinguito population numbers in the tens of thousands , which means it’s not an endangered species , or at least not yet . more than 40 percent of its potential habitat range has been converted to agricultural or urban areas , however , and the researchers hope their work with the olinguito will help reverse this process by bringing attention to the conservation of such a unique habitat . according to kays , the andean cloud forest is “a magical place” and “a crucible of evolution , ” and its isolation has promoted a vast diversification of animals , many of which may not yet have been identified .
this baby olinguito was found in a nest 40 feet above the ground in a large dead bromeliad tree . it was the only baby in the nest . ( photo by juan rendon taken at the mesenia - paramillo nature reserve in colombia , courtesy saving species )
after years of sleuthing , the smithsonian has identified a new species of carnivore . the olinguito is a rust - colored , furry mammal that lives in the treetops of the andes mountains and weighs two pounds , making it the most petite member of the raccoon family .
finally , he called upon kays , the world’s resident olingo expert , to help him track down an olinguito in its natural habitat . the researchers , along with ecuadorian zoologist miguel pinto , set off on a weeks - long field expedition in 2006 to the andes .
a team , led by smithsonian scientist kristofer helgen , spent 10 years examining hundreds of museum specimens and tracking animals in the wild in the cloud forests of ecuador . the result : the newest species of mammal known to science , the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) .
to ensure funds are spent only on purchasing and protecting critical habitat , we partnered with the hummingbird conservancy , a colombia - based non - profit . we then embarked on raising funds to connect , protect and restore 254 hectares ( 628 acres ) for the olinguito .
eventually , there it was , an olinguito . we got it in the beam , running around , jumping from tree to tree , but getting close enough so that when it turned and looked into the beam we knew exactly what it was ,
he said .
2014 , march 6 , joseph stromberg ,
on the trail of florida ' s bigfoot—the skunk ape
, smithsonian magazine perhaps the most well - known of these is the olinguito —the first new carnivore discovered in the americas in 35 years—which was announced in august 2013 .
the olinguito , the smallest known member of the raccoon family , lives in the cloud forests high in the andes mountains of colombia and ecuador , reported a team of scientists from the smithsonian institution in washington , d . c . , which described it in the journal zookeys thursday .
this is a photo of ringerl , a female olinguito that was taken from zoo to zoo across the u . s . from 1967 to 1976 . zookeepers mistook her for an olingo and tried unsuccessfully to get her to breed with other olingos . ( i . poglayen - neuwall )
a team , led by smithsonian scientist kristofer helgen , spent 10 years examining hundreds of museum specimens and tracking animals in the wild in the cloud forests of ecuador . the result―the newest species of mammal known to science , the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) ( photo by mark gurney )
“eventually , they publish their work in a systematics journal with an impact factor typically below 2 — even when the species is a previously undescribed mammal ( the olinguito bassaricyon neblina , pictured ; see k . m . helgen et al . zookeys 324 , 1–83 ; 2013 ) . ”
other discoveries often have been known to indigenous peoples for hundreds if not thousands of years , but not the olinguito . helgen could find no one who knew anything about the animal , and no native names exist , even though its population is estimated to be in the tens of thousands .
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 .
there is much that scientists still hope to learn about olinguitos . last year , the smithsonian team reported the discovery of four different subspecies of olinguito , each distributed in different areas of the andes . but so far , new information about only two of these subspecies has come to light .
of the entire land area predicted to be suitable for olinguito occurrence , 42 % has been converted to agriculture or urban areas and 21 % comprises other unforested landscapes ; only 37 % ( 40 , 760 km² ) of this land area is currently forested ( helgen et al . 2013 ) .
and scientists now believe an olinguito was exhibited in several zoos in the us between 1967 and 1976 . its keepers mistook it for an olinga - a close relative - and could not understand why it would not breed . it was sent to a number of different zoos but died without being properly identified .
the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) was not formally described as a distinct species until 2013 , at which time it became not only the most recently described olingo ( as species in the genus bassaricyon are generally known ) , but also the first carnivore species to be described from the western hemisphere in 35 years .
“the discovery of the olinguito shows us that the world is not yet completely explored , its most basic secrets not yet revealed , ” said dr kristofer helgen from the smithsonian’s national museum of natural history , who is a lead author of a paper describing the new mammal in the open - access journal zookeys .
we are honored to have had the opportunity to lead the effort for the first project to preserve habitat specifically for the olinguito , and thereby numerous other threatened , endangered and endemic species . we could not have done this without our generous supporters , so they truly deserve the credit for this conservation success story .
“i knew at that point it was a new species , but i also knew i needed to be sure , ” helgen said . for years , he toiled away to confirm that the olinguito was a new species with thorough investigation and dna testing , always afraid that another scientist would beat him to the punch .
the researchers mapped out the olinguitos ' range and estimate there are thousands of them in the wild , meaning that they aren ' t endangered . helgen ' s research also confirmed that the olinguito ' s relatives include three species of olingo , whose ranges have also been mapped and which aren ' t endangered either .
2014 , david wallis ,
golden age of discovery . . . down in the basements
, the new york times ( 20 / 3 / 2014 ) , page f2 after a decade of additional research , mr . helgen announced in 2013 the finding of the new species , which he named the olinguito .
the few photos and three seconds of grainy video the smithsonian scientists had for the initial species description were not offering up many answers . despite that , answers did come—not through new expeditions to the olinguito’s native cloud forests of colombia and ecuador , but through emails to the scientists from people living or vacationing in those areas .
dr helgen has used such mammal collections to identify many other new species , including the world ' s biggest bat and the world ' s smallest bandicoot . but he says the olinguito is his most significant discovery . its scientific name is bassaricyon neblina . the last carnivore to be identified in the americas was the colombian weasel .
such a discovery is rare . the olinguito is the first mammalian carnivore species to be newly identified in the americas in 35 years , according to kristofer helgen , curator of mammals at the smithsonian ' s national museum of natural history . his research group ' s study on the creature is being published in the journal zookeys .
dr helgen has used such mammal collections to identify many other new species , including the world ' s biggest bat and the world ' s smallest bandicoot . but he says the olinguito is his most significant discovery . its scientific name is bassaricyon neblina . the last carnivore to be identified in the americas was the colombian weasel .
the first evidence of the distinctiveness of the olinguito came from analyses of old museum specimens undertaken as part of a broad study of olingo diversity ( helgen et al . 2013 ) . some specimens examined were found to differ from known olingos in a number of features , including ( among others ) their smaller and differently shaped skull and teeth , their overall smaller size , their different body proportions , their more rounded face with a blunter and less tapering muzzle , their smaller and more heavily furred external ears , their longer and denser and more colorful coat , and their occurrence at elevations much higher than those at which olingos were known to live ( olingos were previously unknown from above 2000 meters , whereas the olinguito has been documented from elevations between 1500 and 2750 meters ) . helgen et al . ( 2013 ) discuss the discrimination of the olinguito in detail . an expedition to search for these distinctive olingos in the wild was successful and field studies revealed basic information about their biology .
“the cloud forests of the andes are a world unto themselves , filled with many species found nowhere else , many of them threatened or endangered , ” helgen said . “we hope that the olinguito can serve as an ambassador species for the cloud forests of ecuador and colombia , to bring the world’s attention to these critical habitats . ”
“the cloud forests of the andes are a world unto themselves , filled with many species found nowhere else , many of them threatened or endangered . we hope that the olinguito can serve as an ambassador species for the cloud forests of ecuador and colombia , to bring the world’s attention to these critical habitats , ” dr helgen said .
morphometric distinction between olinguitos and other bassaricyon , males . morphometric dispersion ( first two components of a principal component analysis ) of 41 adult male bassaricyon skulls based on 21 craniodental measurements ( see , ) . the most notable morphometric distinction is between the olinguito ( blue circles ) and all other bassaricyon taxa . the plot also demonstrates substantial morphometric variability across geographic populations of the olinguito , which we characterize with the description of four subspecies across different andean regions . symbols : blue circles ( bassaricyon neblina ) , green squares ( bassaricyon gabbii ) , yellow triangles ( bassaricyon alleni ) , orange diamonds ( bassaricyon medius medius ) , red diamonds ( bassaricyon medius orinomus ) .
morphometric distinction between olinguitos and other bassaricyon , females . morphometric dispersion ( first two components of a principal component analysis ) of 55 adult female bassaricyon skulls based on 24 craniodental measurements ( see , ) . the most notable morphometric distinction is between the olinguito ( blue circles ) and all other bassaricyon taxa . the plot also demonstrates substantial morphometric variability across geographic populations of the olinguito , which we characterize with the description of four subspecies across different andean regions . symbols : blue circles ( bassaricyon neblina ) , green squares ( bassaricyon gabbii ) , yellow triangles ( bassaricyon alleni ) , orange diamonds ( bassaricyon medius medius ) , red diamonds ( bassaricyon medius orinomus ) .
even though the public’s participation in the team’s olinguito research was initially unexpected , the scientists want to intentionally keep it going . “citizen science” is increasingly employed in research programs , mostly however in urban or suburban settings . the team has now seen what a valuable tool it can be even in the dense cloud forests of latin america .
2014 , july 24 , surbhi chawla ,
is it a bird ? is it a plane ? no , it ' s a new species of fish !
, gizmodo india : just last year , the olinguito , a mammal from the raccoon family , was discovered in the forests of the andes of western colombia and ecuador .
it was just a year ago when the world first formally met the olinguito . the discovery of the creature - the first mammal discovered in the americas in 35 years - made it the smallest member of the family that includes raccoons , coatis , kinkajous and olingos . thanks to crowdsourcing , we now know a whole lot more about it .
olinguitos eat mainly fruit , but may also consume some insects and nectar . they are apparently largely solitary and females are believed to raise just a single offspring at a time . they are adept jumpers , leaping from tree to tree in the forest canopy . phylogenetic analyses indicate that the olinguito is the evolutionary sister group to all the other olingos .
morphometric distinction between species of bassaricyon , excluding the olinguito , adult males . morphometric dispersion ( first two variates of a discriminant function analysis ) of 39 adult male bassaricyon skulls based on 8 craniodental measurements ( see , ) . symbols : green squares ( bassaricyon gabbii ) , yellow triangles ( bassaricyon alleni ) , orange diamonds ( bassaricyon medius ) .
proaves bird reserves are protected areas designed or the long term conservation objectives of endemic bird species or threatened species and their habitats . with the discovery of this new species of mammal , the colibrí del sol and mirabilis swarovski bird reserves have a new conservation objective and in turn , the olinguito has two protected high andean forest areas in excellent condition .
among the treetops , the team confirmed the existence of four distinct subspecies of olinguito . with its findings , the team in the following years mapped out the animal’s predicted geographic distributions , reorganized the raccoon family tree using dna sequencing , and peered into every nook and cranny of their bones . finally , the team introduced the newly named creature on thursday .
helgen , who had previously identified two new species of hog badger , was certain he had discovered a new species , and began working to confirm it . in addition to a thorough investigation and dna testing , he turned to zoologist roland kays of the north carolina museum of natural sciences , the world’s top expert on olingos , to help track down an actual olinguito in its natural habitat . in 2006 , the researchers set off with ecuadorian zoologist miguel pinto on a weeks - long field expedition to the andes mountains in ecuador . they confirmed the existence of four distinct subspecies of olinguito living among the misty treetops of the cloud forest , at elevations of some 5 , 000 - 9 , 000 feet above sea level .
in contrast to other newly identified species , many of which have often been known to indigenous peoples for centuries , the olinguito seems to have escaped notice until now . helgen found no one among the local population who knew anything about the olinguito , and no native names exist . while scientists discover new species all the time , most of them tend to be insects or other invertebrates , only a fraction of which have been catalogued . the discovery of a new mammal belonging to the carnivore order is much more unusual . the last new carnivorous mammal , a mongoose - like creature native to madagascar , was discovered in 2010 , while the most recent such find in the western hemisphere was the colombian weasel , in 1978 .
the olinguito occurs from 1 , 500 m to 2 , 800 m along the slopes of the northern andes in colombia and ecuador ( helgen et al . 2013 ; a . arias - alzate pers . comm . 2014 ) . in colombia , it has been recorded near medellin in the central range ( a . arias - alzate pers . comm . 2014 ) .
2013 ,
this species , upon which we bestow the common name of olinguito ( oh - ling - ghee’ - toh ) , is the sister taxon to a lineage comprising all previously described species of bassaricyon ; is the smallest living procyonid ; and is the first new species of american carnivore described since the discovery of the colombian weasel ( mustela felipei ) . . .
[ 2 ]
in fact , an olinguito named ringerl was displayed at the smithsonian - run national zoo in washington at one point . ringerl was captured in the mountains of colombia as an adult and was shipped from zoo to zoo in the u . s . from 1967 to 1976 . zookeepers thought she was an olingo , and tried to get her to breed with other olingos , something she refused to do .
the researchers used their findings to map out predictions for the geographic distribution of the animal , which they believe may also be found elsewhere in central and south america . adding the spanish diminutive suffix “ito” to indicate its smaller size , they named the species “olinguito . ” its scientific name is bassaricyon neblina , from the spanish word for mist , and it belongs to the taxonomic order carnivora , which includes civets , hyena and bears , along with cats and dogs . the olinguito’s primary food source is not meat , however : it mostly eats tree fruit , such as figs , and occasionally eats insects . the smallest member of the raccoon family , it weighs in at only two pounds and measures some 14 inches long , compared to 16 inches and 2 . 4 pounds for other known olingo species .
one olinguito whose history helgen ' s group studied was exhibited in the united states during its lifetime as if it were an olingo . the creature came from the mountains of colombia to the louisville zoo in 1967 , courtesy of a german couple with a love of raccoon family members , helgen said . it was also in the smithsonian national zoo in washington and the bronx zoo , where it passed away .
how does my not sampling baby ruth or mr goodbar relate to conservation ? well , i don’t even remember seeing a full size mr goodbar in any of the three stores ( aka - sampling locations ) i went to ! researchers cannot sample taxa that they do not encounter ; for the mr goodbar example , this would be an absence , the taxon was known but not present ( or missed , called a pseudoabsence ) during sampling . in contrast but more importantly , researchers cannot sample taxa that they do not know about . as an example , in 2013 the olinguito ( bassaricyon neblina ) was discovered . we can neither place this species in the mammalian phylogeny nor develop conservation measures for undescribed species . however , now that the olinguito , a member of the raccoon family ( procyonidae ) , has been described , researchers can use morphological and genetic data to place the species within the family . researchers may find through further study of the ecology and distribution that the olinguito should receive conservation actions . while this example is rare for mammals , there are many species of invertebrates and plants yet to be found , described , and classified . with additional sampling from multiple research groups , we can update phylogenies and hopefully use this information to inform conservation prioritization .


azanus ubaldus , the bright babul blue , desert babul blue , or velvet-spotted blue , is a small butterfly found in india , the middle east and africa that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family .

azanus ubaldus

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arkive species - desert babul blue ( azanus ubaldus )
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remarks : azanus ubaldus occurs in vast , at least semiarid areas of africa and s - asia . it is also known from the eastern canary islands ( fuerteventura , gran canaria ) .
it is the larval host to hutchinsons silver - spot ( aphnaeus hutchinsonii ) and possible larval host to thorn - tree blue ( azanus moriqua ) , velvet - spotted blue ( azanus ubaldus ) , topaz - spotted blue ( azanus jesous ) and the black heart ( uranothauma nubifer ) butterflies . many other lepidoptera species ( butterflies and moths ) are cited as breeding on unspecified species of acacia which may include vachellia robusta .
schurian , k . g . 2008 . wiederfund von azanus ubaldus ( cramer , 1782 ) auf gran canaria ( lepidoptera : lycaenidae ) . nachrichten des entomologischen vereins apollo ( n . f . ) 28 : 187–188 .
habitat : azanus ubaldus inhabits especially arid and semiarid regions with acacias . in gran canaria it settles especially in barrancos near the coast in the southern half of the island , but also in fallow land or rarely managed green spaces .
schurian , k . g . & hornemann , a . 1992 . eine neue bläulingsart für die kanarischen inseln : azanus ubaldus ( cramer 1782 ) ( lepidoptera : lycaenidae ) . nachrichten des entomologischen vereins apollo ( n . f . ) 13 ( 2a ) : 187–190 .
literature : schurian , k . ( 2016 ) : beobachtungen zur biologie und íkologie von azanus ubaldus ( cramer , 1782 ) auf den kanarischen inseln ( lepidoptera : lycaenidae ) . - nachr . entomol . ver . apollo , n . f . 37 ( 1 ) : 41 - 46 . english title : schurian , k . ( 2016 ) : observations about the biology , behavior and ecology of azanus ubaldus ( cramer , 1782 ) on the canary islands ( lepidoptera : lycaenidae ) . - nachr . entomol . ver . apollo , n . f . 37 ( 1 ) : 41 - 46 . in german .
a detailed account of the pre - imaginal development of azanus ubaldus ( stoll , 1782 ) from gran canaria , canary islands , is provided , including new observations , accompanied with colour photographs of all life stages . the utilisation of acacia farnesiana and prosopis juliflora as host - plants on gran canaria is confirmed . the association with the shrub myoporum tenuifolium on fuerteventura is discussed .
ty - jour ti - azanus ubaldus ( cramer , 1782 ) on gran canaria ( canary islands , spain ) ( lepidoptera : lycaenidae ) t2 - phegea . vl - 20 ur - urltoken pb - vlaamse vereniging voor entomologie cy - antwerpen : py - 1992 sp - 151 ep - 154 sn - 0771 - 5277 au - olivier , a au - van , der poorten er -
size comparison of the very small c . trochylus and the even tinier a . ubaldus - the photos were rescaled so the 1 euro coins were the same size and superimposed so the butterflies can be compared .
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london : taylor and francis ; calcutta and simla , thacker , spink , & co . ; [ etc . , etc . ]
evidence reported by james - hixon for item butterflies02bingiala on november 18 , 2006 : no visible notice of copyright ; stated date is 1907 .
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( stoll , [ 1782 ] ) – bright babul blue . kunte , k . , s . sondhi , and p . roy ( chief editors ) .
if mentioning specific images please give media code ( s ) . for misidentifications please list reasons to assist in diagnosis .
copyright © 2018 , all rights reserved . national centre for biological sciences ( ncbs ) holds copyright for all the original material and compilations on this website , although contributing writers and photographers may hold copyright for their material as cited . material from this website can be used freely for educational , basic research and conservation purposes , provided that this website is acknowledged and properly cited as the source . contact us to obtain prior permission for any other use , including for large data downloads and collaborative research .
very little has been documented on the biology of the desert babul blue , but it is known to breed continuously between september and april in south africa , with the female laying the pill - shaped , flat - topped eggs singly on drying lower leaves of vegetation . the caterpillar encases itself within a nest of leaves bound by silk , with young caterpillars eating the upperside of leaves and older caterpillars also eating stems ( 2 ) .
the desert babul blue flies rapidly around the sides of trees and above muddy puddles , settling on exposed branches around 10 feet off the ground ( 5 ) .
a wide - ranging butterfly , the desert babul blue is found across southern and eastern africa , as well as senegal and tunisia in western africa , arabia , india and sri lanka ( 2 ) ( 5 ) .
the desert babul blue inhabits arid areas including open plains and hillsides ( 2 ) .
it is not known if there are any major threats to the desert babul blue .
the desert babul blue has not been the target of any known conservation measures .
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cryptic colouration ( crypsis ) colouration that makes animals difficult to detect against their background . the colouration may provide camouflage against a background or break up the outline of the body . both can occur in a single animal , and tend to reduce predation .
woodhall , s . ( 2005 ) field guide to the butterflies of south africa . struik publishers , south africa .
scott , j . a . ( 1992 ) the butterflies of north america : a natural history and field guide . stanford university press , palo alto , california .
ormiston , w . ( 2003 ) the butterflies of ceylon . asian educational services , new dehli .
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this species is featured in jewels of the uae , which showcases biodiversity found in the united arab emirates in association with the environment agency – abu dhabi .
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host plants : the larvae live on flowers and flower buds of especially acacias and related taxa ( mimosoideae , family fabaceae ) . i recorded the species on the neophytic vachellia farnesiana ( from the americas ) in gran canaria .
endangerment factors : the canarian sites suffer from human pressure ( overbuilding , mass tourism , agriculture e . g . bananas , parks ) . on the other hand the neophytic host plants still expand . thus a risk assessment is not easy .
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only occasional records from gran canaria and even fewer from fuerteventura . it has been more regular in the last few years ( 2014 + ) .
it is astonishingly small ( at least the only individual i found ) . it is way smaller than the grass jewel chilades trochylus which is usually recognised as the smallest european butterfly .
is similar , but it has never been recorded from the canaries . it has bolder black underside markings and a cell spot . the current species has brownish underside markings and no cell spot .
it seems to be an occasional coloniser of the eastern canary islands from africa . perhaps via importation of plants or wind blown individuals . or perhaps a moving low density local population .
records are from costa calma on fuerteventura and maspalomas on gran canaria . i ' ve found just one single butterfly during 4 visits to these two islands . i ' ve not visited during what is turning out to be optimal flight time - end november , early december , although records ( including mine ) are also from feb / march / april .
fast and , being so small , very difficult to follow . hugs the canopy of the trees of host food plants . it usually alights near the centre of impenetrable thorny bushes or high up , both locations are essentially impossible to access or even if attempted ( which honestly isn ' t an option due to serious risk of personal injury on massive thorns ) as agitation of the branches would disturb the nervous butterflies .
size : 24 - 28 mm . male distinguished from all other lycaenidae in egypt by large patch of androconial scales on the upperside of the forewing . the upperside of the wings in the female are uniform brown . larva light green with black head , dorsally humped segments yellow with a small reddish brown triangle at the base and lateral yellow lines .
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lang’s short - tailed blue leptotes pirithous ( l . ) ( lep . : lycaenidae ) and other butterflies on lanzarote
hinton , h . e . 1951 . myrmecophilous lycaenidae and other lepidoptera – a summary . proceedings and transactions of the south london entomological and natural history society 1949–1950 : 111–175 .
tennent , j . 1996 . the butterflies of morocco , algeria and tunisia 252 pp . , 52 col . pls . wallingford . tolman , t . & lewington , r . 1998 . die tagfalter europas und nordestafrikas 319 pp . . stuttgart .
lang’s short - tailed blue leptotes pirithous ( l . ) ( lep . : lycaenidae ) and other butterflies on lanzaro . . .
butterflies encountered on lanzarote and fuerteventura between 7 january and 11 march 2010 , with bri . . .
contribution to the life - cycle , ecology and taxonomy of polyommatus ( lysandra * ) coridon nufrellensis . . .
ccxcviii . ? constituents of myoporum laetum , forst ( the ? ngaio ? ) . part i
source : james a . duke . 1983 . handbook of energy crops . unpublished .
babul has been reported to contain l - arabinose , catechol , galactan , galactoaraban , galactose , n - acetyldjenkolic acid , n - acetyldjenkolic acid , sulphoxides pentosan , saponin , tannin . seeds contain crude protein 18 . 6 % , ether extract 4 . 4 % , fiber 10 . 1 % , nitrogen - free extract 61 . 2 % , ash 5 . 7 % , and silica 0 . 44 % . phosphorus 0 . 29 % and calcium 0 . 90 % of dm . when bullocks were given the seeds and bran ( 2 : 1 ) with dry pasture grass daily dm intakes were 1 . 82 , 0 . 91 , and 5 . 35 kg respectively . total dm intake / 100 kg bodyweight was 1 . 40 kg . the animals retained 20 . 8 g n and 7 . 4 g ca daily but the p balance was slightly negative ( pande et al , 1981 ) . walker ( 1980 ) puts the cp content of the browse at 12 . 9 % , the crude fiber at 15 . 2 %
( benth . ) brenan is the most common form in east tropical africa . young branches more or less densely pubescent ; pods not necklace - like , 11 . 8 cm wide , oblong , more or less pubescent all over at first with raised parts over seeds becoming glabrescent , shining and black when dry , margins shallowly crenate . exhibits wide range of altitudinal and habitat requirements . found in botswana , zambia , rhodesia , malawi , tanzania , angola , mozambique , transvaal , and natal .
benth . ) , has pods straight , constricted between seeds and densely tomentose ; found in senegal and northern nigeria , to sudan , arabia and india .
( guill . et perr . ) kuntze is a tree up to 17 m with dark reddish - brown bark deeply fissured , tomentose , reddish - brown twigs and gray fruits ; commonest variety in west africa , from senegal to nigeria and widespread in northern parts of tropical africa . assigned to the african center of diversity , babul or cvs thereof is reported to exhibit tolerance to clay , drought , heat , heavy soil , high ph , poor soils , salt , savanna , and waterlogging . ( 2n = 52 . )
native from egypt south to mozambique and natal ; apparently introduced to zanzibar , pemba , and india ; arabia . considered a serious weed in south africa .
woodlands of various sorts , wooded grasslands , scrub and thickets . thrives in dry areas , but endures floods . grows 101 , 340 m altitude , in a wide range of conditions . grows on a wide variety of soils , seemingly thriving on alluvial soils , black cotton soils , heavy clay soils , as well as even poorer soils ( nas , 1980 ) . ranging from subtropical desert to subtropical dry through tropical desert to tropical dry forest life zones , babul is reported to tolerate annual precipitation of 3 . 822 . 8 dm ( mean of 12 cases = 12 . 0 dm ) , annual mean temperature of 18 . 727 . 8°c ( mean of 12 cases = 24 . 1°c ) , and ph of 5 . 08 . 0 ( mean of 10 cases = 6 . 9 ) ( duke , 1981a ) .
trees propagated in forest by seeds . direct seeding is the common practice . stored seed may require scarification . young seedlings are said to
require full sun and frequent weeding
( nas , 1980a ) .
although there are other sources of gum arabic , trees are still tapped for the gum by removing a bit of bark 57 . 5 cm wide and bruising the surrounding bark with mallet or hammer . the resulting reddish gum , almost completely soluble and tasteless , is formed into balls . though used in commerce to some extent , it is inferior to other forms of gum arabic , with which it is sometimes mixed .
various products of the tree are used locally in tropical africa , but none enter international markets . trees usually add 23 cm in diameter each year ( nas , 1980a ) .
extensively used , e . g . in india , for firewood and charcoal , this species has been used in locomotives and steamships as well as industry balers . it is cultivated for industrial fuel in the sudan . the calorific value of the sapwood is 4 , 800 kcal / kg of the heartwood 4 , 950 . the species does nodulate and fix nitrogen .
wood borers may afflict the stems and bruchids may afflict the seeds . following fungi have been reported on this plant :
ctyospora acaciae , diatryphe acaciae , diplodia acaciae , fomes badius , f . endotheius , f . fastuosus , f . rimosus , fusicoccum indicum , phyllactinia acaciae , ravenelia acaciae - arabicae ,
, 43 species were recorded in pakistan , of these , 16 appeared stenophagous . the more promising for biological control of the tree were :
various products of the tree are used locally in tropical africa , blit none enter international markets . trees usually add 23 cm in diameter each year ( nas , 1980 ) .
duke , j . a . 1981a . handbook of legumes of world economic importance . plenum press . newyork .
duke , j . a . 1983a . medicinal plants of the bible . trado - medic books , owerri , ny .
in pakistan and possibilities of their introduction into australia . p . 161166 . proceedings of the 5th international symposium on biological control of weeds . australia commonwealth scientific and industrial research organization .
n . a . s . 1980a . firewood crops . shrub and tree species for energy production . national academy of sciences , washington , dc .
pande , m . b . , talpada , p . m . , patel , j . s . , and shukla , p . c . 1981 . note on the nutritive value of babul (
l . ) seeds ( extracted ) . in : indian j . anim . sci . 51 ( 1 ) : 107108 .
extracts on pectolytic enzyme production by some pathogenic fungi . indian phytopath . : publ . 1977 , 29 ( 4 ) : 469470 .
walker , b . h . 1980 . a review of browse and its role in livestock production in southern africa . p . 724 . in : lehouerou , h . n . ( ed . ) , browse in africa . international livestock centre for africa . addis ababa , ethiopia .
broadpod robust thorn ( eng . ) ; enkeldoring ( afr . ) ; mooka ( nso . ) ; mvumbangwenya ( tso . ) ; mokhu ( tsw . ) ; muvumba - ngwena ( ven . ) ; umngamanzi ( zul . )
this is a small to medium , upright , deciduous thorn tree consisting of a narrow crown . the narrow upright growth and majestic stature , makes it one of the most popular thorn trees in southern africa .
the broadpod robust thorn is a small to medium - sized tree , reaching up to 10 m ( usually around 5–8 m ) tall , with a slightly flattened crown . the main stem is grey to blackish with rough hairy branches . the white thorns are straight and paired .
the heartwood is pinkish brown to reddish brown and distinctly demarcated from the wide whitish sapwood . the texture is moderately coarse to coarse and even . the wood is brittle and moderately durable , being moderately susceptible to borer and termite attack ; the sapwood is susceptible to sap - stain ( sap - stain is usually caused by a fungus which discolours the wood ) .
leaves are borne on woody cushions , twice - compound with 2–5 pairs of pinnae and 10–15 pairs of dark green and glossy leaflets .
flowers are creamy white pompons produced in july–october , followed by the dehiscent greyish brown , straight and broad , seed pods adorning the tree from november–august .
vachellia robusta grows fast . trees are usually deciduous for a short period . inflorescences usually appear together with or after the new leaves in spring .
and subsp . usambarensis which is characterized by its glabrous leaf rachis and very narrow pods , although this sub - species range does not extend into southern africa . intermediates between the subspecies are rather common .
the threat status according to the 2009 red list of both south african subspecies of vachellia robusta are listed as lc ( least concern ) , as they are not considered to be threatened : the population shows stability .
this was previously known as acacia robusta burch . subsp . robusta . the specific name robusta refers to the robust nature of the species . this species was formerly included in the genus acacia , but has since been moved to the genus vachellia . many books and field guides may still have the genus listed as acacia .
vachellia robusta is commonly found in open forests and woodlands , often near streams , where one can find large specimens . leaves are browsed by kudu and other mammals . the strongly scented flowers attract bees and butterflies , and many other insects . the seed pods and leaves are eaten by herbivores which distribute the seed in their dung . the seeds are parasitized by bruchid beetle larvae which eat the developing seed . many birds will rifle through the dry seed pods looking for these beetle larvae . birds such as sparrows and finches , like to build their nests in the densely thorny branches of this tree , as the thorns offer excellent protection from predators .
as with many plants in the pea family , fabaceae , vachellia robusta is modulated by nitrogen - fixing rhizobium soil bacteria , which colonize inside the roots , where they fix atmospheric nitrogen ( n2 ) , which is unavailable to plants , and convert it to ammonia ( nh4 + ) . this is an available form of nitrogen usable by plants . the bacteria in turn benefit by having access to organic compounds that the plant produces through photosynthesis . this is referred to as an endosymbiotic relationship ( both the plant and the bacteria benefit and it takes place inside the tissue of the plants ) .
the wood is considered of rather poor quality but is sometimes used for making furniture , and shelving , although these uses are limited because of its strong tendency to warp . it is also used as firewood . the pulping properties of the wood have been rated as good .
in traditional medicine , the powdered root is applied to swellings , and a decoction of the roots is used to treat dysmenorrhea ( pain during menstruation ) , infertility in women and bilharzia ( schistosomiasis ) , whereas a decoction of the stem bark is used to treat gonorrhea , abdominal pain and skin conditions . the leaves are used to treat snake bites . some medicinal applications of unknown parts of the tree have been reported to treat malaria and bubonic plague .
vachellia robusta is commonly grown as an attractive garden tree and occasionally grown as a bonsai . various species of weevils can attack the seeds , especially when on the ground .
germination of wild collected , untreated seed can be very low , often only about 3 % ; however , germination can be significantly improved by scarification . this happens in nature when the seeds are eaten by herbivores or seeds lay in the soil for few to several years , decaying the seed coat . seeds for propagation should be harvested in the treetops , and can be stored if kept dry and cool . seeds can be scarified in the nursery by rubbing them on rough sandpaper or other suitably rough surface , to scratch the cuticle .
the seed is then covered with warm water and left to cool and soak for 24 hours . after this , the swollen seeds can be planted in a mixture of compost and river sand , at a depth of approximately 5–10 mm , and covered with the sifted compost and sand mixture . germination is quick , often within a couple of days in spring and summer ; seedlings can be planted out into individual containers once they reach the two - leaf stage . saplings can be planted out into open ground after one or two years , and should be watered regularly until well established .
this species can provide a spectacular display when flowering and are very good garden trees , even in frost - prone regions .
boon , richard . 2010 . pooley ' s trees of eastern south africa , a complete guide . flora & fauna publications trust , durban .
coates palgrave , k . 2013 . trees of southern africa , edn 2 . struik publishers : cape town .
kyalangalilwa b , et al . 2013 . phylogenetic position and revised classification of acacia s . l . ( fabaceae mimosoideae ) in africa , including new combinations of vachellia and senegalia . botanical journal of linnean society 172 , 500 - 523 .
palmer , e . & pitman , n . 1972 . trees of southern africa . balkema , cape town .
raimondo , d . et al . 2009 . red list of south african plants . strelitzia 25 . sanbi ( south african national biodiversity institute ) , pretoria .
schmidt , e . , lötter , m . & mccleland , w . 2002 . trees & shrubs of mpumalanga and kruger national park . jacana , johannesburg .
van wyk , braam , a . e & van wyk , p . 2013 . field guide to trees of southern africa . struik , cape town .
venter , f . & venter , j . a . 2012 . making the most of indigenous trees . briza publications , pretoria .
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