In a report which will be published in the February 4 issue
of The Journal of Zoology, they confirmed the existence of a new species of elephant-shrews
or sengi.
The new species, which has been named the grey-faced sengi, Rhynchocyon
udzungwensis, weighs about 700 grams (1.5 pounds) and measures about 30cm
(12in) in length, which is more than 25 percent larger than any other known
sengi, the scientists said.
Francesco Rovero of the Trento Museum of Natural Sciences in
Italy first caught a glimpse
of the new creature on film in 2005 in the remote NdunduluForest in Tanzania’s Udzungwa Mountainsby.
Intrigued by the photos of an elephant-shrew that looked
unfamiliar, the Italian scientist sent the photos to Dr. Galen Rathbun of the
California Academy of Sciences. In March 2006 they embarked on a two-week
expedition with a team of colleagues to search for specimens to confirm the
discovery.
“This is one of the most exciting discoveries of my career,”
said Rathbun, who has studied the ecology, social structure, and evolution of
sengis for more than 30 years. “It is the first new species of giant
elephant-shrew to be discovered in more than 126 years. From the moment I first
lifted one of the animals into our photography tent, I knew it must be a new
species—not just because of its distinct coloring, but because it was so heavy!”
