Isabel's saki (''Pithecia isabela'') is a species of

saki monkey Sakis, or saki monkeys, are any of several New World monkeys of the genus ''Pithecia''. They are closely related to the bearded sakis of genus ''Chiropotes''. Range Sakis' range includes northern and central South America, extending from the s ...

, a type of

New World monkey New World monkeys are the five families of primates that are found in the tropical regions of Mexico, Central and South America: Callitrichidae, Cebidae, Aotidae, Pitheciidae, and Atelidae. The five families are ranked together as the Ceboid ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found els ...

to a small portion of northern

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

Taxonomy

Populations in this species were formerly classified within the

monk saki The monk saki (''Pithecia monachus'') also known as Geoffroy's monk saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey, from South America. It is found in forested areas of northwestern Brazil and northeastern Peru. Taxonomy The ha ...

(''P. monachus''), but a 2014 study described these populations as a distinct species, ''P. isabela'', based on their distinctive

pelage Fur is a thick growth of hair that covers the skin of mammals. It consists of a combination of oily guard hair on top and thick underfur beneath. The guard hair keeps moisture from reaching the skin; the underfur acts as an insulating blanket t ...

. The

American Society of Mammalogists The American Society of Mammalogists (ASM) was founded in 1919. Its primary purpose is to encourage the study of mammals, and professions studying them. There are over 4,500 members of this society, and they are primarily professional scientists ...

IUCN Red List The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, also known as the IUCN Red List or Red Data Book, founded in 1964, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biol ...

, and

ITIS The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) is an American partnership of federal agencies designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species. ITIS was originally formed in 1996 as an interagenc ...

all follow this classification. It was named in honor of

Isabel Godin des Odonais Isabel Godin des Odonais (1728 in Riobamba, Viceroyalty of Peru, now in Ecuador – 28 September 1792 in Saint-Amand-Montrond, Cher, France) was an 18th-century woman who became separated from her husband in South America by colonial politic ...

, an 18th-century Ecuadorian noblewoman who trekked across

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the souther ...

to reunite with her husband.

Distribution

It is known only from a small portion of northern

in the vicinity of the

Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve Pacaya–Samiria National Reserve, is a protected area located in the region of Loreto Region, Loreto, Peru and spans an area of . It protects an area of low hills and Várzea forest, seasonally flooded forest in the Amazon rainforest. Pacaya-Sam ...

Description

This species closely resembles the

Napo saki The Napo saki (''Pithecia napensis''), also known as the Napo monk saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey. Its range includes parts of eastern Ecuador and northern Peru. The name is derived from the Napo River in its locali ...

(''P. napensis''), with both species sharing an overall dark coloration with distinctive white patches above the eyes, but ''P. napensis'' also has dense white fur on the forehead, while ''P. isabela'' has much more diffuse white fur. ''P. isabela'' also has a less extensive, slightly duller orange ruff than ''P. napensis''.

Status

This species is thought to be threatened by logging and

poaching Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights. Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set ag ...

, as well as its small range, and thus its population is thought to be declining. They are sometimes also found in the

pet trade Wildlife trade refers to the of products that are derived from non-domesticated animals or plants usually extracted from their natural environment or raised under controlled conditions. It can involve the trade of living or dead individuals, ti ...

. In addition, numerous tourist lodges have sprung up within the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve due to increasing

ecotourism Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel (using sustainable transport) to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Its purpose may be to educate the traveler, to provide fund ...

, and tourist photos indicate that other saki species such as the

equatorial saki The equatorial saki (''Pithecia aequatorialis''), also called the red-bearded saki, is a species of saki monkey, a type of New World monkey. It is found in northeastern Peru and Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Ikwayu ...

(''P. aequatorialis'') and potentially ''P. napensis'' have been introduced to these lodges as free-ranging pets; if these animals become established in the wild, they could potentially hybridize with the native ''P. isabela''. However, this species remains poorly-known and it is thus classified as

data deficient A data deficient (DD) species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as offering insufficient information for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made. This does not necessarily ...

on the

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q20721808 Isabel's saki Mammals of Peru Endemic fauna of Peru Isabel's saki