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Half a century ago, Belgian Zoologist Bernard Heuvelmans first codified cryptozoology in his book On the Track of Unknown Animals.

The Centre for Fortean Zoology (CFZ) are still on the track, and have been since 1992. But as if chasing unknown animals wasn't enough, we are involved in education, conservation, and good old-fashioned natural history! We already have three journals, the largest cryptozoological publishing house in the world, CFZtv, and the largest cryptozoological conference in the English-speaking world, but in January 2009 someone suggested that we started a daily online magazine! The CFZ bloggo is a collaborative effort by a coalition of members, friends, and supporters of the CFZ, and covers all the subjects with which we deal, with a smattering of music, high strangeness and surreal humour to make up the mix.

It is edited by CFZ Director Jon Downes, and subbed by the lovely Lizzy Bitakara'mire (formerly Clancy), scourge of improper syntax. The daily newsblog is edited by Corinna Downes, head administratrix of the CFZ, and the indexing is done by Lee Canty and Kathy Imbriani. There is regular news from the CFZ Mystery Cat study group, and regular fortean bird news from 'The Watcher of the Skies'. Regular bloggers include Dr Karl Shuker, Dale Drinnon, Richard Muirhead and Richard Freeman.The CFZ bloggo is updated daily, and there's nothing quite like it anywhere else. Come and join us...

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Saturday, December 17, 2011

SOME RECENT PAPERS OF INTEREST (Via Chad Arment)

Multiple lines of evidence for an Australasian geographic boundary in the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis): population or species divergence?

C. H. Frère, J. Seddon, C. Palmer, L. Porter and G. J. Parra
Conservation Genetics, Volume 12, Number 6

Abstract: The taxonomic status of humpback dolphins (genus Sousa, sub-family Delphininae) is unresolved. While the classification of this genus ranges from a single to three nominal species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the International Whaling Commission only recognise a 'two-species' taxonomy (S. teuszii in west Africa, and S. chinensis in the Indo-Pacific). Under the IUCN (2008), S. chinensis is listed as 'near threatened', but is only considered as a 'migratory' species in Australia. Taxonomic resolution of the genus Sousa is needed to define particular conservation status and develop appropriate management actions. Using phylogenetic analyses of 1,082 bp of mitochondrial and 1,916 bp of nuclear DNA, we provide multiple lines of genetic evidence for the genetic distinction of S. chinensis in China and Indonesia from S. chinensis in Australia. The separation of Australian Sousa from Sousa of Southeast Asia requires a review of their current conservation status and respective management actions.

Full PDF can be downloaded at:
http://www.springerlink.com/content/7532157124gg5128/

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Reassessment of the occurrence of the kinkajou (Potos flavus Schreber, 1774) and olingo (Bassaricyon beddardi Pocock, 1921) in the northern Brazilian Amazon

Studies on Neotropical Fauna and Environment
Volume 46, Issue 2, 2011

Abstract: Brazil's only records of Pocock's olingo (Bassaricyon beddardi) are based on sightings from the northernmost state of Roraima, where the similar kinkajou (Potos flavus) was reported as absent. Our recent field work in the region led to the collection of two specimens and several more observations of kinkajous and a complete lack of evidence of the presence of olingos. Furthermore, the name used locally to describe the nocturnal procyonids previously treated as olingos, gogó de sola, refers to the leathery bare throat patch that we believe to be a characteristic unique to kinkajous. Thus, we conclude that previous records of olingos in Roraima represent misidentifications of kinkajous and recommend that, until supported by a specimen, B. beddardi be treated as absent from Brazil.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01650521.2011.572678
[Not available for download]

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