Vés enrere A study with the participation of the IBE shortlisted by <i>Science</i> as one of 2017’s main scientific breakthroughs

A study with the participation of the IBE shortlisted by Science as one of 2017’s main scientific breakthroughs

The research, which was published in Current Biology, described a new great ape species, the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis). Three researchers of the IBE, Jaume Bertranpetit, Marc de Manuel and Tomàs Marquès-Bonet, were involved in it.

05.12.2017

 

The Science news writers and editors are homing in on the “Breakthrough of the Year” their choice of the most significant discovery, development or trend in 2017. One of the discoveries shortlisted is the description of a new great ape species, the Tapanuli orangutan, published on November the 2nd in Current Biology under the title “Morphometric, behavioural and genomic evidence for a new orangutan species”. While the public has not picked this breakthrough as favourite, the Science news writers and editors still can choose it as a runner-up. We will have to wait until 21st December to find out.

Check out the shortlisted discoveries, developments or trends in 2017. 

The study described a new great ape species, endemic to the three Tapanuli districts of North Sumatra, Indonesia. With no more than 800 individuals and occurring in roughly 1,100 square meters of upland forest in the Batang Toru Ecosystem, it is therefore the most endangered great ape species.

Within this research, the genomes of 37 wild orangutans have been studied in the CNAG-CRG, in Barcelona, and this is the largest study of this kind carried out to date. 

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