Exotic Zoology - Vol 3 No 4 - 1996

Magazine Overview

Title: EXOTIC ZOOLOGY
Issue: Vol. 3, #4
Date: July/August 1996
Editor: Matthew A. Bille

This issue of Exotic Zoology, subtitled "The Bimonthly Magazine of Cryptozoology," focuses on new discoveries in the field of zoology and provides extensive resources for those interested in cryptozoology, particularly online.

Discoveries: The Newest Primates

The magazine opens with a feature on new primate discoveries, highlighting the recent description of the Satere marmoset (*Callithrix sateri*) from Brazil. This discovery brings the total of new primate species found in the 1990s to six. The Satere marmoset is described as a small primate with a long tail, but it possesses distinctive facial features, unpigmented facial skin, mahogany-colored fur, and unusual fleshy appendages on the genitalia of both sexes, the purpose of which puzzles biologists. Les Line, writing in The New York Times, noted this unique characteristic.

Dr. Russell Mittermeir, president of Conservation International, is quoted remarking on the significance of such discoveries, stating, "This shows how ignorant we are of our fellow species - even a well-studied group such as our closest relatives, the primates." The article suggests that Bernard Heuvelmans himself could not have better articulated the rationale for cryptozoology. Sources for this discovery include articles in the New York Times and a press release from Conservation International.

Another new primate discovery is detailed: a specimen found in a drawer at the University of Zurich, collected in Africa. This animal has been placed in a new genus, *Pseudopotto*, and is allied with pottos. Pottos are small primates belonging to the suborder of prosimians. The *Pseudopotto* specimen is described as smaller than known pottos, with more primitive dentition and a long tail, unlike the stump-tailed pottos. Anthropologist Jeff Schwartz, who made the discovery, believes the animal is unique enough to merit a new family. The article poses the question of whether living *Pseudopottos* might still exist.

Resources: Cryptozoology on the Internet

This section provides a comprehensive guide to using the internet for cryptozoology research. It emphasizes the internet as a valuable resource for accessing scattered experts and data. The article categorizes useful sites into mainstream zoology and cryptozoology pages.

• Zoological Sites:
• Conservation International (www.conservation.org): Offers an online bimonthly news bulletin, "News From the Front," and information on CI's work.
• WorldWide Fund for Nature (www.panda.org): Provides graphics, news releases, and information. Examples of species rediscovered or thought extinct, such as Cameroon's Mount Kupe bush shrike and China's Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, are mentioned.
• World Conservation Monitoring Centre (http://www.wcmc.org.uk): Offers information on WCMC, IUCN, WWF, and the United Nations Environment Program.
• Internet Resource Guide for Zoology (http://www.york.biosys.org/zrdocs/zoolinfo/zoolinfo.htm): Maintained by Biosis, this site offers extensive data and links to other resources, including an online version of the Zoological Record.
• Smithsonian's Natural History Web site (http://nmnhwww.si.edu/nmnhweb.html): Features databases like "Mammal Species of the World."
• Royal Ontario Museum (http://www.rom.on.ca): Provides information on discoveries in Vu Quang, Vietnam.
• Internet Public Library's Zoology Ready Reference (http://ipl.sils.umich.edu/ref/RR/SCI/zoology-rr.html): Another source for zoological information.

• Specialized Animal Sites:
• Dolphin Information: http://www.awinc.com/users/mbrent/dolphins.html
• Cetacean Bibliography: http://www.physics.helsinki.fi/whale/literature
• Herpmed (http://www.xmission.com/~gastown/herpmed/): For reptile and amphibian information.
• Primate Information Center (http://uakari.primate.wisc.edu/pin/pic/): For primate data.

• Zoology Newsgroups:
• "alt.animals.lions"
• "alt.animals.bears"
• "alt.animals.dolphins"
• "rec.animals.wildlife."
• "alt.fan.lemurs": Noted for its extensive data and even lemur jokes.

• Vietnam-Specific Sites:
• http://coombs.anu.edu.au/~vern/species.html: Features descriptions and photos of Vu Quang mammals and Vo Quy's pheasant.
• ~vern/wildman.html: Offers reports on the alleged unidentified primate called Nguoi Rung, Vietnam's version of sasquatch.

• Cryptozoology-Specific Sites:
• Cryptozoology Web site: http://fugi.ucsd.edu/Drywall/cryptozoo/cryptozoo.html: Links to cryptozoological and zoological sites, and discusses sasquatch evidence.
• Ben Roesch's resource: www.ncf.carleton.ca/~bz050/HomePage.cryptoz.html: Contains links, reports, and information on ordering "The Cryptozoology Review."
• Cryptozoology Realms: http://members.aol.com/mokele/crteaser.html: A new site with limited content.

• Online Discussion Areas:
• "Cryptozoology" roundtable on Genie.
• "Monsters" board on OMNI On-Line (via America On Line).

• Phenomena Magazines Online:
• STRANGE magazine (http://www.cais.net/strangemag/home.html)
• Fortean Times (http://www.forteantimes.com/)

• Skepticism Resource:
• The Skeptic's Dictionary (http://wheel.ucdavis.edu/~btcarrol/skeptic/dictcont.html): Offers entries on cryptozoological subjects and reading lists.

• Famous Creature Sites:
• Nessie (Loch Ness Monster) and Bigfoot/Sasquatch are mentioned as having multiple dedicated websites.

News and Comment

This section covers various recent findings and events related to cryptozoology and zoology.

• New Habitats in Ecuador and Peru: A team from Conservation International's Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) charted unknown habitats in the Corderilla del Condor region, discovering new species including the largest known shrew-opossum, eight insects, and a pygmy owl named after ornithologist Ted Parker.
• Giant Squid Encounter: An unexplained encounter over 20 years prior involving the U.S. Navy frigate USS Stein is recounted. The ship's sonar dome was shredded by an undersea attacker, and claws recovered were identified as belonging to a squid, possibly *Architeuthis dux*, but were significantly larger than those from known species, suggesting an unknown, extremely large species.
• Malaysian Fly Mimicry: A Malaysian fly species (*Phoridae*) is noted for its ability to imitate an ant larva, mimicking both appearance and chemical cues to infiltrate ant colonies.

Resources: Books

This section reviews several books relevant to cryptozoology and zoology.

• David Quammen's Works:
• *Natural Acts*: Includes essays on cryptozoological significance, such as discoveries of a moth that drinks mammal tears (*Lobocraspis griseifusa*) and one that sucks blood (*Calpe eustrigata*), and stories of giant anacondas in South America.
• *The Flight of the Iguana*: Contains "Stranger than Truth: Cryptozoology and the Romantic Imagination," offering an overview of the International Society of Cryptozoology and the field, noting its bias towards large unknown animals.
• *The Song of the Dodo*: A comprehensive work on island biogeography, relevant to cryptozoologists studying population dynamics and extinction. It discusses the discovery of the golden bamboo lemur (*Hapalemur aereus*) and the apparent extinction of the thylacine (*Thylacinus cynocephalus*).
• John Hunt's *A World Full of Animals* (1969): A dated but enjoyable tour of vertebrates, including discussions on the tarpan's "re-creation," African bears, Przewalski's horses, and surviving thylacines. It also mentions reports of Steller's sea cow being alive and under protection.
• Ward and Kynaston's *Wild Bears of the World* (1995): A well-written study that, however, seems unaware of anomalous bear reports in South America. It mentions giant brown bears in Kamchatka, which the article clarifies likely refers to large black bears.

Articles

• Richard Conniff, "Clyde Roper can't wait to be attacked by the giant squid" (Smithsonian, May 1996): Profiles Dr. Roper's research on *Architeuthis*, noting his identification of one new family, two genera, and about 20 species of squid.
• Karl Shuker, "The Cave Time Forgot" (Fortean Times, August 1996): Explores the chemosynthesis-based ecosystem of Romania's Movile Cave, which hosts 33 new species.
• William Hammer, "Deadly Jellyfish of Australia" (National Geographic, August 1994): Concerns *Chironex fleckeri*, the "sea wasp."
• Tim Clark, "Last of the Black-footed Ferrets?" (National Geographic, June 1983): Describes the rediscovery of this "extinct" North American predator.

Periodicals

• The Cryptozoology Review (edited by Ben Roesch): The first issue is reviewed. It is a 32-page stapled publication covering topics like a large, unknown polychaete marine worm in the Caribbean. The subscription cost is $10 for four quarterly issues, addressed to 137 Atlas Ave., Toronto, ON Canada M6C 3P4.

Editor's Page

Matthew A. Bille defines cryptozoology as the zoological subspecialty of finding new or supposedly extinct species, distinguishing it from sensationalized "monsters" or "ghost" animals. He expresses hope that Exotic Zoology will help restore the word's proper usage. The International Society of Cryptozoology is mentioned as a key organization working to make the search for new animals a respectable scientific specialty, with J. Richard Greenwell as Secretary.

Information is provided on EZ's publication schedule (6 times a year), address (3405 Windjammer Dr., Colorado Springs, CO, 80920, USA), email ([email protected]), and subscription rates ($18/year for U.S., $20 international; discounted rates for students/educators). Back issues are available, and guest articles are welcome. Permission is granted to duplicate text for educational use.

The Business Manager's Niche welcomes new subscribers and offers a $1 discount on renewals for each new subscriber brought in. A trivia question asks which US state has the most subscribers (Answer: New York with 6).

Now in Print

Rumors of Existence by Matthew A. Bille is featured. This book covers new, rediscovered, and unconfirmed animals. Published by Hancock House, it is priced at $12.95 (ISBN: 0-88839-335-0). Autographed copies can be obtained directly from the author for $15 (U.S.) or $17 (international).

A logo illustration of the mysterious cetacean *Delphinus rhinoceros* is also mentioned, described by French naturalists in 1819 and not reported since.

Subscriber Directory

The issue includes the first annual subscriber directory, listing readers interested in cryptozoology for research or information exchange. The directory includes names, addresses, emails, and stated interests of subscribers such as Chad Arment, Matthew A. Bille, Richard Cirelli, William R. Corliss, Randy Garlipp, Roger Hansen, Charles R. Humphreys, Brian Irwin, Jacob Lieberman, Peter T. Massaro, Mario Berardi, Robert E. Melton, Angel Morant-Fores, Raymond Nelke, Ben S. Roesch, Peter O'Shea, Earl G. Snellenberger, Andreas Trottman, and Osamu Watanabe.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently promotes the scientific study of cryptozoology, distinguishing it from sensationalism. It emphasizes the importance of new discoveries in zoology, particularly in remote or understudied regions, and highlights the growing role of the internet as a resource for researchers. The editorial stance supports rigorous scientific inquiry and the documentation of evidence, as seen in the definition of cryptozoology and the review of various publications and resources. There is a clear interest in uncovering unknown species and understanding phenomena that challenge conventional scientific understanding.