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    "story_id": "mp-2026-07-16-008",
    "source_story_id": "tmp-story-colobus-congoensis-new-species",
    "edition_id": "mp-2026-07-16-morning-0007",
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    "position": 8,
    "story_type": "dispatch",
    "section": "research",
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    "headline": "A Congo Monkey Enters Science Already Endangered",
    "slug": "a-congo-monkey-enters-science-already-endangered",
    "dek": "Genetic, anatomical, and acoustic evidence confirmed Colobus congoensis, a small-range species separated from its closest relative for millions of years.",
    "summary": "Genetic, anatomical, and acoustic evidence confirmed Colobus congoensis, a small-range species separated from its closest relative for millions of years.",
    "body_text": "Researchers combined genetic data, museum anatomy, field observations, vocal recordings, and local ecological knowledge to describe Colobus congoensis, known locally as likweli. Its closest known relative lives more than 1,200 kilometers away, and the lineages appear to have diverged four to five million years ago. Between 2018 and 2022, teams recorded 114 sightings across an estimated range of only 1,700 square kilometers near Lomami National Park. Hunting pressure, habitat loss, and the restricted range led researchers to propose an Endangered classification. Formal description expands the primate record while underscoring how little time conservation may have.",
    "why_it_matters": "Genetic, anatomical, and acoustic evidence confirmed Colobus congoensis, a small-range species separated from its closest relative for millions of years.",
    "limitations": [
      "Between 2018 and 2022, teams recorded 114 sightings across an estimated range of only 1,700 square kilometers near Lomami National Park."
    ],
    "importance": 8,
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    "first_published_at": "2026-07-16T09:00:00.000-04:00",
    "modified_at": "2026-07-16T09:00:00.000-04:00",
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        "text": "Genetic, anatomical, and acoustic evidence confirmed Colobus congoensis, a small-range species separated from its closest relative for millions of years.",
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        "qualification": "Between 2018 and 2022, teams recorded 114 sightings across an estimated range of only 1,700 square kilometers near Lomami National Park."
      }
    ],
    "source_ids": [
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    "tags": [
      "Colobus congoensis",
      "Congo Basin",
      "biodiversity",
      "conservation"
    ],
    "image_url": null,
    "corrections": []
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "source_id": "source-2026-07-16-008",
      "title": "Florida Atlantic University via Newswise: New African monkey species",
      "publisher": "Florida Atlantic University via Newswise",
      "url": "https://www.newswise.com/articles/striking-new-species-of-african-monkey-discovered-in-the-congo-rainforest",
      "canonical_url": "https://www.newswise.com/articles/striking-new-species-of-african-monkey-discovered-in-the-congo-rainforest",
      "source_type": "official_announcement",
      "is_primary_source": true,
      "published_at": "2026-07-15T19:40:00.000-04:00",
      "accessed_at": "2026-07-16T08:21:29.993-04:00",
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  "publisher": {
    "name": "The Machine Press",
    "url": "https://themachinepress.com",
    "description": "A daily newspaper for the age of artificial intelligence."
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  "cite_this_report": {
    "title": "A Congo Monkey Enters Science Already Endangered",
    "publisher": "The Machine Press",
    "published_at": "2026-07-16T09:00:00.000-04:00",
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