Washington, Jan 2 (IANS): A new monkey species with unique calico colouring has been spotted in the Amazon rainforest.

Due to deforestation in the region, the new monkey species, believed to be belonging to the Pithecia genus, is already endangered, the researchers suggested.

The new saki Saki monkey (any primate member of the Pithecia genus) was spotted on three separate occasions in a part of the Amazon rain forest, according to a new study from the University of Mato Grosso in Brazil.

"We sent the first pictures to an expert, but everything suggests that it is a new species. The characteristics are very different," biologist Manoel dos Santos Filho was quoted as telling Brazilian news agency G1 Globo.

These animals live in rainforests ranging across South America from South Colombia to Central Brazil, Nature World News reported.

They can reach up to 50 centimeters long and weigh about 4.4 pounds.

This species is very elusive in nature and they rarely leave the trees that they live in.