Posted by Rachel
The Brazilian Northeast is known for its wealth of archaeological sites, and new sites have been found in the state of Roraima. While local archaeologists face a lack of financial resources, they have found some interesting artifacts.
Photo: Ari Silva/Globo
The latest discovery dates back 4,000 years, and now forms part of 80 sites in Roraima, which are among the least known in the country. About 1,200 years ago, the area was populated by the Rupununi tribe, which occupied the area near the border with Guyana. According to archaeological evidence, this tribe still lived in the region when the Europeans first arrived, and traded with them (some artifacts found are of European origin). Some of the evidence includes funeral urns, along with personal objects buried with them, as well as cave drawings.
While tribes in the savana region of the state are thought to be related to Caribbean tribes, the tribes in the south of the state are thought to be related to tribes from the Rio Negro region, though this theory is yet to be confirmed.
Posted by Rachel
This week, a new species of fish was discovered off the coast of Praia do Forte in Bahia, and is now being analyzed in Bahia to determine more details about the creature. 
The fish was found floating dead in the water, and was caught and brought on board a research boat. The strange-looking fish weighs 40 kilos and measures 1.8 meters in length. It has tiny, sharp teeth, and oddly, no scales. It is largely made up of body fat, with gelatin-like skin.
Researchers at the Federal University of Bahia will preserve the fish in formaldehyde and will also put the fish on display at the school’s Zoology Museum after it is analyzed.
Check out the BBC report and the Globo report on the new discovery!
Posted by Rachel
Brazilian scientists have announced the discovery of a new subspecies of monkey, the Saguinus fuscicollis mura, discovered in the Amazon. Though it was originally spotted by scientists in 2007, the discovery was just published in the International Journal of Primatology last month. 
The very small subspecies, which usually weighs just 350 grams and stands 23 centimeters tall, was found along the BR-319, a defunct highway that connects Porto Velho, in Rondônia, with Manaus, in Amazônia. The monkey’s habitat is located between the Madeira River and Purus River, right near the abandoned road.
The subspecies is named after the Mura tribe of indigenous Brazilians who live in the area. It eats mostly insects and fruit, and can live in dense forest as well as open areas.
However, the Brazilian government plans to start reconstructing the nearby highway as a part of a nationwide development plan. Also, there are several industrial plants being constructed in the area. Scientists fear that the newly discovered monkey could be in danger of disappearing quickly, if its habitat is endangered by development.
Posted by Rachel
This week, construction workers discovered an ancient indigenous burial ground while building a school in Laranjal do Jari, in the northeastern state of Amapá. The site contains ceramic artifacts that could be up to 2,000 years old.
After the site was discovered, local archaeologists were called in to assess the findings. They found fifty funeral urns and around one hundred ceramic artifacts completely intact. Some of the pieces have paintings on them, indicating the presence of a large community as well as a tribe known to have lived in French Guyana and Suriname around 1,200 years ago.
Construction of the school has been put on hold until excavation ends, but archaeologists hope to create an educational center where students can learn about archaeology and help explore the site.
Click here to see photos of the excavation.
Posted by Rachel
Brazilian biologist Ricardo Braga-Neto was driving on the highway from Manaus to Porto Velho when he noticed something glowing in the forest. When he stopped his car to inspect the source of the light, he discovered that it was a mushroom.
Although there are 64 known species of bioluminescent mushrooms in the world, and the species the biologist found was a discovered species, no one knew that this particular species was bioluminescent. By accident, Braga-Neto discovered the first bioluminescent mushroom in the Amazon.
The biologist believes there are similar species waiting to be discovered and hopes to get other scientists involved in the study of fungi, which are important for recycling nutrients on the Amazon floor. He noticed that the mushroom emits light even during the day, unlike some other bioluminescent species, but he’s not sure what purpose it serves. It could be to attract insects, or to ward off predators, or to attract the predators of animals that eat mushrooms.
For the full story in Portuguese, see here.
"
