Unexpectedly, the team's close examination of more than 95 percent of the world's
olingo specimens in museums, along with DNA testing and the review of historic field data, revealed existence of the olinguito, a previously undescribed species.
Smithsonian researchers stumbled upon Bassaricyon neblina, also known as the «olinguito,» while riffling through museum
specimens and old field notes in search of information about other members of the Bassaricyon genus — commonly known as
olingos.