In news- A new species of old world monkey recorded from Arunachal Pradesh has been named after a strategic mountain Sela pass.
About Sela macaque-
- Sela macaque ( Macaca selai), the new-to-science primate was identified and analysed by a team of experts from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and the University of Calcutta.
- The phylogenetic (evolutionary development and diversification of a species or group of organisms) analysis revealed that the Sela macaque was geographically separated from the Arunachal macaque ( Macaca munzala) of Tawang district by Sela.
- Sela is situated between Dirang and Tawang towns in western Arunachal Pradesh and this mountain pass acted as a barrier by restricting the migration of individuals of these two species for approximately two million years.
- The Sela macaque was genetically closer to the Arunachal macaque and it is found to be genetically different from the other species of monkeys reported from this region.
- However, there are also some distinct morphological characteristics.
- Both species have troops that either avoid proximity to humans or are used to human presence.
- The Sela macaque is a major cause of crop loss in the West Kameng district.
Source: The Hindu
