In news- Researchers have discovered a new species of cascade frog in Arunachal Pradesh. It has been named after the indigenous Adi tribe and the Adi hills they inhabit.
About Adi Cascade Frog (Amolops Adicola)
- It was discovered by a group of researchers from Delhi University (DU), along with biologists from the Wildlife Institute of India and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, USA.
- The frog is a predominantly brown colour frog, with a size ranging roughly between 4 cm to 7 cm.
- The genus Amolops is one of the largest groups of ranid frogs (family Ranidae) with currently 73 known species that are widely distributed across Northeast and North India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, through Indochina, to the Malay Peninsula.
- The new species was identified based on multiple criteria, including external morphology, DNA, and calling pattern.
- Cascade frogs are named so because of their preference of small waterfalls or cascades in flowing hill streams.
- Adi hills were historically known as Abor hills.
- The study also resolved the century-old taxonomic confusions surrounding the identity of another cascade frog species, Amolops Monticola, which was discovered from the Sikkim Himalayas 150 years ago.
Adi tribe-
- They are one of the most populous groups of indigenous peoples in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh.
- They are also found in Tibet Autonomous Region where they are called the Lhoba together with some of the Nishi, Na, Galo, Mishmi people and Tagin people.
- The present habitat of the Adi people is heavily influenced by the historic location of the ancient Lhoyu.
- The Adi live in hill villages, each traditionally keeping to itself, under a selected chief styled Gam or Gao Burra who moderates the village council, which acts even as the traditional court, referred to as a Kebang.
- The various languages and dialects of the Adi people fall into two groups: Abor (Abor-Minyong, Bor-abor (Padam), Abor-Miri, etc.) and Lhoba (Lho-Pa, Luoba).
- The Adi celebrate a number of festivals, in particular, their prime festivals are Aran, Donggin, Solung, podi barbii and Etor.
- Solung is observed in the first week of September for five days or more.
- It is a harvest festival performed after the sowing of seeds and transplantation, to seek for future bumper crops.
- Ponung songs and dances are performed by women folk during the festival.
Source: The Hindu
