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Sela macaque or Macaca selai Monkeys: The Sela macaque, a new species of monkey, has a yellow and brown face, while the Arunachal macaque has a black and dark brown face.
Zoological Survey of India (ZSIScientists have discovered a new species of monkey in Arunachal Pradesh. This species is called Sella macaque or Macaca sellai (Sela Macaque) is being said. It is named Sela Macaque or Macaca Selai because of its presence in the Sela Pass. Macaca sellai (Macaca selaiThis new species named ) has been found in the western and central parts of Arunachal Pradesh. Let us tell you that monkeys of Arunachal macaque species are found in Tawang. But according to experts, the new species found in Sela Pass is different from the Arunachal macaque species of Tawang district.
Dhriti Banerjee, director of ZSI, the Zoological Survey of India, said that the scientists collected some samples and did a detailed phylogenetic analysis. We found that this monkey is genetically distinct from other species in the region. Banerjee said the new species remained isolated from the Arunachal macaque in Tawang district because of the Sela Pass. A recent research study on the new macaque species is published in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution.
Some similarities between the two species, some features
ZSI scientist Mukesh Thakur said that the Sela Pass acted as a kind of barrier and the process of movement between the two macaque species was halted for about two million years. He said the sela macaque is genetically close to the Arunachal macaque and the two species share many similar physical features such as heavy body and long dorsal hair. However, the new species also has some distinctive morphological features.
He said that some creatures of both species are used to the presence of humans, while other species avoid the situation of being near humans. According to Thakur, villagers have said that monkeys of Sela macaque species cause crop damage in West Kameng district.
What are the similarities between the two species?
- The new species of monkey is genetically distinct from other species of macaque found in the region.
- Genetically, the Sela macaque is said to be close to the Arunachal macaque species.
- Both have some similar physical characteristics. Like heavy shape and long thick hair on the back.
- In both these species, some macaques prefer to stay away from humans and a few dozen.
What are the characteristics of both species?
Some characteristic features are found in both the species, on the basis of which the difference between the two can be made.
- The face of the Sela macaque is yellow and brown, while the face of the Arunachal macaque is black and dark brown.
- The tail of the sela macaque is longer than that of the Tibetan macaque, Arunachal macaque, Assamese macaque and white-chicked macaque but shorter than the bonnet macaque and tok macaque.
- The Sella macaque belongs to the Sinica genus of the macaque, but it is distinct from all other members of this group.
- The brown collar hair and muzzle are hallmarks of the sela macaque.
- Sela macaques have thick brown hair around the neck and no whiskers on the chin.
- The Sela Macaque is the main cause of damage to crops in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.
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