In Arunachal, the golden cat wears new colors

Why in news?
  • Scientists have discovered that Golden is no longer the only color the elusive Asiatic golden cat can be associated with.
  • Its coat comes in five other shades in Arunachal Pradesh.
More in news
  • Asiatic golden cat:
    (1) It is listed as near threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of threatened species.
    (2) It is found across eastern Nepal through north-eastern India to Indonesia.
    (3) Indian scientists have discovered six color morphs of the golden cat in Dibang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh.
    (4) Scientists have found that its coat comes in six types:
    (i) Cinnamon.
    (ii) Golden.
    (iii) Gray.
    (iv) Melanistic.
    (v) Ocelot.
    (vi) Tightly rosetted.
  • An evolutionary puzzle:
    (1) The findings have contributed to an evolutionary puzzle because no other place on earth has so many colors of wild cats of the same species.
  • Entirely new color morph:
    (1) Within the six color morphs recorded an entirely new color morph tightly-rosetted now sits alongside other 5 types.
    (2) The “tightly-rosetted” morph named after the leopard-like rosettes on the coat
  • Camouflage benefits:
    (1) variation displayed in the cat’s coats provides them with several ecological benefits such as occupying different habitats at different elevations.
    (2) Provides camouflage while preying on pheasants and rabbits.
  • Genetic mutation as natural selection:
    (1) Color morphs are thought to arise from random genetic mutations and take hold in the population through natural selection.
    (2) Scientists suspect that the phenomenon is driven by competition with other big cats such as tigers and clouded leopards.
    (3) Being melanistic in the misty mountains during nocturnal hunts mean they are better concealed from their prey.
    (4) This makes them more efficient predators.
  • Dibang Valley:
    (1) Dibang Valley hosts the world’s most diverse range of color morphs of a wild cat species ever reported in one site.
Source
The hindu




Posted by Jawwad Kazi on 14th Jun 2019
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