KOMPAS.com - Ilmuwan berhasil menemukan spesies serigala baru (jackal) Afrika di wilayah Mesir. Mereka menemukannya lewat proses analisa genetik. Hasil penemuan dipublikasikan di Jurnal PLoS ONE yang diterbitkan minggu ini.
Spesies baru tersebut termasuk kelompok Serigala Abu-abu. Sebelumnya, serigala itu diduga sebagai sub spesies Anjing Hutan Mesir atau Anjing Hutan Emas. Tapi, hasil analisa menunjukkan bahwa serigala abu-abu adalah spesies baru.
Spesies ini ditemukan oleh tim peneliti gabungan dari berbagai universitas. Mereka adalah tim dari Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) Oxford University, Universitas Oslo dan Universitas Addis Ababa.
Dr Eli Rueness dari Universitas Oslo yang terlibat dalam penelitian ini mengatakan, "Kami hampir tak bisa memercayai saat melihat dengan mata kepala sendiri bahwa DNA serigala abu-abu ini tidak cocok dengan DNA mana pun di Gen Bank."
Menurut peneliti, spesies ini memiliki hubungan kekerabatan dengan Serigala Himalaya dan serigala India. Serigala Abu-abu diperkirakan sampai di benua Afrika sejak 3 juta tahun yang lalu, kemudian menyebar ke belahan bumi utara.
David MacDonald dari WildCRU yang terlibat penelitian ini mengatakan, "ini tak hanya temuan konservasi penting, tapi juga memunculkan pertanyaan tentang bagaimana serigala ini berevolusi, hidup berdampingan dengan anjing hutan emas."
Sementara Claudio Sillero, juga dari WildCRU mengatakan, "Temuan ini berkontribusi pada pemahaman tentang biogeografi fauna Afroalpine, spesies bermoyang Afrika dan Eurasia yang berevolusi akibat isolasi di dataran tinggi Afrika."
Selain menemukan spesies ini, peneliti juga menemukan spesimen hewan di Ethiopia yang secara genetik sangat identik dengan serigala abu-abu. Hal itu mengindikasikan bahwa serigala abu-abu tidak hanya ditemukan di Mesir.
Anjing hutan emas, spesies dimana serigala abu-abu ini dikelompokkan sebelumnya, dikategorikan "tidak terancam" oleh International Union for Conservation of Nature. Sementara, populasi anjing hutan abu-abu lebih jarang.
Para ilmuwan percaya, prioritas konservasi dan sains pada serigala abu-abu perlu dilakukan. Misalnya dengan menemukan persebaran populasinya dan jumlah individu yang tersebar saat ini.
Sillero yang juga Ketua Grup spesialis Canin di IUCN mengatakan, 'Anjing hutan Mesir (serigala abu-abu) perlu penamaan ulang segera. Status sebagai anggota serigala abu-abu mengharuskannya dinamai Serigala Afrika"
New Species Discovered Africa Wolves
KOMPAS.com - Scientists find new species of wolf (the Jackal), Africa in Egyptian territory. They found it through the process of genetic analysis. The findings published in the journal PLoS ONE, published this week.
The new species include the Gray Wolves. Previously, the wolf was suspected as a sub species of dog or dogs Egyptian Forest Golden Forest. However, the analysis showed that the gray wolf is a new species.
The species was discovered by a joint team of researchers from various universities. They are a team from the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU) Oxford University, University of Oslo and the University of Addis Ababa.
Dr. Eli Rueness from the University of Oslo who was involved in the study, said, "We almost could not believe when saw with my own eyes that the DNA of the gray wolf is no match with any DNA in the gene bank."
According to the researchers, this species has a kinship with the wolf and the wolf Indian Himalayas. The gray wolf is expected to reach the African continent since the 3 million years ago, then spread to the northern hemisphere.
David MacDonald of WildCRU involved in the study, said, "These findings not only important conservation, but also raises questions about how wolves evolved, coexist with coyotes gold."
While Claudio Sillero, also from WildCRU said, "These findings contribute to the understanding of the biogeography of fauna Afroalpine, Africa and Eurasia bermoyang species that evolved due to isolation in the highlands of Africa."
While Claudio Sillero, also from WildCRU said, "These findings contribute to the understanding of the biogeography of fauna Afroalpine, Africa and Eurasia bermoyang species that evolved due to isolation in the highlands of Africa."
In addition to finding this species, the researchers also found animal specimens in Ethiopia that are genetically very identical to the gray wolf. This indicates that the gray wolf is not only found in Egypt.
Gold coyote, a species where gray wolves are classified before, categorized as "not threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Meanwhile, the population of the gray wolf is more rare.
The scientists believe, priority conservation and science at the gray wolf needs to be done. For example, by finding the spread of population and number of individuals who spread today.
Sillero who is also Chairman of the Group at the IUCN specialist Canin said, 'Coyote Egypt (gray wolf) needs to be re-naming. Status as a member of the gray wolf named Wolf necessitated Africa "
Sillero who is also Chairman of the Group at the IUCN specialist Canin said, 'Coyote Egypt (gray wolf) needs to be re-naming. Status as a member of the gray wolf named Wolf necessitated Africa "
