Abstract
The Semnopithecus entellus can be broadly classified into two morphotypes based on tail carriage, namely the northern and the southern types (NT & ST). The borderline between these morphotypes runs along the Tapti-Godavari rivers in peninsular India. However there have been anecdotal reports of range extension of NT in peninsular India. To investigate this scenario we undertook an intensive survey of S. entellus morphotypes along the borderline districts in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The GPS coordinates of the two morphotypes were mapped using MapInfo professional software and the resulting map was compared with the map generated by Roonwal. Results indicate that NT S. entellus range limit fall further south of Roonwal’s borderline. This incongruence in NTs distribution between the present study and Roonwal’s might be due to natural range extension of NTs in some areas or a product of sampling artifact. Furthermore in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka human mediated translocations might have also contributed to this range extension.
Highlights
Whereas when both morphotypes were observed in the same troop they were entered as mostly Northern type (NT) or mostly Southern type (ST) depending on the predominant tail carriage observed
Mixed troops are represented by open circles for mostly NT (mNT) and open triangles for mostly ST (mST)
Five troops were mNTs and three troops were mSTs. These results suggest that the southern limit of the NT morphotype is further south of Roonwal’s line
Summary
The ST has a tail that loops backward away from the head and is distributed south of these rivers in peninsular India and Sri Lanka (Roonwal, 1979; 1984) (Fig. 1). Methods We conducted our survey in peninsular India in the states of Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Karnataka such that the states on either side of the borderline given by Roonwal (1984) were included.
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