Context: Recently, Researchers discover new moth species, rediscover another last seen a century ago in Arunachal Pradesh.

About the Species

• A group of five researchers have discovered a new species of moth and rediscovered another that was last seen more than a century ago in Arunachal Pradesh.
• The new moth species belongs to the rare genus Metallolophia, of which only 16 species are known globally and three in India.
• The researchers have named it Metallolophia taleensis after the Tale wildlife sanctuary where it was discovered.
• The researchers collected two specimens of the new species in August last year. They also found three specimens of Metallolophia Opalina, another species of the same genus, from Tale.
• Two specimens of this species were last seen in Sikkim in 1886 and 1889. It was also seen in Nepal in 1893.

About Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located near the beautiful Apatani cultural landscape in Lower Subansiri District of Arunachal Pradesh. 
• The sanctuary has an area of 337 Sq.Km lies roughly in between the Subansiri, Sipu and Pange rivers surrounded by densely forested mountains ranging for 2,000 to 4,000 mtr. altitude.
• Tale is a plateau with dense forest of silver fir trees, pine clad plateau of beautiful grandeur, and a vast wasteland. 
• The area has some of the most important endangered species including the clouded leopard, Red Panda.
• There are two main valley; the Pange Valley and Tale Valley. 
• Forest type of this sanctuary is East Himalaya Sub-tropical Forest, East Himalaya Wet temperate forest, Lauraceae forest, Oak forest, High-level Oak forest and East Himalaya mixed coniferous forest.
• The valley is also known for its thick and dense growth of bamboo forest. It has five species of bamboo of which, one is endemic to this valley.