A New Species of the Genus Tylototriton(Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae) from the Southern Dabie Mountains in Anhui Province

A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described,from Yuexi county,Anhui province,in the south of the Dabie Mountains.It is based on morphological and molecular analysis.The new species is identified as belonging to the Tylototriton asperrimus group and shares a number of similarities with T.wenxianensis,T.broadoridgus and T.dabienicus.The diagnostic characteristics of the new species are as follows： the head length is greater than the width of the head; bony ridges on the head are prominent and necked-in; the distal digit ends,ventral digits,peripheral area of the cloaca and the tail＇s lower edge are orange.The result from the molecular analysis of the genus Tylototriton（including the type specimen of the new species） based on three mitochondrial genes（ND1,ND2 and CYTB） indicated that the new species was close to T.wenxianensis,T.dabienicus,and T.broadoridgus,but formed an independent clade.This result was consistent with the morphological analysis above,which supports the theory that the population distributed in the south of the Dabie Mountains,namely in from Yuexi county,Anhui province,represented a distinct species,Tylototriton anhuiensis sp.nov.

A New Species of the Genus Rhacophorus (Anura： Rhacophoridae) from Dabie Mountains in East China

A new species of rhacophorid of the genus Rhacophorus is described from the Dabie Mountains of west Anhui, east China. The new species, Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae sp. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters： 1） the ventral surface and front-and-rear of the femur is paler yellowish and decorated with irregular grayish blotching, and without obvious spots on the dorsum of the hand and foot webbing; 2） the outer metatarsal tubercle is small; 3） outer fingers are half-webbed and outer toes two third webbed; 4） the skin on the dorsum is smooth and without compressed warts; 5） the throat, chest and belly are pure paler yellowish; 6） the dorsal part of the fingers and toes are grayish-white; 7） the iris is golden-yellow. In addition, the phylogenetic tree showed that all the individuals of R. zhoukaiyae sp. nov. clustered into one distinct clade which suggested the validity of this species. This results could also be used to the support of species delimitation. Currently, this species is known only from mid-elevation montane evergreen forest in the Dabie Mountains of west Anhui, China.

A New Species of the Genus Protobothrops(Squamata:Viperidae:Crotalinae) from the Dabie Mountains,Anhui,China

During a biological survey in July 2011, a pit viper was collected from the Yaoluoping Nature Reserve in the Dabie Mountains, Anhui, China. The pit viper’s the total length measured 836 mm with a dorsal ground color of yellowbrown, decorated by 56 dark-brown transverse bands. The 4thsupralabial squama of the new species is separated from subocular by two squamae, and the tip of tail is orange; this combination of characters distinguish it from other species of the genus Protobothrops. Based on the body proportions, number of squamae, body color pattern, and comparing the data of its life history with those of other species of Protobothrops, we herein describe it as a new species, belonging to the genus of Protobothrops.

Systematics and Species Validity of the Dabieshan Pit Viper Protobothrops dabieshanensis Huang et al. 2012: Evidence from a Mitochondrial Gene Sequence Analysis

Aimed to evaluate the phylogenetic position of the recently described Protobothrops dabieshanensis Huang et al. （2012）, phylogenic relationships of 12 species within Protobothrops based on four mtDNA gene fragments （12S RNA, 16S RNA, ND4 and Cyt b） were reconstructed in our study. The result indicates a clade composed ofP dabiesha- nensis, P. jerdonii and P xiangchengsis with strong support. The genetic distance among P dabieshanensis, P jerdonii and P xiangchengsis was much lower than other congeners. Based on the data from the phylogenetic analysis and pre- viously described morphological differences, we conclude that P dabieshanensis is a valid species with close affinities to P jerdonii and P xiangchengsis.

Description of a New Species of the Asian Newt Genus Tylototriton sensu lato(Amphibia:Urodela:Salamandridae) from Southwest China

The newt genus Tylototriton sensu lato is widely distributed in Eastern,Southeastern and Southern Asia.Previous studies indicated that there still has been several cryptic species in the group.Here,we describe a new species of the genus from Guizhou Province,China.Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA supported that the new species was resolved as an independent clade nested into the Tylototriton sensu lato clade.On morphology,the new species could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters:large body size(SVL 76.8-85.2 mm in male and 76.3-87.4 mm in female);head longer than wide;snout truncate in dorsal view;tail length longer than the snout-vent length in males;the distal digit ends,ventral digits,peripheral area of cloaca and the tail s lower margin are orange;relative length of toesⅢ> Ⅳ> Ⅱ> Ⅰ> Ⅴ;the distal tips of the limbs greatly overlapping when the fore and hind limbs are pressed along the trunk;fingertips reach the level beyond the snout when the forelimbs are stretched forward.

The Impact of Stream Landscape on Genetic Structure and Dispersal Patterns in Stream Salamander(Pachyhynobius shangchengensis)

Compared with other terrestrial environments,the stream environment generally presents a linear spatial structure and relatively simple environment.In a stream landscape,the dispersal direction of stream-type organisms usually presents a linear structure along the stream,which results in the limited dispersal and the genetic differentiation of stream-type organisms across different stream sections.The Shangcheng Stout Salamander(Pachyhynobius shangchengensis)is a narrowly distributed stream salamander in Dabie Mountains of East China.In the present study,we tested for the impact of stream landscape(i.e.waterfalls and underground river)on genetic structure and dispersal pattern in P.shangchengensis based on 12 nuclear microsatellite loci from 195 individuals in 3 populations(A,B and C)from three closely connected sections within one stream.Genetic diversity results suggested that Population B contains relatively high genetic diversity for P.shangchengensis when compared to the other populations(A and C).Detectable genetic differentiation was found(FST=0.008,P=0.007)among three populations,which was also supported by the Structure,FCA analysis and relatedness estimates of each pair of individuals among populations.The assignment test suggested that P.shangchengensis has philopatric males and female-biased dispersal(mean female Alc=.0.031,SE=0.225;mean male Alc=0.026,SE=0.198).Female-biased dispersal was also supported by analyses for each sex(i.e.Spatial autocorrelation,Genetic distance,Relatedness analysis).Our study indicated that small and isolated populations(A and C)had relatively low genetic diversity due to the limited population size.For stream salamanders,landscape features(i.e.waterfalls and underground river)can influence the ability of an individual to disperse through the landscape,and consequently influence the formation of strong genetic differentiation of P.shangchengensis.

A New Species of the Genus Xenophrys(Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Libo County, Guizhou, China

A new species of the genus Xenophrys is described from a karst cave environment of Libo County, Guizhou Province, Southern China. The new species, Xenophrys liboensis sp. nov., is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters： 1） tympanum distinct; 2） vomerine teeth present; 3） the length of lower arm and hand larger than the half of snout-vent; 4） heels overlapped slightly when the flexed legs are held at right angles to the body axis; 5） toe tips with rudimentary webs and without grooves; 6） dermal fringes moderate; 7） tubercles on the dorsum forming an X-shaped weak ridge; 8） horn-like tubercle at the edge of the upper eyelid distinct; 9） color of the iris in life is brown. In Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of 22 species of Xenophrys, all the individuals of X. liboensis sp. nov. clustered into a monophyletic clade with high posterior probabilities. In addition, the ranges of genetic divergences of X. liboensis sp. nov. with other species were interspecific rather than intraspecific. Based on the above evidences, we consider that X. liboensis sp. nov. is a valid species in Xenophrys.

Age and Body Size of the Shangcheng Stout Salamander Pachyhynobius shangchengensis(Caudata:Hynobiidae)from Southeastern China

Age and body size a re critical for understanding life history evolution and ecology.In this study,the age and body size of the Shangcheng stout salamander,Pachyhynobius shangchengensis,from a population in Anhui Province,China,were studied by skeletochronology.The mean age was 8.8±0.2(mean±SD)years in females and 9.6±0.2 in males and ranged 5-13 years for both sexes.The mean age was significantly different between sexes.The mean body size and mass were(100.21±0.91)mm and(31.76±0.73)g in females,and(105.31±1.23)mm and(37.14±1.12)g in males,respectively.Males were significantly larger and heavier than females,indicating sexual size dimorphism.There was a significant positive correlation among body size,body mass,and age,suggesting that the oldest individuals are larger and heavier.The growth rate in males was significantly higher than in females.The present study provides preliminary data on life-history traits which can be helpful for future studies of this species and other hynobiid salamanders.

Flexibility as a Strategy for Avoiding Call Overlap in Male Anhui Treefrogs

Male-male vocal competition is critical for mating success in anuran species;however,it remains unknown that how males regulate their competitive strategies dynamically during competition because calling is highly time-consuming,energetically demanding and likely to increase predation risks.Since different parts of calls will encode different information for vocal communication,we hypothesized that competitive strategies of male frogs may be modulated by the temporal and spectral features of different call notes.To test this hypothesis,the natural advertisement calls(OC),its modified versions with the first call note replaced by white noise(WN)or other notes and with the fifth call note replaced by WN,were played back to the Anhui tree frogs(Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae).Results showed that 1)males produced more competitive calls in response to acoustic stimuli compared to their baseline calling during silence;and 2)males emitted more non-overlapping calls compared to overlapping calls in response to the acoustic stimuli.These results are consistent with the idea that males are flexible to acoustic signals and their competition strategies are modulated dynamically by social contexts.

Supplement and Correction

I am writing to apologize for our negligence and in our paper [Xin HUANG, Tao PAN, Demin HAN, Liang ZHANG, Yinxu HOU, Lei YU, Heming ZHENG, Baowei ZHANG. 2012. A New Species of the Genus Protobothrops （Squa mata： Viperidae： Crotalinae） from the Dabie Mountains, Anhui, China. Asian Herpetol Res, 3（3）： 213-218], in which we failed to report some key information on holotype. Here we provide all the missing information by Supplement and Correction below. Apologize again for my negligence Sincerely yours,

Anionic polyacrylamide alleviates cadmium inhibition on anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge

The uncontrolled discharge of industrial wastewater leads to a significant cadmium(Cd)accumulation in waste activated sludge(WAS),posing a serious threat to the steady operation of the anaerobic digestion(AD)system in wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs).Therefore,developing a viable approach to cope with the adverse effects of high-concentration Cd on the AD system is urgently required.This study aims to investigate the potential of using anionic polyacrylamide(APAM),a commonly used agent in WWTPs,to mitigate the adverse effects of Cd in a toxic amount(i.e.,5.0 mg per g total suspended solids(TSS))on AD of WAS.The results showed that the effectiveness of higher APAM on Cd toxicity alleviation was less than that of lower APAM at the studied level(i.e.,the effectiveness order was 1.5 mg APAM per g TSS>3.0 mg APAM per g TSS>6.0 mg APAM per g TSS).The moderate supplement of APAM(i.e.,1.5 mg per g TSS)recovered the accumulative methane yield from 190.5±3.6 to 228.9±4.1 mL per g volatile solids by promoting solubilization,hydrolysis,and acidification processes related to methane production.The application of APAM also increased the abundance of key microbes in the AD system,especially Methanolinea among methanogens and Caldilineaceae among hydrolyzers.Furthermore,APAM facilitated the key enzyme activities involved in AD processes and reduced reactive oxygen species(induced by Cd)production via adsorption/enmeshment of Cd by APAM.These findings demonstrate the feasibility of using moderate APAM to mitigate Cd toxicity during AD,providing a promising solution for controlling Cd or other heavy metal toxicity in WWTPs.

Photoluminescence mechanisms of red-emissive carbon dots derived from non-conjugated molecules

Red-emissive carbon dots(R-CDs)have been widely studied because of their potential application in tissue imaging and optoelectronic devices.At present,most R-CDs are synthesized by using aromatic precursors,but the synthesis of R-CDs from non-aromatic precursors is challenging,and the emission mechanism remains unclear.Herein,different R-CDs were rationally synthesized using citric acid(CA),a prototype non-aromatic precursor,with the assistance of ammonia.Their structural evolution and optical mechanism were investigated.The addition of NH_(3)·H_(2)O played a key role in the synthesis of CA-based R-CDs,which shifted the emission wavelength of CA-based CDs from 423 to 667 nm.Mass spectrometry(MS)analysis indicated that the amino groups served as N dopants and promoted the formation of localized conjugated domains through an intermolecular amide ring,thereby inducing a significant emission redshift.The red-emissive mechanism of CDs was further confirmed by control experiments using other CA-like molecules(e.g.,aconitic acid,tartaric acid,aspartic acid,malic acid,and maleic acid)as precursors.MS,nuclear magnetic resonance characterization,and computational modeling revealed that the main carbon chain length of CA-like precursors tailored the cyclization mode,leading to hexatomic,pentatomic,unstable three/four-membered ring systems or cyclization failure.Among these systems,the hexatomic ring led to the largest emission redshift(244 nm,known for CA-based CDs).This work determined the origin of red emission in CA-based CDs,which would guide research on the controlled synthesis of R-CDs from other non-aromatic precursors.

A new species of the genus Crocidura from China based on molecular and morphological data(Eulipotyphla: Soricidae)

A new species of white-toothed shrew,Crocidura anhuiensis Zhang,Zhang&Li,sp.nov.is described from Mount Huang,China.Genetic sequence(mt DNA Cyt b gene)and morphological(external and skull)data are used to distinguish this newly discovered species.The phylogenetic analysis shows that the materials of this work are monophyletic and allied to C.attenuata by the uncorrected genetic distance 4.9–5.1%,which suggests a species-level divergence.Morphologically,the materials are different from C.attenuata by presenting a greater proportion of tail-to-body ratio and the presence of an obvious tooth root in the mandible.Based on those data,the unnamed species is described as a new species which is currently known only from the Wild Monkey Valley,Mount Huang,Anhui Province,China.

Electron-phonon coupling-assisted universal red luminescence of o-phenylenediamine-based carbon dots

Due to the complex core-shell structure and variety of surface functional groups,the photoluminescence(PL)mechanism of carbon dots(CDs)remain unclear.o-Phenylenediamine(oPD),as one of the most common precursors for preparing red emissive CDs,has been extensively studied.Interestingly,most of the red emission CDs based on oPD have similar PL emission characteristics.Herein,we prepared six different oPD-based CDs and found that they had almost the same PL emission and absorption spectra after purifiication.Structural and spectral characterization indicated that they had similar carbon core structures but diffferent surface polymer shells.Furthermore,single-molecule PL spectroscopy confirmed that the multi-modal emission of those CDs originated from the transitions of different vibrational energy levels of the same PL center in the carbon core.In addition,the phenomenon of"spectral splitting"of single-particle CDs was observed at low temperature,which confirmed these oPD-based CDs were unique materials with properties of both organic molecules and quantum dots.Finally,theoretical calculations revealed their potential polymerization mode and carbon core structure.Moreover,we proposed the PL mechanism of red-emitting CDs based on oPD precursors;that is,the carbon core regulates the PL emission,and the polymer shell regulates the PL intensity.Our work resolves the controversy on the PL mechanism of oPD-based red CDs.These findings provide a general guide for the mechanism exploration and structural analysis of other types of CDs.

A new species of the genus Crocidura(Mammalia:Eulipotyphla:Soricidae) from Mount Huang, China

In this study, a new species of white-toothed shrew, Crocidura huangshanensis Yang, BW Zhang & Li, sp. nov. was described based on five individuals collected from the Mt. Huang of China. Its morphological data and mt DNA sequences(Cyt b) were analyzed. Morphologically, C. huangshanensis Yang, BW Zhang & Li, sp. nov. is different from its congeners(C. anhuiensis and C. attenuata) by the body and skull smaller in size and the premolar and molar smoother, which are also different from other Southeast Asian Crocidura. The phylogenetic analysis shows that all individuals of C. huangshanensis Yang, BW Zhang & Li, sp. nov. merged into a single clade. In addition, the genetic distance between C. huangshanensis Yang, BW Zhang & Li, sp. nov. and other species of Crocidura is ranged from 9.8% to 15.3%, indicating a species-level divergence. The new species is currently distributed in the Wild Monkey Valley, located in Mt. Huang, China.

Consistency in responses to conspecific advertisement calls with various signal-to-noise ratios in both sexes of the Anhui tree frog

Environmental noise has a significant negative impact on acoustic communication in most situations,as it influences the production,transmis-sion,and reception of acoustic signals.However,how animals respond to conspecific sounds when there is interference from environmental noise,and whether males and females display convergent behavioral responses in the face of noise masking remain poorly understood.In this study,we investigated the effects of conspecific male advertisement calls with different signal-to-noise ratios on male-male competition and female choice in the Anhui tree frog Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae using playback and phonotaxis experiments,respectively.The results showed that(1)female Anhui tree frogs preferentially selected the conspecific calls with higher SNR compared to calls with lower SNR;(2)males preferen-tially responded vocally to the conspecific calls with higher SNR compared to calls with lower SNR;and(3)males'competitive strategies were flexible in the face of noise interference.These results suggest that preferences of both sexes converge in outcome,and that male competitive strategies may depend on predictable female preferences.This study will provide an important basis for further research on decision-making in animals.

Insights into genetic variation and demographic history of sharpnose rays:examinations of three species of Telatrygon(Elasmobranchii,Dasyatidae)from the Indo-West Pacific

Coastal and demersal chondrichthyans(sharks,rays,and skates)are expected to exhibit high levels of genetic differentiation in areas of complex geomorphology.Population genetic studies investigating the extent to which demographic history shapes the genetic structure of thesefishes are rare.Here,we combined mitochondrial DNA(Cytb and ND2)and 8 nuclear microsatellite loci from 244 individuals to examine the population genetic structure and demographic history of the 3 Indo-West Pacific species of sharpnose rays(Telatrygon zugei,Telatrygon biasa,and Trygon crozieri).High levels of genetic variation both within and between species were identified.Phylogenetic analysis partitioned haplotypes into 2 lineages supporting divergence of T.zugei from T.crozieri and T.biasa during the Pleistocene.Furthermore,microsatellite-based clustering analyses identified 4 genetic groups(i.e.T.zugei from Japan,T.zugei from coastal China,T.biasa from Gulf of Thailand,and T.crozieri from the Andaman Sea).Measurements of genetic differentiation also support these 4 groups.Additionally,Pleistocene demographic expansions were examined in all genetic groups.The climate oscillations and current hydrologic cycles in the Indo-West Pacific appear to coincide with the hypothesis regarding speciation and the observed demographic history trends of the sharpnose rays.Considering the species group has,until recently,been thought to be one species,these results are critical for defining management units and guiding conservation efforts to preserve stingray biodiversity.

Genetic structure of the oriental white stork (Ciconia boyciana): implications for a breeding colony in a non-breeding area

The oriental white stork (Ciconia boyciana) is a threatened species, and their numbers are still in decline due tohabitat loss and poaching. China is a breeding and main wintering area for this animal and in recent years someindividuals have been found breeding in wintering areas and at some stopover sites. These new breeding coloniesare an exciting sign, however, little is understood of the genetic structure of this species. Based on the analysis ofa 463-bp mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region, we investigated the genetic structure and genetic diversity of66 wild oriental white storks from a Chinese population. We analyzed the sequences of 66 storks obtained in thisstudy and the data of 17 storks from a Japanese population. Thirty-seven different haplotypes were detected amongthe 83 samples. An analysis of molecular variance showed a significant population subdivision between the twopopulations (FST = 0.316, P < 0.05). However, the phylogenetic analysis revealed that the samples from the differentpopulations did not form separate clusters and that there were genetic exchanges between the two populations.Compared with the Japanese population, the Chinese population had a relatively higher genetic diversity with ahaplotype diversity (h ± SD) of 0.953 ± 0.013 and a nucleotide diversity (π ± SD) of 0.013 ± 0.007. The high haplotypediversity and low nucleotide diversity indicate that this population might be in a rapidly increasing period from asmall effective population. A neighbor-joining tree analysis indicated that genetic exchange had occurred betweenthe newly arisen southern breeding colony and the northern breeding colony wintering in the middle and lowerYangtze River floodplain. These results have important implications for the conservation of the oriental white storkpopulation in China.

Spatial dynamics of Chinese Muntjac related to past and future climate fluctuations

Climate fluctuations in the past and in the future are likely to result in population expansions,shifts,or the contraction of the ecological niche of many species,and potentially leading to the changes in their geographical distributions.Prediction of suitable habitats has been developed as a useful tool for the assessment of habitat suitability and resource conservation to protect wildlife.Here,we model the ancestral demographic history of the extant modern Chinese Muntjac Muntiacus reevesi populations using approximate Bayesian computation(ABC)and used the maximum entropy model to simulate the past and predict the future spatial dynamics of the species under climate oscillations.Our results indicated that the suitable habitats for the M.reevesi shifted to the Southeast and contracted during the Last Glacial Maximum,whereas they covered a broader more northern position in the Middle Holocene.The ABC analyses revealed that the modern M.reevesi populations diverged in the Middle Holocene coinciding with the significant contraction of the highly suitable habitat areas.Furthermore,our predictions suggest that the potentially suitable environment distribution for the species will expand under all future climate scenarios.These results indicated that the M.reevesi diverged in the recent time after the glacial period and simultaneously as its habitat's expanded in the Middle Holocene.Furthermore,the past and future climate fluctuation triggered the change of Chinese muntjac spatial distribution,which has great influence on the Chinese muntjac's population demographic history.

Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci from pale-edged stingray,Telatrygon zugei(Elasmobranchii,Dasyatidae)

INTRODUCTION Sharks,skates and rays originated 400 Ma,with a further radiation throughout every ocean,and play a vi­tal role in maintaining the balance of marine ecosys­tems as top predators(Weigmann 2016).There are more than 1000 species of sharks,skates,rays and chimae­ras in the world,244 of which are distributed in Chinese seas.That is,Chinese chondrichthyan fauna make up at least one-fifth of the world’s extant species.Recent habitat degradation and overexploitation have caused sharp declines in many populations of elasmobranchs(White 2007;Dulvy et al.2017).Environmental chang­es and loss of oceanic apex predators due to overfishing could affect the migration routes and distribution of ba­toids(rays),resulting in community restructuring in the coastal ecosystem(Yamaguchi et al.2005;Myers et al.2007).Despite the combination of known high biodi­versity and heavy exploitation of elasmobranchs in Chi­na,there is little reliable information on the population genetics of many shark and ray species.Consequent­ly,clarification of the population structure is crucial for conservation and management,especially for endan­gered elasmobranchs.