A New Species of Genus Microhyla(Amphibia： Anura： Microhylidae) from Zhejiang Province, China

We described a new species, Microhyla beilunensis sp. nov., from Zhejiang Province of China. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial 12 S, 16 S and CO1 gene sequences suggested that the new taxon was distinctly separated from its congeners and closed to M. mixtura and M. okinavensis. Morphologically, the new species could be identified from its congeners except M. mixtura by several characters：（1） rudimentary webs on toe base;（2） absence of disks and dorsal median longitudinal grooves on finger tips;（3） presence of disks and dorsal median longitudinal grooves on toe tips. As well, the new species could be identified from topotype M. mixtura by the combination of characters：（1） apart from the stripes, bar-shaped and oval-shaped patterns, the rounded spots present on the dorsum of body and legs;（2） the outer metacarpal tubercles prominently larger than the inner one;（3） of males, the ratios of HW, IND, UEW and LAW to SVL of the new species were significantly larger than those of M. mixtura（P 〈 0.01）, and the ratios of SL, IOD, LAHL, HLL, TL, TFL and FL to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those of M. mixtura（P 〈 0.05）.

Multiple Data Sources Reveal a New Asian Leaf Litter Toad of Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 (Anura, Megophryidae) from Southwestern China

A new species of Leptobrachella is described from Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality,China.Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences indicated that the new species is genetically divergent from its congeners.It could be identified from its congeners by a combination of followings characters:body size of male 29.1-34.1 mm(n=14),female 34.1-34.9 mm(n=4);dorsal skin rough with large tubercles in size of humeral glands,without conical spines;fringes on toes narrow;ventral body basically floral white with deep grey pigments all over;dorsal body deep greyish brown with smoky black markings;iris gold above,gradually silver bellow;tibia-tarsal articulation reaches the level of the middle of the eye when leg being stretched forward;the main call type with dominant frequency4.08 ± 0.16 kHz(14.1-14.9℃),call duration 170.35± 15.19ms,the number of pulses for the first note in a call 3.50±0.89,and the number of pulses for the second note in a call 5.08±0.77.

A New Species of the Genus Hebius Thompson,1913(Serpentes:Natricidae)from Yunnan,China

A new keelback snake of the genus Hebius,H.jingdongensis sp.nov.,is reported from Jingdong in Yunnan,China based on a combination of molecular and morphological evidence.Although closest to H.khasiensis and H.boulengeri phylogenetically,this new species is genetically distinct amongst congeners with the mitochondrial Cyt b uncorrected p-distance ranging from 9.5%(vs.H.octolineatus)to 14.8%(vs.H.andreae).In addition,this new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters:(1)body cylindrical,tail relatively short,TaL/TL 0.235–0.243;(2)dorsal scale rows 19-19-17;(3)ventrals 163–166,cloacal plate divided,subcaudals 71–74 pairs;(4)supralabials 8,the first two contact with the nasals;(5)infralabials 9 or 10,preocular 1,postoculars 3;(6)body dorsum sandy beige with the sides yellowish-brown decorated with two brick-red stripes on the dorsolateral scale rows in life;(7)sutures between the labials brick-red in life and taupe in preservative;(8)ventral light yellow with the outer part of each scale brick-red in life;(9)ventrolateral stripes present.

A New Species of the Amolops mantzorum Group (Anura: Ranidae: Amolops) from Northwestern Hunan Province, China

We described anew species of the Amolops mantzorum group(Anura:Ranidae) from northwestern Hunan Province,China based on morphological and molecular evidence.The new species differs from its congeners by a combination of the following characteristics:moderate body size of SVL 403-409 mm in adult males(N=3),and 52.6-57.7 mm in adult females(N=3);head length about equal to or larger than head width(HDL/HDW 1.01-1.03);skin on dorsum smooth;dorsolateral folds absent,but developed a series of elongated glands forming an incomplete line;dense small spiny tubercles on lower flanks,and sparse flat tubercles on upper flanks;skin on belly slightly granular,posterior half of ventral surface of thigh glandular;tympanum indistinct,small,covered by glandular skin;presence of dense spiny tubercles around the mouth corner;vomerine teeth present,attached on two oblique ridges;presence of supernumerary tubercles below the bases of fingers Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ;several protruding tubercles around the cloacal region,with a pair of larger tubercles on sides of the anus;webs on each side of toe Ⅳ reaches the region between third subarticular tubercle and digit;and absence of vocal sacs and linea masculine in males.

Revealing the Circadian Rhythm of Taliang Crocodile Newt(Liangshantriton taliangensis) During Breeding Migration Using a Novel Monitoring Technique

Many animals migrate during the breeding season.It is important to study the patterns of breeding migration of wild animals,especially rare and endangered species.However,current data acquisition methods are too coarse and imprecise for investigating the circadian rhythms of migrations in amphibians.Based on the frustrated total reflection image(FTRI),we developed a new device and recorded the precise migration time of an endangered salamander,Liangshantriton taliangensis.During the breeding period,a total of 33 individuals were effectively recorded.Analysis of the data indicated that the circadian rhythm of breeding migration in L.taliangensis was bimodal,and migration mainly occurred from 05:00 to 13:00(81.82%of the total migration records).The average relative activity intensity index(RAI)of breeding migration peaked in the temperature range of 14.0–16.0°C.With increased average relative air humidity,the activity intensity first increased and then decreased,reaching a peak in the humidity range of 91.0%–97.0%.These results demonstrate that our new device is a viable and accurate method for recording the migration time of target species.It is important to reveal the breeding migration pattern of L.taliangensis,which is important for the conservation of this species.Meanwhile,this new device can be used for field monitoring and conservation studies of amphibians,reptiles and other animals.

A New Species of the Genus Nanorana Günther,1896(Anura:Dicroglossidae)from Hengduan Mountains of China

An integrative study based on morphological data and mitochondrial molecular data of all known Nanorana(sensu stricto)species have revealed a new species from the Hengduan Mountains,N.huangi sp.nov.The new species can be distinguished from its congers by its:(1)medium body size,SVL 31.3–40.6 mm in adult males(n=12),39.2–48.1 mm in adult females(n=8);(2)absence of subarticular tubercles on fingers,with supernumerary tubercles below the base of the fingers small but distinct;(3)presence of dark dorsal patches without pale margins,generally creamy yellow ventral body basically,bright yellow ventral limbs;(4)small but prominent tympanum;(5)tibio-tarsal joint that reaches to the tympanum or the shoulder when hindlimbs adpressed forward towards body;(6)head length more than 30%of SVL.In addition,the new species can be separated from all other congeners by uncorrected genetic distances:ranging from 2.8%–7.5%of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA,1.1%–2.1%of the 16S rRNA,and 7.5%–11.5%of the COI.

Study on the Horizontal Movement State of Suction Anchor Piles for Offshore Wind Power during Horizontal Pulling

The subsea anchor piles of offshore wind power floating platform structures are mainly subjected to uplift and horizontal loads, and this paper focuses on the case of horizontal loads. A three-dimensional numerical simulation study of the horizontal pullout characteristics of wind power suction anchor piles in clay layers was carried out to reveal the horizontal movement state of the anchor piles during horizontal pile pullout, the range of pile depth at the pullout point where the horizontal movement is achieved (referred to as the horizontal movement range), the relationship between the pullout load and the ultimate load during the horizontal movement, and the optimal location of the pullout point for the horizontal movement. The results show that at certain pull-out points, the anchor pile produces an overall horizontal movement state under suitable horizontal pull-out loads. The depth of the pile pull-out point for horizontal movement is in the middle and lower part of the pile, i.e. 14.2 m to 14.5 m. The horizontal pull-out load of 24,000 kN at a depth of 14.5 m within the pile horizontal movement range of 14.2m to 14.5 m is the maximum ultimate horizontal pull-out load;the optimum pull-out point depth is 14.5 m at 0.275 L (L is the pile length). For each pull-out point of the anchor pile in horizontal movement, the horizontal pull-out load in horizontal movement and the horizontal ultimate pull-out load existed and it was found that the two values were not exactly the same, the values were compared and it was found that at the optimum pull-out point the value of the ultimate horizontal pull-out load/horizontal pull-out load in horizontal movement tended to 1.

A New Species of the Asian Toad Genus Megophrys sensu lato(Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Guizhou Province, China

We describe a new species of the genus Megophrys sensu lato from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA sequences all strongly supported the new species as an independent lineage in Megophrys(Panophrys) clade. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics:(1) small body size with SVL < 38.8 mm in male and SVL < 42.3 mm in female;(2) vomerine teeth absent;(3) tongue not notched behind;(4) a small horn-like tubercle at the edge of each upper eyelid;(5) tympanum distinctly visible, rounded;(6) two metacarpal tubercles in hand;(7) relative finger lengths: II < I < V < III;(8) toes with rudimentary webbing at bases;(9) heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body;(10) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level between tympanum to eye when leg stretched forward;(11) an internal single subgular vocal sac in male;(12) in breeding male, the nuptial pads with black nuptial spines on the dorsal bases of the first and second fingers.

A New Species of the Genus Feirana(Amphibia:Anura:Dicroglossidae) from the Western Qinling Mountains of China

A new species, Feirana kangxianensis sp. nov., is described from the western Qinling Mountains in Gansu, China. Both morphological and molecular data support its validity. The new species is characterized by： （1） presence of keratinized nuptial spines on the thenar region of the hands in males of the new species, in contrast to F. taihangnica and F. quadranus; （2） of females, the ratios of UEW, INS, NSD and IPTL to SVL ofF. kangxianensis were significantly less than those of F. taihangnica and F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）, while the ratio of IOS to SVL of the new species was significantly larger than that of the latter two species （P 〈 0.05）; and （3） of males, the ratios of INS, NSD, IPTW to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those ofF. taihangnica and F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）, while the ratio of HL to SVL of the former was significantly larger than that of the latter, and the ratio of HW to SVL ofF. kangxianensis was significantly larger than that of F. taihangnica but less than that of F. quadranus, the ratio of OPTL to SVL of F. kangxianensis was significantly less than that of F. taihangnica but larger than that of F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）. The three species of Feirana can be easily identified and significantly differ from each other by the canonical discriminant analyses with high correct classification （〉92%）. Concurrently, based on partial mitochondrial ND2 gene sequences, the result of the molecular phylogenetic analyses of the Feirana indicates that the F. kangxianensis is sister to F. taihangnica.

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.

Disordered Translocation is Hastening Local Extinction of the Chinese Giant Salamander

Biodiversity is declining globally by an unprecedented extinction rate.This is especially true for amphibians,accounting for 24.3%of all threatened vertebrates.As the largest extant amphibian species in the world,wild populations of the Chinese giant salamander(Genus Andrias)(CGS)have decreased dramatically because of overexploitation and habitat degradation.Translocation has become an important strategy for restoring threatened wild populations worldwide.However,disordered tra nsloca tion usually has negative effects on the native populations.We provide an overview of CGS translocation and show that disordered translocation can increase local population extinction.Nearly four times the estimated number of wild individuals have been released across China.There a re three types of translocation used for CGS,namely,reinforcement,reintroduction and ecological replacement,the last of which accounts for over one-third of translocations.Our genetic screening revealed that most released individuals were not from local populations,with one to four lineages detected in every release site(n=6).This disordered translocation can potentially reduce the genetic integrity of original populations.Hence,we suggest suspending current CGS translocation activities immediately,until more robust measures can be developed and implemented to improve the current translocation program,especially with respect to lineage identifica tion a nd the identifica tion of appropriate release sites.

The effect of pulse frequency on the electrochemical properties of micro arc oxidation coatings formed on magnesium alloy

Micro arc oxidation(MAO)coatings were formed on magnesium alloy AZ31B to improve the corrosion resistance using environmental friendly electrolyte solution under single-polar pulse power supply.The effect of electrical parameters of pulse frequency on the coating performance was studied at frequencies of 2.5 Hz,25 Hz and 250 Hz.The coating performance at different frequencies was characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)and potentiodynamic polarization testing method.It was found that the corrosion resistance of the MAO coatings was improved when increasing the pulse frequencies from 2.5 Hz to 250 Hz.The corrosion current in 250 Hz case decreased by three orders of magnitude as compared with bare Mg alloy and the corrosion impedance also increased remarkably,means significantly enhanced corrosion resistance than bare Mg alloy.The results give us more insight in the optimization of electrical parameters to improve the MAO coating performance.The MAO technology is attractive for application on magnesium and other light alloys for surface protection in automotive and space industries.

Endemic Amphibians and Their Distribution in China

Amphibians are good indicators of ecosystem health. Updating the information of endemic species in time and understanding their spatial distributions are necessary for the development of integrative conservation strategies and the elucidation of geographic patterns of amphibians. We analyzed the diversity and distributions of the endemic amphibians in China based on a database of specimen records, recently published literature, and field surveys. Two hundred and sixty two endemic species of amphibians, belonging to 59 genera in 12 families and two orders, are recognized. They account for 67% of the total number of amphibian species in China, with the family Megophryidae possessing the largest number of endemics. There are also 17 genera endemic to China. Across provinces, the species richness of endemics shows five levels with a hierarchical diversification. Sichuan has the largest number of endemics, while Heilongjiang and Jilin have no endemic species. Alternatively, whether on the level of endemic genus or species, the highest diversity occurs in the Western Mountains and Plateau Subregion. The distribution ranges of most endemic species cover ≤ 4 provinces or zoogeographic subregions. Additionally, the species richness of endemics along an elevational gradient shows a bell-shaped pattern with the peak around 800 m. Most endemic species are distributed in areas of low to mid elevation(c. 700–1 500 m), while 36 species are distributed up to 3 000 m. Endemic species richness decreases with increasing of elevation range. Species at mid elevations display large range sizes, while species at lower and higher elevations exhibit smaller ranges. Our results are to be beneficial for further exploration of the underlying mechanisms of distributional patterns of amphibians in China. This study highlights a need to promote conservation programs for Chinese endemic amphibians due to their narrow distribution ranges and potential threats.

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.

Age Structure of Females in a Breeding Population of Echinotriton chinhaiensis(Caudata:Salamandridae) and Its Conservation Implication

Knowledge of life history is important for understanding possible connections to population declines. Here, we investigated the female age structure and fecundity of Echinotriton chinhaiensis, one of the most endangered salamanders in the world, using skeletochronology based on specimens collected in 2008 and 2009 from a population in Ruiyansi, northeast of Ningbo, Zhejiang, China. The results showed that most female salamanders were between 5 and 6 years of age, with the minimal reproductive age, predicted to be 3 years, and the clutch size correlated to the body size. We argue that both delayed attainment of sexual maturity and low fecundity make this species more vulnerable to extinction.

Amphibian Species Contribute Similarly to Taxonomic, but not Functional and Phylogenetic Diversity: Inferences from Amphibian Biodiversity on Emei Mountain

Understanding the relationships between species, communities, and biodiversity are important challenges in conservation ecology. Current biodiversity conservation activities usually focus on species that are rare, endemic, distinctive, or at risk of extinction. However, empirical studies of whether such species contribute more to aspects of biodiversity than common species are still relatively rare. The aim of the present study was to assess the contribution of individual amphibian species to different facets of biodiversity, and to test whether species of conservation interest contribute more to taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity than do species without special conservation status. To answer these questions, 19 000 simulated random communities with a gradient of species richness were created by shuffling the regional pool of species inhabiting Emei Mountain. Differences of diversity values were then computed before and after removing individual species in these random communities. Our results indicated that although individual species contributed similarly to taxonomic diversity, their contribution to functional and phylogenetic diversity was more idiosyncratic. This was primarily driven by the diverse functional attributes of species and the differences in phylogenetic relationships among species. Additionally, species of conservation interest did not show a significantly higher contribution to any facet of biodiversity. Our results support the claims that the usefulness of metrics based only on species richness is limited. Instead, assemblages that include species with functional and phylogenetic diversity should be protected to maintain biodiversity.

A New Species of the Genus Tylototriton(Amphibia: Urodela: Salamandridae) from Eastern Himalaya

A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described from eastern Himalaya based on molecular and morphological comparisons. The new species is diagnosable from the closely-related species by having light brown colouration in dorsal region in life, flat and blunt snout, greatly separated dorsolateral bony ridges on head and straightthick tailfin. In addition to head morphology, the new species is also morphologically distinguishable from its closelyrelated species Tylototriton shanorum by having 16 dorsal warts and average smaller Snout Vent Length（SVL）.

Genetic Bottlenecks of the Wild Chinese Giant Salamander in Karst Caves

The rarity of limestone cave species due to habitat degradation makes them of special interest in conservation biology.The wild Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus,an evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species,are nearly all obligate into living in inaccessible mountain caves now.We detected that only 14-29 breeders,with the effective population size of 9-25（5-44 of 95% confidence interval）,were in each of three caves,through genotyping 20 microsatellite loci on larvae that were flushed out of caves.Both heterzygosity excess and M（ratios of allele number to allele size range） tests indicated severe genetic bottlenecks among populations.Both mitochondrial,with only one or two haplotypes of D-loop region（770-771bp） in each population,and nuclear genetic structure showed clear divergence between populations.Considering the long life history,small population size,and genetic differentiationof the Chinese Giant Salamander,putting an end to poaching and recovering the karst ecosystem instead of releasing may be the sole measures to save this severely threated species.

Microhabitat Segregation of Parapatric Frogs in the Qinling Mountains

Coexistence mechanisms for species with similar ecological traits and overlapping geographic distributions are basic questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. Specific habitat requirements often limit distribution range as well as facilitate partitioning resource utilization in ecological similar species. Understanding niche segregation and differences in microhabitat utilization can contribute to identifying coexistence mechanisms between parapatric species. Feirana quadranus and F. taihangnica are two closely related frog species with parapatric geographic ranges and an elongated contact zone within the Qinling Mountains, which is an important watershed for East Asia. Here, we analysed the difference in microhabitat utilization between the two frog species and explored the key ecological factors that induced their microhabitat differentiation based on quadrats sampled in the contact zone. Our comparison of twenty environmental variables showed that both species used microhabitats with alkalescent warm water and gentle slope conditions. The principal component analysis indicated that climate-related variables, vegetation conditions, and river width were the important factors for microhabitat utilization of these species. These findings contribute to our understanding on the coexistence mechanisms of these two related and parapatric Asian mountain frog species. This study can also be helpful for identifying target habitats to conduct conservation actions and management strategies effectively in the face of environmental changes.

A New Leaf Litter Toad of Leptobrachella Smith, 1925(Anura, Megophryidae) from Sichuan Province, China with Supplementary Description of L. oshanensis

A new species of the Asian leaf litter toad genus Leptobrachella is described from Sichuan Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences clustered the new species as an independent clade nested into L. oshanensis species group. The new species could be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of following characters: body size moderate(25.8–32.6 mm in male, 33.7–34.1 mm in female);distinct black spots present on flanks;toes rudimentary webbed, with narrow lateral fringes, dermal ridges under toes interrupted at articulations;ventral belly cream white with variable brown specking;skin on dorsum relatively smooth with fine tiny granules or short ridges;iris copper above, silver bellow;greyish black patches on posterior thigh absent or small;spines on surface of chest absent in male during breeding season;nasals entirely or partially separated from sphenethmoid in male;dorsal surface of tadpoles semitransparent light brown, spots on tail absent, keratodont row formula I: 3+3(2+2)/2+2: I;calls simple, call series basically consist of repeated long calls, at dominant frequency(4831.9 ± 155.8) Hz and call duration(544.5 ± 146.8) ms. In addition, we made supplementary description on L. oshanensis including holotype, variations, tadpoles, skull and bioacoustics. Besides, this paper reports cases of femoral adipose glands in the genus Leptobrachella as first known sexual dimorphism skin glands for males of Megophryidae.