鼩鼹亚科(Talpidae:Uropsilinae)一新种

2006年至2009年,在四川西南地区开展小型兽类区系调查时,在普格县、美姑县、泸定县、九龙县采获了11号鼩鼹类标本。其外形和头骨形态与其他鼩鼹类一致,但牙齿数量和齿式与已知鼩鼹类不同。这批标本上、下颌牙齿均为9枚,齿式为i2/2,c1/1,pm3/3,m3/3=36,与少齿鼩鼹上颌9枚、下颌8枚(齿式:i2/1,c1/1,pm3/3,m3/3=34)不同,也不同于长吻鼩鼹与贡山鼩鼹(齿式:i2/1,c1/1,pm4/4,m3/3=38)及峨眉鼩鼹(齿式:i2/2,c1/1,pm4/3,m3/3=38)上颌10枚、下颌9枚,而不能归类于现有任何已知鼩鼹类物种。通过线粒体细胞色素b基因构建的系统发育关系显示未归类标本形成一单系群,且与峨眉鼩鼹关系最近,构成姊妹关系。为此,我们认为采自于四川普格县、美姑县、泸定县、九龙县的鼩鼹类标本为鼩鼹亚科一新物种。根据新种上、下颌牙齿数量相等命名为等齿鼩鼹(Uropsilus aequodonenia)。

基于18S基因序列的姬小蜂分子系统发育(英文)

本文基于18S rDNA部分序列,用MP和Baysian方法研究了姬小蜂科的系统发育,对姬小蜂科的单系性及其与其它小蜂科间的关系进行了讨论。姬小蜂亚科、灿姬小蜂亚科和啮姬小蜂亚科形成三个独立的支系,研究结果支持它们各自的单系性,但本结果没有明确姬小蜂科的单系性。研究结果同时还支持瑟姬小蜂族、扁股姬小蜂族和狭面姬小蜂族三个族的地位,但不支持姬小蜂族的地位。姬小蜂科的单系性及其与其它小蜂间的关系还需更多的形态学数据和更多的基因序列来进一步研究[动物学报52 (2) : 288 -301 , 2006]。

榕小蜂基因共表达研究(英文)

榕小蜂的雌雄个体之间存在很大表型差异,以至于很难将雌雄个体彼此联系在一起.以对叶榕传粉榕小蜂作为材料,利用"加权基因共表达网络分析"软件(WGCNA),对榕小蜂的基因组和转录组进行分析,结果发现,5个基因共表达模块,分别用蓝色、蓝绿色、棕色、绿色和黄色标识,其中2个模块偏爱在雌蜂中表达,3个模块偏爱在蛹中表达.基因本体(GO)分析发现在蓝绿色和黄色表达模块中发现3个功能富集的基因集合.在蓝绿色基因表达模块中发现2个基因集合,分别与细胞周期和核苷酸结合活性有关;在黄色基因表达模块中发现1个基因结合,与细胞分化有关,尤其是与神经发育有关.

How many species of Apodemus and Rattus occur in China？ A survey based on mitochondrial cyt b and morphological analyses

Apodemus （mice） and Rattus （rats） are the top rodent reservoirs for zoonoses in China,yet little is known about their diversity.We reexamined the alpha diversity of these two genera based on a new collection of specimens from China and their cyt b sequences in GenBank.We also tested whether species could be identified using external and craniodental measurements exclusively.Measurements from 147 specimens of Apodemus and 233 specimens of Rattus were used for morphological comparisons.We analysed 74 cyt b sequences of Apodemus and 100 cyt b sequences of Rattus to facilitate phylogenetic estimations.Results demonstrated that nine species of Apodemus and seven species of Rattus,plus a new subspecies of Rattus nitidus,are distributed in China.Principal component analysis using external and craniodental measurements revealed that measurements alone could not separate the recognized species.The occurrence of Rattus pyctoris in China remains uncertain.

Matrilineal History of the Rana longicrus Species Group(Rana,Ranidae,Anura) and the Description of a New Species from Hunan,southern China

Fieldwork in Jiemuxi National Nature Reserve, Hunan, China, discovered morphologically indis- tinguishable groups of brown frogs that bred at different, exclusive times of the year. A principal components analysis of morphometric data, molecular analyses, and the exclusive breeding season suggested the occurrence of two species. The population that breeds during the winter was found to be an undescribed species and was subsequently described as Rana jiemuxiensis sp. nov. The new cryptic species can be identified from its congeners at the same locality by having a different breeding season and a divergent DNA barcode, Six major lineages of brown frogs were resolved with high nodal support. Rana japonica, R. chaochiaoensis, R. omeimontis, and R. jiemuxiensis have independent maternal lineages. Rana hanlunica and R. maoershanensis have essentially identical maternal lineages and they appear to represent the same species. The validity of the species R. longicrus, R. zhenhaiensis, and R. culaiensis and their genealogical relationships are not resolved and deserve further study. The genealogy indicates that sympatric cryptic lineages probably widely exist in the R. longicrus group. This highlights the importance of future more fine-scaled samplings and the inclusion of nuclear genes.

Reproductive Behavior and Underwater Calls in the Emei Mustache Toad,Leptobrachium boringii

The Emei mustache toad, Leptobrachium boringii （Megophryidae）, is terrestrial but breeds in permanent streams. Primarily, it has a polygynous mating system and polyandry also occurs. The species vigorously defends submerged nest sites. We report on a reproductive study at Mt. Emei, western China conducted in 2004, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2011 during the breeding season. Males produce both advertisement and courtship calls underwater, and the latter differs from the former in having an additional trill-like last note of low intensity. Females might determine the oviposition location and hence the egg mass location. A low, submissive posture can be adopted by the male to avoid being attacked by other males. When fighting, the maxillary nuptial spines are employed as weapons, and males hold their opponents on their spines with the forelimbs that enlarge during the breeding season. Male body size and the quantity of fight wounds on its ventral side are positively correlated. Satellite male mating might exist in L. boringii. Additionally, underwater calls from another population of this species and a population of L. leishanense generally are similar to those of the population from Mt. Emei.

Discovery of a wild,genetically pure Chinese giant salamander creates new conservation opportunities

Effective conservation of threatened biota relies on accurate assessments and scientific guidance.As an unfortunate example,Chinese giant salamanders(Andrias,CGS)remain critically endangered in nature.Misguided conservation efforts,e.g.,commercial propagation and releasing of millions of likely non-indigenous or interspecific hybrids,have further compromised conservation initiatives.Limited information on wild populations of CGS poses a significant conservation challenge.Following 18-month long field monitoring,we now report the discovery of a wild population of CGS in a closed nature reserve in Jiangxi Province,China.Genomic assessments reveal its genetic distinctiveness and do not detect genetic admixture with other species.Based on morphological and molecular evidences,we describe this CGS as a new species Andrias jiangxiensis sp.nov.This is the only known species of CGS today with a genetically pure,reproducing,in situ population.This discovery emphasizes the important role that closed nature reserves play in protecting species,and the necessity of integrating long-term field monitoring and genetic assessments.It sets a new pathway for discovering and conserving endangered species,especially for those biotas that are similarly being extirpated by anthropogenic translocations and overexploitation.

Phylogenetic Relationships of the Genus Paramesotriton(Caudata: Salamandridae) with the Description of a New Species from Qixiling Nature Reserve, Jiangxi, Southeastern China and a Key to the species

The matrilineal genealogy of the genus Paramesotriton is hypothesized based on DNA sequences from mitochondrial NADH subunit two （ND2） and its flanking tRNAs （tRN^Arp and a partial tRNA^Ala）. The genealogy identifies a highly divergent, unnamed lineage from Qixiling Nature Reserve, Jiangxi, China and places it as the sister taxon of P. chinensis. The newly discovered population differs from other congeners by several features of external morphology including having large clusters of dark brown conical warts on the dorsum of the head, lateral surface of the body and dorsolateral ridges. Its intermittent dorsal vertebral ridge is the same color as other parts of the dorsum and tail narrows gradually from the base to the tip. Further, the new population differs from all congeners by an uncorrected P-distance of more than 9.38% in ND2. Consequently, we describe the new species of Asian warty newt （Salamandridae） as Paramesotriton qixilingensis sp. nov.

Comparative Skin Histology of Frogs Reveals High-elevation Adaptation of the Tibetan Nanorana parkeri

Adaptations to extreme environmental conditions are intriguing. Animal skin, which directly interacts with external environment, plays diverse and important roles in adaptive evolution. The thin and bare skin of amphibians is sensitive to external environmental conditions and, thus, it facilitates investigations into adaptations for living in extreme environments. Herein, we compare the structures of skin in four anuran species living at elevations ranging from 100 m to 4500 m to assess phenotypic innovations in the skin of Nanorana parkeri, which lives at extremely high elevations. Analyses reveal similar basic skin structures, but N. parkeri differs from the other species by having more epidermal capillaries and granular glands, which correlate highly with responses to hypoxia and/or ultraviolet(UV) radiation. Further intraspecific comparisons from frogs taken at ~4500 m and ~2900 m reveal that all of the changes are fixed. Changes occurring only in the higher elevation population, such as possessing more skin pigments, may represent local adaptations to coldness and/or UV radiation. These results provide a morphological basis for understanding further the molecular adaptations of these frogs.

Comparative multi-locus assessment of modern Asian newts(Cynops, Paramesotriton, and Pachytriton:Salamandridae) in southern China suggests a shared biogeographic history

Evolutionary biologists are always interested in deciphering the geographic context of diversification,therefore they introduced the concept of comparative phylogeography, which helps to identify common mechanisms that contribute to shared genetic structures among organisms from the same region.Here, we used multi-locus genetic data along with environmental data to investigate shared phylogeographic patterns among three Asianendemic newt genera, Cynops, Paramesotriton and Pachytriton, which occurred in montane/submontane streams or ponds in southern China. Our 222samples from 78 localities covered the entire range of the three genera and represented the largest dataset of this group to date. We reconstructed matrilineal genealogies from two protein-coding,mitochondrial genes, and gene network from two nuclear genes. We also estimated divergence times of major cladogenetic events and used occurrence data to evaluate niche difference and similarity between lineages. Our results revealed a common basal split in all three genera that corresponds to the separation of two geographic terrains of southern China.Those ancient divergence occurred during middle to late Miocene and likely correlate with paleoclimatic fluctuations caused by the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau (QTP).Particularly,the strengthening and weakening of Asian summer monsoons during the Miocene may have profoundly impacted southern China and led to repeatedly vicariance in those newts.However,despite differences in realized niches between lineages,there is no evidence for divergence of fundamental niches.Preservation of old newt matriline lineages in mountains of southern China suggests that the region acts as both museums and cradles of speciation.Based on those results,we advocate a multi-pronged protection strategy for newts in the three genera.

A new species of genus Fejervarya (Anura:Dicroglossidae) from northern Thailand

We describe a new species of frog in the dicroglossid genus Fejervarya from Ban Monjong, Omkoi District, Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. Analysis of DNA sequence data from the mitochondrial gene 16S, advertisement calls, and morphological distinctiveness support recognition of the new species. Matrilineal genealogy suggests that the new population from Chiang Mai is a sister taxon to the South Asian clade that includes F. syhadrensis, F. granosa, and F. pierreL The new species, Fejervarya chiangmaiensis sp. nov., differs morphologically from its congeners by its relatively small body size and proportions and the presence of dorsal warts and dermal ridges. Discovery of this new species indicates that the biodiversity of amphibians in this region remains underestimated.

Toward a Phylogeny of the Kukri Snakes,Genus Oligodon

The South and Southeast Asian snake genus Oligodon, known for its egg-eating feeding behavior, has been a taxonomically and systematically challenging group. This work provides the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the genus. We use approximately 1900 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA sequence data to infer the relationships of these snakes, and we examine congruence between the phylogeny and hemipenial characters. A hypothesis for the position of Oligodon within the Colubridae is also proposed. We discuss the implications of the phylogeny for previous taxonomic groupings, and consider the usefulness of the trees in analysis of behavior and biogeography of this genus.

A new species of the genus Sinomicrurus(Serpentes:Elapidae)from China and Vietnam

DEAR EDITOR,A new species of Sinomicrurus Slowinski,Boundy,and Lawson,2001 is described herein based on a series of specimens.The new species,Sinomicrurus peinani sp.nov.,occurs in southern China and northern Vietnam.Sinomicrurus peinani sp.nov.is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters:(1)30-35 black crossbands on body and tail;(2)13 dorsal scale rows throughout,all smooth;(3)white belly with black cross-bands or irregular spots;(4)broad white transverse bar on top of head with inverted V-shaped anterior margin,white bar wider than anterior black bar;and(5)frontal V-like,1.3 times as long as wide.In addition,new occurrences of S.houi in Guangxi,China,and Vietnam are discussed.

Matrilineal Genealogy of Hynobius (Caudata:Hynobiidae) and a Temporal Perspective on Varying Levels of Diversity among Lineages of Salamanders on the Japanese Islands

Previous work found that different Japanese lineages of salamanders had quite different levels of species and genetic diversity. Lineages vary from having one to several species and the extent of genetic variation among lineages differs substantially. Most speciose,genus Hynobius contains 18 species and several potential cryptic species. We explore genetic diversity in this genus by combining comprehensive sampling and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Based on this and previous analyses of salamanders,relative times of divergence are employed to evaluate the relationship between age and diversity among the four major lineages whose distributions broadly overlap on the islands. For Hynobius,our analyses are congruent with the previously reported high level of cryptic diversity in morphology and allozymes,particularly in species composed of non-sister matrilines. Both species and genetic diversity correlate with the relative ages of the lineages. This correlation indicates that the variation in levels of diversity can be explained,to a considerable extent,by the hypothesis that older insular lineages have accumulated greater diversity. In addition to the Korean Peninsula,H. leechii might have survived in another Pleistocene glacial refugium north of the peninsula and this refugium provided a source of colonization after the last glacial maximum.

Discovery of Female Laudakia papenfussi Zhao,1998,with Insights into its Phylogenetic Relationships

The sole voucher of Papenfuss＇ Rock Agama, Laudakia papenfussi （CIB 775001）, an adult male, was collected from Zanda, Tibet, China on July 1, 1976 and described in 1998. No information on this species appeared since its description. In September 2014, we collected one female and six males at the type locality. Based on the original description and these newly collected specimens, we re-describe this species. Principal components analysis based on 33 morphological characteristics clearly diagnose L. papenfussi from closely related species. One way ANOVA test shows significant differences among four Tibetan rock agamas for 9 characters at 95% significant level, and 8 characters at 99% significant level. Molecular analyses recover three main clades in Laudakia. The four Tibetan rock agamas place into two geographical groups： Yarlung Zangbo group （L. sacra and L. wui） and the Himalayan group （L. tuberculata and L. papenfussi）.

Testing Hypotheses of Pleistocene Population History Using Coalescent Simulations: Refugial Isolation and Secondary Contact in Pseudepidalea raddei (Amphibia: Bufonidae)

The impact of the Quaternary glaciation on eastern China’s local fauna and flora is a topic of considerable interest. We use mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) sequences and coalescent simulations to test two general biogeographic hypotheses related to the effect of the Pleistocene climatic fluctuations on a widespread, eastern Chinese amphibian, Pseudepidalea raddei. Genealogical reconstructions are made and they detect major western and eastern lineages, which overlap in northwestern China, and possibly indicate the secondary contact of the populations that had entered the region from separate glacial refugia. Coalescent tests rejected alternative hypotheses of fragmentation of either a widespread ancestor or panmixia. The tests instead supported the hypothesis of geographic isolation and a remarkable dispersal pattern in one of the lineages. Though the Pleistocene climatic events are known to have affected the historical distributions and intra-specific divergence of Chinese squamates, coalescent and non-coalescent demographic analyses indicated that the toad P. raddei was not adversely affected by glacial cycling. Presumably, an increase in the amount of climatically mild habitats in East Asia is due to the development of monsoons since the Mid-late Pleistocene is responsible for the relatively mild effects.

Advances in herpetological research emanating from China

The warming of Earth owing to human activities is resulting in an episode of mass extinction. If global warming is not abated quickly, up to one-fourth of the species on our planet will face extinction in only 35 years. The loss of biodiversity is more than just many species disappearing. It could signal the beginning of the collapse of our ecosystems because the loss of one species can trigger a domino effect. Among vertebrates, the so-called cold bloodied species--fishes, amphibians and reptiles--are the most threatened groups.

现生生物分布格局与地质板块关系的探讨(英文)

通过比对地质板块分布格局与现生生物分布格局,探讨板块尤其是微板块对生物分布格局的影响。首先将中国大陆进行2°×2°的经纬网络设定,总计294个样方。根据两栖类分布信息进行汇总,建立数据表。在此基础上进行特有性简约分析,并与地质格局进行比较。结果表明,中国两栖类的分布包括27个分布区,并可进一步汇总为5个区域。这5个区域与中国大地构造相有很大程度的重叠,同时它们与蜘蛛分布格局也重叠。推断这5个区域是中国物种分布的共同格局,同时这种分布格局与地质板块的进化历史有密切关系,这种关系不仅仅体现在传统概念的板块之间,也体现在微板块。

脊椎动物多倍体基因组演化研究现状——模型选取及研究方法进展

多倍化即全基因组加倍的现象,在植物中普遍存在,而在脊椎动物中相对罕见.多倍体植物类群如何克服"基因组休克"效应达成基因组稳定及演化等问题均有系统的研究和成熟的理论,同时也为脊椎动物多倍化研究提供了理论参考.本文综述了多倍化研究中的理论发展,以及脊椎动物类群中的研究模型和进展,论述了组学研究面临的挑战以及有效的技术策略,以期能为未来解析脊椎动物多倍体演化问题提供确实可行的思路.

The gap in research on polyploidization between plants and vertebrates:model systems and strategic challenges

Polyploidization via whole-genome duplications （WGD） is a common phenomenon in organisms. However, investigations into this phenomenon differ greatly between plants and animals. Recent research on polyploid plants illustrates the immediate changes that follow WGDs and the mechanisms behind in both genetic and epigenetic consequences. Unfortunately, equivalent questions remain to be explored in animals. Enlightened by botanical research, the study of polyploidization in vertebrates involves the identification of model animals and the establishment of strategies. Here we review and compare the research on plants and vertebrates while considering intrageneric or intraspecific variation in genome size. Suitable research methods on recently established poly- ploidy systems could provide important clues for under- standing what happens after WGDs in vertebrates. The approach yields insights into survival and the rarity of polyploidization in vertebrates. The species of Carassius and the allopolyploid system of goldfish × common carp hybridization appear to be suitable models for unraveling the evolution and adaptation of polyploid vertebrates.