Sexual dimorphism between males and females is a common pattern observed in the natural world and has become one of the main focuses of evolutionary biology.Amphibian head size and shape are important factors that may...Sexual dimorphism between males and females is a common pattern observed in the natural world and has become one of the main focuses of evolutionary biology.Amphibian head size and shape are important factors that may influence food acquisition,but knowledge about the sexual differences between amphibian head size and shape is relatively scant.Here,intersexual differences in the head size and shape of Rana kukunoris,which is a high-elevation frog from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,were investigated.Significant differences were found in the head shape but not the head size between sexes.A significant correlation was also observed between prey size and head size.However,these correlations disappeared when individual body size was controlled,suggesting that body size but not food size was the main factor resulting in intersexual differences in head size/shape.The results suggested that food competition between sexes did not result in sexual dimorphism of head shape among these frogs.展开更多
The Rana chensinensis species group is widely distributed throughout North China.However,its taxonomy and composition remain controversial.In recent field investigations of the Taihang Mountains,a series of Rana speci...The Rana chensinensis species group is widely distributed throughout North China.However,its taxonomy and composition remain controversial.In recent field investigations of the Taihang Mountains,a series of Rana specimens were collected,which were once identified as R.chensinensis.However,these samples showed significant differences from R.chensinensis of the type locality(Shaanxi Province in the Qinling Mountains)in both morphology and genetics.In this paper,based on analyses of seventeen geographic populations from the Taihang and Qinling Mountains,we describe a new species(namely R.taihangensis sp.nov.)in the R.chensinensis species group.A phylogenetic analysis of the R.chensinensis species group based on mitochondrial genes—COI,16S rRNA and Cytb—revealed the monophyly of the cryptic species,which formed the sister taxon to R.kukunoris.Morphological comparisons indicated that the cryptic species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characteristics.Additionally,the distribution patterns of the Rana species in North China were clarified.The populations of the southwestern Taihang Mountains,Xiaoqinling Mountains,and Funiu Mountains in Henan Province remain R.chensinensis,whereas the populations recorded as R.chensinensis in Beijing City,Hebei Province,and the southeastern Taihang Mountains of Henan Province should be revised as R.taihangensis sp.nov.展开更多
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.32270457)The authors confirmed that this study based on the The Animal Ethics Committee at Anhui University permitted this experiments(IACUC(AHU)-2022-007).
文摘Sexual dimorphism between males and females is a common pattern observed in the natural world and has become one of the main focuses of evolutionary biology.Amphibian head size and shape are important factors that may influence food acquisition,but knowledge about the sexual differences between amphibian head size and shape is relatively scant.Here,intersexual differences in the head size and shape of Rana kukunoris,which is a high-elevation frog from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,were investigated.Significant differences were found in the head shape but not the head size between sexes.A significant correlation was also observed between prey size and head size.However,these correlations disappeared when individual body size was controlled,suggesting that body size but not food size was the main factor resulting in intersexual differences in head size/shape.The results suggested that food competition between sexes did not result in sexual dimorphism of head shape among these frogs.
基金supported by the Biodiversity Survey and Assessment Project of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment,China(2019HJ2096001006)China Biodiversity Observation Networks(Sino BON)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31872220,U21A20192 and 31572245)the Natural Science Founda tion of Henan Province(202300410222)the Second National Survey of Terrestrial Wildlife Resources Project of the National Forestry and Grassland Bureau of China.
文摘The Rana chensinensis species group is widely distributed throughout North China.However,its taxonomy and composition remain controversial.In recent field investigations of the Taihang Mountains,a series of Rana specimens were collected,which were once identified as R.chensinensis.However,these samples showed significant differences from R.chensinensis of the type locality(Shaanxi Province in the Qinling Mountains)in both morphology and genetics.In this paper,based on analyses of seventeen geographic populations from the Taihang and Qinling Mountains,we describe a new species(namely R.taihangensis sp.nov.)in the R.chensinensis species group.A phylogenetic analysis of the R.chensinensis species group based on mitochondrial genes—COI,16S rRNA and Cytb—revealed the monophyly of the cryptic species,which formed the sister taxon to R.kukunoris.Morphological comparisons indicated that the cryptic species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characteristics.Additionally,the distribution patterns of the Rana species in North China were clarified.The populations of the southwestern Taihang Mountains,Xiaoqinling Mountains,and Funiu Mountains in Henan Province remain R.chensinensis,whereas the populations recorded as R.chensinensis in Beijing City,Hebei Province,and the southeastern Taihang Mountains of Henan Province should be revised as R.taihangensis sp.nov.
