Reproductive biology of Hemitripterus villosus in the Bohai Strait,China

To understand the reproductive biology of Hemitripterus villosus in the Bohai Strait,and fill the key knowledge gap in verifying reproductive seasonality and documenting gonadotropin dependent reproductive cycle of this species,a year-round detail study was conducted for the first time.In total,263 individuals were randomly sampled off the coasts of the Bohai Strait.Results show that and the overall female-to-male ratio(1.35:1)did not differ significantly from the 1:1 sex ratio.The length and weight relationship for females and males were regressed,depicting an isometric growth for both sexes.Four reproductive phases of the complete gonadotropin dependent reproductive cycle in both sexes were identified.The monthly variations in the gonadosomatic and hepatosomatic indexes for both sexes further indicated that this species spawns a single batch of eggs per year and the peak spawning period is from October to December.The average diameter of eggs ranged from 2.10 to 3.57 mm.The length at first sexual maturity was 224.87 mm for females and 241.26 mm for males.Significant positive relationships between absolute fecundity and fish size,and also gonadal weight were observed.H.villosus from the Bohai Strait exhibited smaller body size,smaller egg diameter,lower gonadosomatic index,lower absolute fecundity,and higher population extinction risk than the other populations’studied previously.Our findings contribute to understanding the status of this isolated westernmost population,and we emphasize that more efficient protection measures for the species and control measures are urgently required to improve the coastal environment in the Bohai Strait.

Sexual Dimorphism and Female Reproductive Characteristics in the Hainan Water Skink(Tropidophorus hainanus)from Hainan,South China

We studied sexual dimorphism in body size and shape and female reproductive characteristics in the Hainan Water Skink(Tropidophorus hainanus)from Hainan,South China.In our sample the largest female and male were 61.1 and 55.2 mm snout-vent length(SVL),respectively.The mean SVL was larger in adult females(52.0 mm)than in adult males(48.3 mm).Juveniles were sexually dimorphic in head length but not in other examined morphological variables.Adult males were longer in head length and shorter in abdomen length and fore-limb length than adult females of the same SVL.Ontogenetic shifts in sexual dimorphism in body shape were evident,as revealed by the fact that morphological differences between the sexes were more pronounced in adults than in juveniles.Females produced a single litter of 3–6 offspring per season from early August to early September.Litter size,litter mass and offspring(neonate)mass were positively related to female SVL.Neonate mass was independent of relative fecundity.From the above findings we draw three main conclusions.First,females are the larger sex in T.hainanus,and sexual dimorphism in body shape is more pronounced in adults than in juveniles.Second,larger female T.hainanus produce more and larger offspring and thus heavier litters than smaller ones.Third,the offspring size-number trade-off does is not evident in T.hainanus.

Effects of Different Progesterone Plugs on Estrous Control in Ewe

In breeding season and non-breeding season, the effects of three kinds of progesterone plugs on estrous control in ewes were studied. Meanwhile, the advantages and the disadvantages of the progesterone plugs were analyzed. The results showed that there were no significant difference among three progesterone plugs on modulating the ewes＇ estrus and pregnancy, and affecting estrous rate and fecundation rate （P〉0.05）. It was observed that the progesterone plug produced by Animal Husbandry Research Center of Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences could modulate the ewes＇ estrus and pregnancy effectively, and the low cost and convenience in operation made it popularize in the reproducation of sheep widely.

Lazzaro Spallanzani: pioneer of artificial insemination, multidisciplinary research, and scientific dissemination

Lazzaro Spallanzani(1729-1799)was a father of modern biology,with peculiar traits such as a multidisciplinary approach and penchant for scientific dissemination.Spallanzani consistently contributed to modern reproductive medicine by implementing experimental methods for the first historically successful artificial insemination.Nevertheless,he participated in discoveries pertaining to blood circulation,digestion,and respiration.Widely known in Europe in the eighteenth century,his fame prolonged to the following century,not exclusively through scientific acknowledgments,but even in literature.Nowadays,the figure of Spallanzani experience a kind of neglect and it would appear essential to maintain his work in the light of the history of medicine.

Normal reference ranges for semen quality and their relations to fecundity

Several recent studies have shown that the fecundity of a man decreases progressively with sperm concentrations below 40 million spermatozoa per mL. Therefore, it is unfortunate that the new World Health Organization guidelines for semen analysis recommend lowering the lower cutoff value for normal sperm concentration from 20 to 15 million spermatozoa per mL. As a result large groups of subfertile men across the world may not receive appropriate andrological help in the future.

Semen quality analysis and the idea of normal fertility

The World Health Organization （WHO） has extensively revised its manual for semen analysis, and seeks to provide reference limits for semen quality parameters. This raises the question of what is meant by ＇normal＇ （excluding the use of this term to denote a Gaussian distribution）. It could be taken in a purely statistical sense, using a biologically arbitrary cut-off point to denote an abnormal level, typically the extreme 5 percent of the population. Alternatively, ＇normal＇ could be defined according to the biological concept of normality and abnormality, in terms of the point at which biological function becomes impaired. Either of these can be used in descriptive epidemiology, for example, to study trends, but in the case of fertility, both semen quality and functional fertility （time to pregnancy） are continuous variables with no clear threshold. The WHO manual uses the biological meaning of normal, in that it provides the semen parameter distributions for men who have recently fathered pregnancies that took 12 months or less to conceive. However, what is really needed is the same information the other way around： given a particular semen test result, what should be expected in terms of ability to conceive, and how long it is likely to take. In considering epidemiological research, the focus has been mainly on internal comparisons, rather than reference limits, but it would be beneficial if more attention were paid to the absolute levels and to what these mean in terms of function--in other words, if the data were better calibrated biologically.

Larval diet affects development and reproduction of East Asian strain of the fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda

In December 11,2018,the fall armyworm(FAW),Spodoptera frugiperda invaded China and has since impacted local maize,sorghum and other crops.Here,we draw on laboratory experiments to show how different host crops(i.e.,maize,sorghum,wheat and rice)and artificial diet affect larval growth and adult reproduction of one local FAW strain.Larval diet affected development duration,pupation rate,survival and emergence rate of pupae,and S.frugiperda adult fecundity.FAW attained the slowest larval development(19.4 days)on sorghum and the fastest(14.1 days)on artificial diet,with larvae attaining 99.6%survival on the latter food item.On rice,FAW larvae attained survival rate of 0.4%and were unable to pupate successfully.Pupation rate and pupal survival varied substantially between artificial diet and live plantlets at different phenological stages.Pupal weight was the highest(0.26 g)on artificial diet and the lowest(0.14 g)on sorghum,while FAW females reached the highest fecundity(699.7 eggs/female)on 2-leaf stage maize.Egg hatching rate equaled 93.6%on 4-or 5-leaf stage maize and 36.6%on artificial diet.FAW intrinsic rate of natural increase and the finite rate of increase varied between larval diets,reflecting how young maize leaves are the most suitable diet.Our findings can help to refine laboratory rearing protocols,devise population forecasting models or guide the deployment of‘area-wide’integrated pest management(IPM)modules in FAW-invaded areas of China and other Asian countries.

LABORATORY OBSERVATION ON SPAWNING,FECUNDITY AND LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF AMPHIOXUS (BRANCHIOSTOMA BELCHERI TSINGTAUNESE)

Although amphioxus is widespread in temperate and tropical seas,its population is diminishing be-cause of environmental pollution.To keep the population of this evolutionarily important animal fromdiminishing,study on its reproduction and development is necessary.The main findings in this study onthe spawning and fecundity of the amphioxus reared in laboratory and its larval development are as fol-lows.1.Water temperature markedly affected the spawning.It spawned only when water temperature reached 21℃.2.Spawning of the amphioxus in laboratory was markedly extended.Initially,the amphioxus spawned at about 7:00 PM,but spawning time was postponed as spawning days went on.3.The number of eggs produced by a female ranged from 1400 to 12800,average of 5800.This al-so represents the fecundity of the amphioxus because it shedded all eggs within the ovary at a time.4.During the first few months of life of the amphioxus,its growth rate changed seasonally.Thegrowth rate in summer and fall was greater than that

Population life tables for the invasive fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda fed on major oil crops planted in China

The fall armyworm(FAW),Spodoptera frugiperda,is a newly invasive,widespread agricultural pest in China.Understanding the suitability of the main field crops in Chinese agricultural system as host for this polyphagous herbivore is especially important for making control strategy.Here,after FAWs were fed three important oil-bearing crops(oilseed rape,soybean and sunflower)planted in China and resultant population parameters were compared using the age-stage,two-sex life table method,survival of larvae on soybean was significantly lower than that on oilseed rape and sunflower.Developmental duration of larvae on soybean was also the longest(23.3 days).The highest pupation rate was recorded on sunflower.The highest pupal mass(0.19 g)was attained on oilseed rape,significantly higher than on the other host plants;the lowest mass was on soybean(0.15 g).On soybean,oilseed rape and sunflower,respectively,the average generation period was 42.21,39.10 and 40.44 d;the intrinsic rate of increase(r)was 0.0844,0.1041 and 0.1134;the finite rate of increase(λ)was 1.0881,1.1098 and 1.1202.While the most suitable host plant overall was sunflower,S.frugiperda completed development and increased its population on all three host plants.Thus,soybean,oilseed rape and sunflower were all suitable for FAW,and population monitoring and management of FAW in these crops should be increased.

Assessing cypermethrin-contaminated soil with three different earthworm test methods

A series of tests (lethal,sublethal,and behavioral) on earthworms were conducted as an eco-assessment of pesticides.In this study,the toxicity of cypermethrin-contaminating soil on adult and juvenile earthworms was assessed.Beside the acute and chronic tests,an avoidance response test was carried out.It was shown that the all-round toxicity from cypermethrin was weak on adult earthworms.Compared with adult earthworms,the toxicity of juvenile earthworms from cypermethrin especially chronic toxicity increased...

Response of successive three generations of cotton,bollworm,Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner),fed on cotton bolls under elevated CO_2

The growth, development and consumption of successive three generations of cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera （Htibner）, fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2 （double-ambient vs. ambient） in open-top chambers were examined. Significant decreases in protein, total amino acid, water and nitrogen content and increases in free fatty acid were observed in cotton bolls. Changes in quality of cotton bolls affected the growth, development and food utilization of H. armigera. Significantly longer larval development duration in three successive generations and lower pupal weight of the second and third generations were observed in cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. Significantly lower fecundity was also found in successive three generations of H. armigera fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. The consumption per larva occurred significant increase in successive three generations and frass per larva were also significantly increased during the second and third generations under elevated CO2. Significantly lower relative growth rate, efficiency of conversion of ingested food and significant higher relative consumption rate in successive three generations were observed in cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. Significantly lower potential female fecundity, larval numbers and population consumption were found in the second and third generations of cotton bollworm fed on cotton bolls grown under elevated CO2. The integrative effect of higher larval mortality rate and lower adult fecundity resulted in significant decreases in potential population consumption in the latter two generations. The results show that elevated CO2 adversely affects cotton bolls quality, which indicates the potential population dynamics and potential population consumption of cotton bollworm will alleviate the harm to the plants in the future rising CO2 atmosphere.

Adult nutrition affects reproduction and flight performance of the invasive fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda in China

Floral resources,such as carbohydrate-rich nectar or pollen,can bolster fitness and raise reproductive output of adult lepidopterans.Here,we used laboratory experiments to assess how those plant-derived foods impact adult fecundity,reproductive physiology and flight performance of an invasive strain of the fall armyworm,Spodoptera frugiperda(FAW;Lepidoptera:Noctuidae)in China.More specifically,supplementary feeding on bee pollen and honey enhanced FAW flight duration,testis size,ovarian development,longevity and adult fecundity.FAW adults attained the longest pre-oviposition(10.8 days)and oviposition period(6.8 days)and longevity(19.2 days)on 5%acacia honey.Upon access to 2.5%acacia honey and 2.5‰pine pollen,S.frugiperda attained the highest mating rate(79.7%),fecundity(644.9 eggs/female)and egg hatching rate(82.3%).Feeding on honey further delayed decay of male testes,while ovarian development was enhanced when female moths were allowed access to 2.5%honey and 2.5‰pine pollen.Upon feeding on 5%honey solution,S.frugiperda engaged in flight over the longest duration(9.5 h),distance(29.9 km)and speed(3.1 km h-1).Honey had a comparatively greater effect on the above parameters than pollen.Our findings help decipher FAW invasion patterns and population dynamics,facilitate the development of nutritional attractants,and contribute to integrated pest management of this newly-invasive pest in eastern Asia.

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.

Comparative analysis of the ecological fitness and transcriptome between two genotypes of the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens

Insect quantity is an important index for determining the degree of damage to plants.The brown planthopper(BPH),Nilaparvata lugens(Stal),is one of the most important rice pests in Asia.Here,we used two genotypes of BPH,a highfecundity genotype(HFG)and a low-fecundity genotype(LFG),to measure their ecological fitness and to explore possible causes for genotype differentiation by transcriptome sequencing.Our results showed that there were significant differences in body weight,egg hatching rate and honeydew secretion between the HFG and LFG,particularly,the number of eggs laid per female was more significant.Transcriptional analysis showed that a total of 1966 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were mainly involved in energy metabolism,carbohydrate and lipid syn thesis,in sect horm one syn thesis and fecun dity-related pathways.Moreover,we found that the phosphorylation levels of AMPK,AKT and FoxO and the synthesis of ecdysone were different between the two genotypes of BPH.These findings may partially explain the differenee in the ecological fitness between HFG and LFG.This study is the first to compare the differences between two genotypes of BPH and to provide transcriptomic evidenee to further understand the fecundity of BPH.

A sublethal concentration of afidopyropen suppresses the population growth of the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover(Hemiptera: Aphididae)

The cotton aphid,Aphis gossypii Glover(Hemiptera:Aphididae),is an important insect pest of cotton crops worldwide.The objectives of this study were to determine the acute toxicity of afidopyropen and whether there are any effects of sublethal concentrations of afidopyropen on the biological characteristics of A.gossypii.The results showed that afidopyropen possesses high acute toxicity to adult A.gossypii with a 72 h LC_(50) value of 1.062 mg L^(–1).A sublethal concentration(LC_(10))of afidopyropen significantly decreased adult longevity,fecundity and oviposition days of female adults in both F0 and F1 generations.The total pre-adult survival of F_(1) progeny was also significantly reduced by 30%at the LC_(10) of afidopyropen.In addition,the nymph developmental time,pre-adult period,adult pre-reproductive period(APRP),and total pre-reproductive period(TPRP)of the F1 progeny were significantly prolonged compared with the control.Several population parameters,including the net reproductive rate(R_(0)),intrinsic rate of increase(r)and finite rate of increase(λ)of F_(1) progeny were significantly decreased by a sublethal afidopyropen concentration exposure.These results indicated that sublethal concentration of afidopyropen can significantly suppress A.gossypii population growth.It would be useful for assessing the overall effects of afidopyropen on A.gossypii.

Effects of alternating temperatures on development and reproduction of the armyworm,Mythimna separata (Walker)

Effects of cycling and constant temperature on development and reproduction of the armyworm, Mythimna separata (Walker) were investigated by rearing the insects on the artificial diet under temperatures covering low(16-24℃ vs. 20 ℃ ), medial(20-28℃ vs. 24℃ ) and high(24-32 ℃ vs. 28 ℃) regions. In the low region, all the immature stages of the insect developed significantly faster under alternating temperatures than at corresponding constant temperatures. For the medial region, their development was little affected by variable temperatures. For the high region, developmental durations tended to be longer under cycling temperatures except egg stage.Mean fecundities of the adult moths markedly increased under cycling temperatures as compared with those at respective constant temperature in all regions.Possible reasons for effect of alternating temperatures on insect development are discussed in some details.

Reproductive Strategy and Cycle of the Toad-headed Agama Phrynocephalus grumgrzimailoi(Agamidae) in Xinjiang,China

The reproductive strategy and cycle of Phrynocephalus grumgrzimailoi were studied at a locality close to Urumqi City, Xinjiang, China. The hatchlings of P. grumgrzimailoi need at least two years to reach sexual maturity, with the smallest mature male and female measured 48.02 mm and 47.01 mm snout-vent length(SVL), respectively. Adult females produce a single clutch per breeding season, with the clutch size ranging from 1 to 5. The clutch size and mass are significantly correlated with female SVL. There is no correlation of mean egg size with clutch size and relative fecundity in P. grumgrzimailoi, suggesting that the trade-off is absent between mean egg size and number. Females increase reproductive output mainly through increasing egg numbers. The copulation period lasts from April to June. Females begin vitellogenesis in April and lay eggs from May to July. Our results suggest that toad-headed lizards tend to select different reproductive strategies to adapt themselves to their arid or semi-arid habitats.

Effects of ethanol extract of leaves of Helianthus annus on the fecundity of Wistar rats

Objective:To evaluate the effects of ethanol extract of leaves of Helianthus annus(H.annus) on the fecundity of Wistar rats.Methods:Forty(20 male and 20 female) Wistar rats,grouped into control,ethanol extract treated rats and untreated,were used for the study.Treated rats had 0.5 g/kg of ethanol extract orally for 2 weeks;control rats had 5%alcoholic water(solvent);and untreated rats had their normal feed and clean drinking water.Following treatment,the animals were sub-grouped into 5 mating groups to observe the coital frequency,pregnancy rate and average number of pups per group in pairs.Results:The results showed that coital frequency was unaffected by the extract treatment but pregnancy rate and number of pups per rat and per group were reduced significantly in groupsⅡ,ⅢandⅣcompared to those of groupⅠandⅤrats which were not treated with the ethanol extract of leaves of H.annus.Conclusions:The histodegenerative in the gonads reportedly induced by this ethanol extract in previous studies may be responsible for the reduced fecundity observed in treated adult rats.

Reproductive characteristics of Psilorhynchus homaloptera Hora and Mukerji,1935 (Cyprinidae: Psilorhynchidae) in the lower Yarlung Zangbo River,Tibet

Psilorhynchus homaloptera mainly inhabits turbulent waters in the lower reach of the Yarlung Zangbo River,Tibet,China,and it is the only species of Psilorhynchus in China.However,many important aspects of its biology remain poorly documented,which hinders the conservation eff orts.Therefore,we studied its reproduction using 801 specimens from the Motuo sector of the lower Yarlung Zangbo River from December 2015 to November 2016.The sex ratio was 0.68꞉1(male꞉female)for the overall population.Females reached a larger total length and weight(134 mm and 18.6 g)than males did(113 mm and 12.2 g).Lengths at maturity were estimated 80.0 mm for males and 93.1 mm for females.Our analyses of gonad development and the size distribution of oocytes suggest that P.homaloptera is a single spawner with the peak spawning period between September and October.Furthermore,the estimated mean absolute fecundity was 557±204 eggs per fish,and mean relative fecundity was 50.9±10.9 eggs per g of female weight.The fecundity of P.homaloptera increased linearly with increasing total length,total weight,ovary weight,and age.This study on the reproductive biology of P.homaloptera demonstrates that the fish was in a vulnerable state due to the increasing anthropogenic activities in the lower Yarlung Zangbo River.

Dynamics of Betula ermanni population in subalpine vegetation in Changbai Mountain, Northeast China

Betula ermanni population was divided into three groups: the upper population (2 000–2 200 m), the middle population (1 700–2 000 m), and the down population (1 400–1 700 m) in Changbai Mountain. The dynamics ofBetula ermanni populations in subalpine vegetation are studied and the population life table, fecundity schedule, survival curves, age structure, and fecundity curves were established. The results showed that the, middle population is obviously, the transition from the upper population to the down population.