A New Species of the Genus Achalinus from Huangshan, Anhui, China(Squamata: Xenodermidae)

A new species of the genus Achalinus is described based on five specimens collected from the villages of Huangjialing and Fuxi, Huangshan, Anhui, China. It can be morphologically differentia ted from all the other species in Achalinus except for A. spinalis and A. werneri by the presence of a dotted black streak in the middle of the subcaudal. It can be distinguished from A. spinalis in that its two anterior temporals are in contact with eye, and A. werneri by its light brown flanks. The phylogenetic rela tionship of Achalinus was reconstructed using the mitochondrial locus of cytochrome coxidase subunit 1(CO1). The five new specimens form a monophyletic clade with strong support. The uncorrected p-dista nces between the new species and other representatives of Achalinus range from 13.6% to 21.7%. The recognition of the new species increases the number of described Achalinus species to 14.

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 snake species of the genus Gonyosoma Wagler,1828(Serpentes:Colubridae)from Hainan Island,China

A new species of the genus Gonyosoma Wagler,1828 is described herein based on six specimens from the Diaoluoshan Mountains,Hainan Island,Hainan Province,China.The new species,Gonyosoma hainanense sp.nov.,is most similar to its continental sister species,Gonyosoma boulengeri(Mocquard,1897).Both taxa have a scaled protrusion on the anterior portion of the rostrum,distinct from other congeners.However,Gonyosoma hainanense sp.nov.can be distinguished from G.boulengeri by two significant morphological characters:(1)black orbital stripe absent in adults(vs.present in G.boulengeri);and(2)two loreals(vs.one loreal in G.boulengeri).The new species is also genetically divergent and forms a unique clade from its sister species and all other congeners based on sequences of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b(cyt b).