New Record of Lycodon liuchengchaoi in Anhui

One juvenile and one adult female wolf snake（Colubridae： Lycodon） were sampled at Yixian and Fuxi, Huangshan, Anhui, China in the summer of 2011 and 2012, respectively. The two specimens were identified as Lycodon liuchengchaoi based on external morphology and molecular data. This is a new reptile record in Anhui Province. In our laboratory, four eggs were laid and three neonates were hatched successfully. This is the first record of the laying and incubation of L. liuchengchaoi eggs. The five specimens were deposited at the Museum of Huangshan University（HUM20140001） and Guangdong Entomological Institute（HB-lcfsp12613, HB-lcfsp-ch1~3）.

Investigation of the Population Change of Cinnamomum camphora(L.) Presl. during the Past Century in Wuxi

Through investigating the population change of Cinnamomum camphora(L.) Presl. in Wuxi City, the research found that C. camphora(L.) Presl. in the past century had already become common species from rare species, then explored the causes, advantages and disadvantages of the change. In view of sustainable development of urban greening, zonal vegetation and fl ora, this paper explored the scientifi c and reasonable application of tree species and also protection of urban plant diversity.

A new species of the genus Crocidura from China based on molecular and morphological data(Eulipotyphla: Soricidae)

A new species of white-toothed shrew,Crocidura anhuiensis Zhang,Zhang&Li,sp.nov.is described from Mount Huang,China.Genetic sequence(mt DNA Cyt b gene)and morphological(external and skull)data are used to distinguish this newly discovered species.The phylogenetic analysis shows that the materials of this work are monophyletic and allied to C.attenuata by the uncorrected genetic distance 4.9–5.1%,which suggests a species-level divergence.Morphologically,the materials are different from C.attenuata by presenting a greater proportion of tail-to-body ratio and the presence of an obvious tooth root in the mandible.Based on those data,the unnamed species is described as a new species which is currently known only from the Wild Monkey Valley,Mount Huang,Anhui Province,China.

A new species of the genus Crocidura(Mammalia:Eulipotyphla:Soricidae) from Mount Huang, China

In this study, a new species of white-toothed shrew, Crocidura huangshanensis Yang, BW Zhang & Li, sp. nov. was described based on five individuals collected from the Mt. Huang of China. Its morphological data and mt DNA sequences(Cyt b) were analyzed. Morphologically, C. huangshanensis Yang, BW Zhang & Li, sp. nov. is different from its congeners(C. anhuiensis and C. attenuata) by the body and skull smaller in size and the premolar and molar smoother, which are also different from other Southeast Asian Crocidura. The phylogenetic analysis shows that all individuals of C. huangshanensis Yang, BW Zhang & Li, sp. nov. merged into a single clade. In addition, the genetic distance between C. huangshanensis Yang, BW Zhang & Li, sp. nov. and other species of Crocidura is ranged from 9.8% to 15.3%, indicating a species-level divergence. The new species is currently distributed in the Wild Monkey Valley, located in Mt. Huang, China.

Variation in plant diversity and dominance across dune fixation stages in the Chinese steppe zone

Aims Our aim was to study how diversity and dominance of plant species and plant functional types(PFTs)change and covary across three dune fixation stages in the Chinese steppe zone.Methods In the Chinese steppe zone,we measured coverage,mean height and density of each plant species in three types of dunes(mobile,semi-fixed and fixed dunes)in four sites(Mu Us,Otindag,Hulunbeir and Horqin).Plant species were grouped into 24 PFTs according to their lifespan,photosynthetic pathway,reproductive mode and life form.Dominance of each plant species and PFT were determined,and species diversity and PFT diversity were quantified using Shannon–Wiener index.Important Findings PFT diversity was positively related to plant species diversity in each dune stage,but PFT diversity increased more with increasing plant species diversity in the mobile and semi-fixed dunes than in the fixed dunes.Dune fixation stage explained 87.2%of the variation in plant species diversity and 84.8%of the variation in PFT diversity.Dominant species and PFTs differed among the three dune fixation stages;the more fixed the dunes were,the more perennial,shrubby,clonal and C3 species co-dominated.Specifically,in mobile dunes annual C4 non-clonal herbs were the most dominant,and in semi-fixed and fixed dunes perennial C3 clonal shrubs were most dominant.