Hydroacoustic estimates of fish biomass and spatial distributions in shallow lakes

We conducted acoustical surveys with a horizontal beam transducer to detect fish and with a vertical beam transducer to detect depth and macrophytes in two typical shallow lakes along the middle and lower reaches of the Changjiang(Yangtze) River in November 2013. Both lakes are subject to active fish management with annual stocking and removal of large fish. The purpose of the study was to compare hydroacoustic horizontal beam estimates with fish landings. The preliminary results show that the fish distribution patterns dif fered in the two lakes and were af fected by water depth and macrophyte coverage. The hydroacoustically estimated fish biomass matched the commercial catch very well in Niushan Lake, but it was two times higher in Kuilei Lake. However, acoustic estimates included all fish, whereas the catch included only fish >45 cm(smaller ones were released). We were unable to determine the proper regression between acoustic target strength and fish length for the dominant fish species in the two lakes.

A new species of Tipulodina(Diptera: Tipulidae) from China

A new species of the genus Tipulodina Enderlein, 1912, Tipulodina simianshanensis Men sp. nov.(South China: Chongqing) is described and illustrated. A key to known species of the genus in China is provided. The new species represents the first record of Tipulodina species from Chongqing, China.

Taxonomy on crane flies from Mountain Huang, China, with descriptions of two new species(Diptera: Tipulidae)

The paper reports eight species from Mountain Huang, Anhui, China, including two new species, Nephrotoma huangshanensis sp. nov. and Tipula （Pterelachisus） pseudobiaciculifera sp. nov. The males of four species, Pselliophora xanthopimplina Enderlein, 1921, Tanyptera hubeiensis Yang ＆ Yang, 1988, Tipula coxitalis Alexander, 1935 and Tipulodina xyris （Alexander, 1949） are redescribed and illustrated, with new morphological characters. All specimens are deposited in the animal specimen room, School of Life Sciences, Anqing Normal University, Anhui Province, China.

Comparative morphological study of reproductive system between Tipulidae and Limoniidae(Diptera： Tipuloidea)

In present paper, the morphological descriptions of reproductive systems for Libnotes（Libnotes） pseudonohirai Men, 2015 in both sexes are provided, which represents the first description of the internal reproductive system in this genus. The female internal reproductive system of Libnotes（Libnotes） pseudonohirai is compared with that of the two presently examined species, Hexatoma（Eriocera） cleopatroides Men, 2015 and Holorusia sp., as well as some species previously documented. The morphological differences of internal reproductive organs for these species are listed. Additionally, the characteristic modes of internal reproductive systems for Tipulidae and Limoniidae are compared and summarized.

A new species of genus Brithura Edwards from China, with notes on its internal reproductive system(Diptera:Tipulidae)

One new species of the genus Brithura Edwards, 1916, B. triprocessa Men & Liu sp. nov. from China is described and illustrated. The morphological description of the internal reproductive system for both sexes of the new species is provided, which represents the first concern of the internal reproductive system in this genus.

Record of a juvenile Omura's whale live stranded in Hainan Island:Evidence of a potential breeding ground in the South China Sea?

On January 12,2011,a very young juvenile Bryde's-like baleen whale was found stranded alive on the east coast of Hainan Island,in the South China Sea.Unfortunately,it died the next morning.This baleen whale showed some unique external morphology and skull features of the Omura's whale(Balaenoptera omurai).Subsequently,it was genetically identified as an Omura's whale using two different mitochondrial DNA markers.This study documents the first confirmed live stranding of a juvenile Omura's whale on Hainan Island,China.Our findings expand the known distribution range of this species in Chinese waters and may indicate that waters around Hainan Island in the South China Sea could be a potential breeding ground for the Omura's whale.