We described a new species, Microhyla beilunensis sp. nov., from Zhejiang Province of China. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial 12 S, 16 S and CO1 gene sequences suggested that the new taxon was distinct...We described a new species, Microhyla beilunensis sp. nov., from Zhejiang Province of China. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial 12 S, 16 S and CO1 gene sequences suggested that the new taxon was distinctly separated from its congeners and closed to M. mixtura and M. okinavensis. Morphologically, the new species could be identified from its congeners except M. mixtura by several characters:(1) rudimentary webs on toe base;(2) absence of disks and dorsal median longitudinal grooves on finger tips;(3) presence of disks and dorsal median longitudinal grooves on toe tips. As well, the new species could be identified from topotype M. mixtura by the combination of characters:(1) apart from the stripes, bar-shaped and oval-shaped patterns, the rounded spots present on the dorsum of body and legs;(2) the outer metacarpal tubercles prominently larger than the inner one;(3) of males, the ratios of HW, IND, UEW and LAW to SVL of the new species were significantly larger than those of M. mixtura(P < 0.01), and the ratios of SL, IOD, LAHL, HLL, TL, TFL and FL to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those of M. mixtura(P < 0.05).展开更多
A new species of Leptobrachella is described from Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality,China.Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences indicated that the new species is g...A new species of Leptobrachella is described from Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality,China.Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences indicated that the new species is genetically divergent from its congeners.It could be identified from its congeners by a combination of followings characters:body size of male 29.1-34.1 mm(n=14),female 34.1-34.9 mm(n=4);dorsal skin rough with large tubercles in size of humeral glands,without conical spines;fringes on toes narrow;ventral body basically floral white with deep grey pigments all over;dorsal body deep greyish brown with smoky black markings;iris gold above,gradually silver bellow;tibia-tarsal articulation reaches the level of the middle of the eye when leg being stretched forward;the main call type with dominant frequency4.08 ± 0.16 kHz(14.1-14.9℃),call duration 170.35± 15.19ms,the number of pulses for the first note in a call 3.50±0.89,and the number of pulses for the second note in a call 5.08±0.77.展开更多
A new keelback snake of the genus Hebius,H.jingdongensis sp.nov.,is reported from Jingdong in Yunnan,China based on a combination of molecular and morphological evidence.Although closest to H.khasiensis and H.boulenge...A new keelback snake of the genus Hebius,H.jingdongensis sp.nov.,is reported from Jingdong in Yunnan,China based on a combination of molecular and morphological evidence.Although closest to H.khasiensis and H.boulengeri phylogenetically,this new species is genetically distinct amongst congeners with the mitochondrial Cyt b uncorrected p-distance ranging from 9.5%(vs.H.octolineatus)to 14.8%(vs.H.andreae).In addition,this new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters:(1)body cylindrical,tail relatively short,TaL/TL 0.235–0.243;(2)dorsal scale rows 19-19-17;(3)ventrals 163–166,cloacal plate divided,subcaudals 71–74 pairs;(4)supralabials 8,the first two contact with the nasals;(5)infralabials 9 or 10,preocular 1,postoculars 3;(6)body dorsum sandy beige with the sides yellowish-brown decorated with two brick-red stripes on the dorsolateral scale rows in life;(7)sutures between the labials brick-red in life and taupe in preservative;(8)ventral light yellow with the outer part of each scale brick-red in life;(9)ventrolateral stripes present.展开更多
We described anew species of the Amolops mantzorum group(Anura:Ranidae) from northwestern Hunan Province,China based on morphological and molecular evidence.The new species differs from its congeners by a combination ...We described anew species of the Amolops mantzorum group(Anura:Ranidae) from northwestern Hunan Province,China based on morphological and molecular evidence.The new species differs from its congeners by a combination of the following characteristics:moderate body size of SVL 403-409 mm in adult males(N=3),and 52.6-57.7 mm in adult females(N=3);head length about equal to or larger than head width(HDL/HDW 1.01-1.03);skin on dorsum smooth;dorsolateral folds absent,but developed a series of elongated glands forming an incomplete line;dense small spiny tubercles on lower flanks,and sparse flat tubercles on upper flanks;skin on belly slightly granular,posterior half of ventral surface of thigh glandular;tympanum indistinct,small,covered by glandular skin;presence of dense spiny tubercles around the mouth corner;vomerine teeth present,attached on two oblique ridges;presence of supernumerary tubercles below the bases of fingers Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ;several protruding tubercles around the cloacal region,with a pair of larger tubercles on sides of the anus;webs on each side of toe Ⅳ reaches the region between third subarticular tubercle and digit;and absence of vocal sacs and linea masculine in males.展开更多
Many animals migrate during the breeding season.It is important to study the patterns of breeding migration of wild animals,especially rare and endangered species.However,current data acquisition methods are too coars...Many animals migrate during the breeding season.It is important to study the patterns of breeding migration of wild animals,especially rare and endangered species.However,current data acquisition methods are too coarse and imprecise for investigating the circadian rhythms of migrations in amphibians.Based on the frustrated total reflection image(FTRI),we developed a new device and recorded the precise migration time of an endangered salamander,Liangshantriton taliangensis.During the breeding period,a total of 33 individuals were effectively recorded.Analysis of the data indicated that the circadian rhythm of breeding migration in L.taliangensis was bimodal,and migration mainly occurred from 05:00 to 13:00(81.82%of the total migration records).The average relative activity intensity index(RAI)of breeding migration peaked in the temperature range of 14.0–16.0°C.With increased average relative air humidity,the activity intensity first increased and then decreased,reaching a peak in the humidity range of 91.0%–97.0%.These results demonstrate that our new device is a viable and accurate method for recording the migration time of target species.It is important to reveal the breeding migration pattern of L.taliangensis,which is important for the conservation of this species.Meanwhile,this new device can be used for field monitoring and conservation studies of amphibians,reptiles and other animals.展开更多
An integrative study based on morphological data and mitochondrial molecular data of all known Nanorana(sensu stricto)species have revealed a new species from the Hengduan Mountains,N.huangi sp.nov.The new species can...An integrative study based on morphological data and mitochondrial molecular data of all known Nanorana(sensu stricto)species have revealed a new species from the Hengduan Mountains,N.huangi sp.nov.The new species can be distinguished from its congers by its:(1)medium body size,SVL 31.3–40.6 mm in adult males(n=12),39.2–48.1 mm in adult females(n=8);(2)absence of subarticular tubercles on fingers,with supernumerary tubercles below the base of the fingers small but distinct;(3)presence of dark dorsal patches without pale margins,generally creamy yellow ventral body basically,bright yellow ventral limbs;(4)small but prominent tympanum;(5)tibio-tarsal joint that reaches to the tympanum or the shoulder when hindlimbs adpressed forward towards body;(6)head length more than 30%of SVL.In addition,the new species can be separated from all other congeners by uncorrected genetic distances:ranging from 2.8%–7.5%of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA,1.1%–2.1%of the 16S rRNA,and 7.5%–11.5%of the COI.展开更多
The subsea anchor piles of offshore wind power floating platform structures are mainly subjected to uplift and horizontal loads, and this paper focuses on the case of horizontal loads. A three-dimensional numerical si...The subsea anchor piles of offshore wind power floating platform structures are mainly subjected to uplift and horizontal loads, and this paper focuses on the case of horizontal loads. A three-dimensional numerical simulation study of the horizontal pullout characteristics of wind power suction anchor piles in clay layers was carried out to reveal the horizontal movement state of the anchor piles during horizontal pile pullout, the range of pile depth at the pullout point where the horizontal movement is achieved (referred to as the horizontal movement range), the relationship between the pullout load and the ultimate load during the horizontal movement, and the optimal location of the pullout point for the horizontal movement. The results show that at certain pull-out points, the anchor pile produces an overall horizontal movement state under suitable horizontal pull-out loads. The depth of the pile pull-out point for horizontal movement is in the middle and lower part of the pile, i.e. 14.2 m to 14.5 m. The horizontal pull-out load of 24,000 kN at a depth of 14.5 m within the pile horizontal movement range of 14.2m to 14.5 m is the maximum ultimate horizontal pull-out load;the optimum pull-out point depth is 14.5 m at 0.275 L (L is the pile length). For each pull-out point of the anchor pile in horizontal movement, the horizontal pull-out load in horizontal movement and the horizontal ultimate pull-out load existed and it was found that the two values were not exactly the same, the values were compared and it was found that at the optimum pull-out point the value of the ultimate horizontal pull-out load/horizontal pull-out load in horizontal movement tended to 1.展开更多
We describe a new species of the genus Megophrys sensu lato from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA sequences all strongly supported the new species as ...We describe a new species of the genus Megophrys sensu lato from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA sequences all strongly supported the new species as an independent lineage in Megophrys(Panophrys) clade. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics:(1) small body size with SVL < 38.8 mm in male and SVL < 42.3 mm in female;(2) vomerine teeth absent;(3) tongue not notched behind;(4) a small horn-like tubercle at the edge of each upper eyelid;(5) tympanum distinctly visible, rounded;(6) two metacarpal tubercles in hand;(7) relative finger lengths: II < I < V < III;(8) toes with rudimentary webbing at bases;(9) heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body;(10) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level between tympanum to eye when leg stretched forward;(11) an internal single subgular vocal sac in male;(12) in breeding male, the nuptial pads with black nuptial spines on the dorsal bases of the first and second fingers.展开更多
A new species,Feirana kangxianensis sp.nov.,is described from the western Qinling Mountains in Gansu,China.Both morphological and molecular data support its validity.The new species is characterized by:(1)presence of ...A new species,Feirana kangxianensis sp.nov.,is described from the western Qinling Mountains in Gansu,China.Both morphological and molecular data support its validity.The new species is characterized by:(1)presence of keratinized nuptial spines on the thenar region of the hands in males of the new species,in contrast to F.taihangnica and F.quadranus;(2)of females,the ratios of UEW,INS,NSD and IPTL to SVL of F.kangxianensis were significantly less than those of F.taihangnica and F.quadranus(P<0.05),while the ratio of IOS to SVL of the new species was significantly larger than that of the latter two species(P<0.05);and(3)of males,the ratios of INS,NSD,IPTW to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those of F.taihangnica and F.quadranus(P<0.05),while the ratio of HL to SVL of the former was significantly larger than that of the latter,and the ratio of HW to SVL of F.kangxianensis was significantly larger than that of F.taihangnica but less than that of F.quadranus,the ratio of OPTL to SVL of F.kangxianensis was significantly less than that of F.taihangnica but larger than that of F.quadranus(P<0.05).The three species of Feirana can be easily identified and significantly differ from each other by the canonical discriminant analyses with high correct classification(>92%).Concurrently,based on partial mitochondrial ND2 gene sequences,the result of the molecular phylogenetic analyses of the Feirana indicates that the F.kangxianensis is sister to F.taihangnica.展开更多
A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described,from Yuexi county,Anhui province,in the south of the Dabie Mountains.It is based on morphological and molecular analysis.The new species is identified as belonging ...A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described,from Yuexi county,Anhui province,in the south of the Dabie Mountains.It is based on morphological and molecular analysis.The new species is identified as belonging to the Tylototriton asperrimus group and shares a number of similarities with T.wenxianensis,T.broadoridgus and T.dabienicus.The diagnostic characteristics of the new species are as follows: the head length is greater than the width of the head; bony ridges on the head are prominent and necked-in; the distal digit ends,ventral digits,peripheral area of the cloaca and the tail's lower edge are orange.The result from the molecular analysis of the genus Tylototriton(including the type specimen of the new species) based on three mitochondrial genes(ND1,ND2 and CYTB) indicated that the new species was close to T.wenxianensis,T.dabienicus,and T.broadoridgus,but formed an independent clade.This result was consistent with the morphological analysis above,which supports the theory that the population distributed in the south of the Dabie Mountains,namely in from Yuexi county,Anhui province,represented a distinct species,Tylototriton anhuiensis sp.nov.展开更多
A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described in this article based on morphological and genetic evidence. The new species is identified belonging to the T. asperrimus group and is similar to T. wenxianensis. T...A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described in this article based on morphological and genetic evidence. The new species is identified belonging to the T. asperrimus group and is similar to T. wenxianensis. The diagnostic characters of the new species are as follows: dorsal ridge broad and thick,its width approximately equal to eye diameter(P < 0.001); tail height greater than width at base of tail(P < 0.001); no villous genital papilla found inside the male anal fissure; nodule-like warts,along lateral margin of the trunk,bulge and forming tubercles,and thin and transverse striae present between the tubercles.展开更多
A new species of rhacophorid of the genus Rhacophorus is described from the Dabie Mountains of west Anhui,east China.The new species,Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae sp.nov.is distinguished from its congeners by a combination o...A new species of rhacophorid of the genus Rhacophorus is described from the Dabie Mountains of west Anhui,east China.The new species,Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae sp.nov.is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: 1) the ventral surface and front-and-rear of the femur is paler yellowish and decorated with irregular grayish blotching,and without obvious spots on the dorsum of the hand and foot webbing; 2) the outer metatarsal tubercle is small; 3) outer fingers are half-webbed and outer toes two third webbed; 4) the skin on the dorsum is smooth and without compressed warts; 5) the throat,chest and belly are pure paler yellowish; 6) the dorsal part of the fingers and toes are grayish-white; 7) the iris is golden-yellow.In addition,the phylogenetic tree showed that all the individuals of R.zhoukaiyae sp.nov.clustered into one distinct clade which suggested the validity of this species.This results could also be used to the support of species delimitation.Currently,this species is known only from mid-elevation montane evergreen forest in the Dabie Mountains of west Anhui,China.展开更多
Access to embryonic developmental stages is essential basic work for understanding how organisms develop. In this study, seven egg clutches(range 209–564 eggs) of ornamented pygmy frog Microhyla fissipes(Amphibia, An...Access to embryonic developmental stages is essential basic work for understanding how organisms develop. In this study, seven egg clutches(range 209–564 eggs) of ornamented pygmy frog Microhyla fissipes(Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae) were obtained from seven breeding pairs in laboratory. One egg clutch of them was observed for the embryonic development, and the staging table of normal development was constructed based on morphological and physiological characteristics. Forty-five developmental stages were defined for M. fissipes, and two major developmental periods were designated: 1) early embryonic development period(stages 1–28), from fertilization to operculum completion stage, lasted for 82.6 hours at water temperature(WT) 23–25℃; 2) larval development period(stages 29–45), from operculum completion to tail complete absorption stage, took 38 days at WT 22–26.5℃, showing that the embryos of this species develop rapidly. In addition, the tadpoles were transparent, which is similar to those in field. These characteristics suggest that M. fissipes would be a good model to study developmental biology, adaptive mechanisms from aquatic to terrestrial phases, environmental toxicology, and human disease.展开更多
We describe a new species from the family Salamandridae from northeastern Hunan Province of China based on morphological and molecular genetic evidences.The new species,Tylototriton liuyangensis,is a member of the T.a...We describe a new species from the family Salamandridae from northeastern Hunan Province of China based on morphological and molecular genetic evidences.The new species,Tylototriton liuyangensis,is a member of the T.asperrimus group,and shares a number of similarities with T.wenxianensis and T.broadoridgus.The dorsal surface of the new Tylototriton species is completely black,with nodule-like warts distributed evenly along the lateral margin of dorsal body,and there is no transverse striae between the warts.There are several diagnostic characters of the new species that differ from those of T.wenxianensis and T.broadoridgus as follows:(1)the interorbital space(IOS)is comparatively wide;(2)there is a bony ridge present on the dorsal head surface,running along the upper eyelids;(3)the space between axilla and groin(AGS)is comparatively large,with the mean male AGS approximately equal to 50%of the snout-vent length(SVL)and the mean female AGS being 53%of SVL;and(4)there is a small genital armature on the anterior angle of labial folds present inside the anal fissure of adult males during the breeding season.The result from the molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus Tylototriton(including the type specimen of the new species)based on the complete DNA sequence of the mitochondrial ND2 gene(1035 bp)indicated that the new species was similar to T.wenxianensis,T.dabienicus,and T.broadoridgus,but formed an independent clade.This result was consistent with the morphological analysis above,supporting that the Liuyang Population represented a distinct species.展开更多
Micro arc oxidation(MAO)coatings were formed on magnesium alloy AZ31B to improve the corrosion resistance using environmental friendly electrolyte solution under single-polar pulse power supply.The effect of electrica...Micro arc oxidation(MAO)coatings were formed on magnesium alloy AZ31B to improve the corrosion resistance using environmental friendly electrolyte solution under single-polar pulse power supply.The effect of electrical parameters of pulse frequency on the coating performance was studied at frequencies of 2.5 Hz,25 Hz and 250 Hz.The coating performance at different frequencies was characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)and potentiodynamic polarization testing method.It was found that the corrosion resistance of the MAO coatings was improved when increasing the pulse frequencies from 2.5 Hz to 250 Hz.The corrosion current in 250 Hz case decreased by three orders of magnitude as compared with bare Mg alloy and the corrosion impedance also increased remarkably,means significantly enhanced corrosion resistance than bare Mg alloy.The results give us more insight in the optimization of electrical parameters to improve the MAO coating performance.The MAO technology is attractive for application on magnesium and other light alloys for surface protection in automotive and space industries.展开更多
Amphibians are good indicators of ecosystem health. Updating the information of endemic species in time and understanding their spatial distributions are necessary for the development of integrative conservation strat...Amphibians are good indicators of ecosystem health. Updating the information of endemic species in time and understanding their spatial distributions are necessary for the development of integrative conservation strategies and the elucidation of geographic patterns of amphibians. We analyzed the diversity and distributions of the endemic amphibians in China based on a database of specimen records, recently published literature, and field surveys. Two hundred and sixty two endemic species of amphibians, belonging to 59 genera in 12 families and two orders, are recognized. They account for 67% of the total number of amphibian species in China, with the family Megophryidae possessing the largest number of endemics. There are also 17 genera endemic to China. Across provinces, the species richness of endemics shows five levels with a hierarchical diversification. Sichuan has the largest number of endemics, while Heilongjiang and Jilin have no endemic species. Alternatively, whether on the level of endemic genus or species, the highest diversity occurs in the Western Mountains and Plateau Subregion. The distribution ranges of most endemic species cover ≤ 4 provinces or zoogeographic subregions. Additionally, the species richness of endemics along an elevational gradient shows a bell-shaped pattern with the peak around 800 m. Most endemic species are distributed in areas of low to mid elevation(c. 700–1 500 m), while 36 species are distributed up to 3 000 m. Endemic species richness decreases with increasing of elevation range. Species at mid elevations display large range sizes, while species at lower and higher elevations exhibit smaller ranges. Our results are to be beneficial for further exploration of the underlying mechanisms of distributional patterns of amphibians in China. This study highlights a need to promote conservation programs for Chinese endemic amphibians due to their narrow distribution ranges and potential threats.展开更多
Understanding the relationships between species,communities,and biodiversity are important challenges in conservation ecology.Current biodiversity conservation activities usually focus on species that are rare,endemic...Understanding the relationships between species,communities,and biodiversity are important challenges in conservation ecology.Current biodiversity conservation activities usually focus on species that are rare,endemic,distinctive,or at risk of extinction.However,empirical studies of whether such species contribute more to aspects of biodiversity than common species are still relatively rare.The aim of the present study was to assess the contribution of individual amphibian species to different facets of biodiversity,and to test whether species of conservation interest contribute more to taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity than do species without special conservation status.To answer these questions,19 000 simulated random communities with a gradient of species richness were created by shuffling the regional pool of species inhabiting Emei Mountain.Differences of diversity values were then computed before and after removing individual species in these random communities.Our results indicated that although individual species contributed similarly to taxonomic diversity,their contribution to functional and phylogenetic diversity was more idiosyncratic.This was primarily driven by the diverse functional attributes of species and the differences in phylogenetic relationships among species.Additionally,species of conservation interest did not show a significantly higher contribution to any facet of biodiversity.Our results support the claims that the usefulness of metrics based only on species richness is limited.Instead,assemblages that include species with functional and phylogenetic diversity should be protected to maintain biodiversity.展开更多
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 ...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 5and 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.展开更多
A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described from eastern Himalaya based on molecular and morphological comparisons. The new species is diagnosable from the closely-related species by having light brown colour...A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described from eastern Himalaya based on molecular and morphological comparisons. The new species is diagnosable from the closely-related species by having light brown colouration in dorsal region in life, flat and blunt snout, greatly separated dorsolateral bony ridges on head and straightthick tailfin. In addition to head morphology, the new species is also morphologically distinguishable from its closelyrelated species Tylototriton shanorum by having 16 dorsal warts and average smaller Snout Vent Length(SVL).展开更多
The rarity of limestone cave species due to habitat degradation makes them of special interest in conservation biology.The wild Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus,an evolutionarily distinct and globally endan...The rarity of limestone cave species due to habitat degradation makes them of special interest in conservation biology.The wild Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus,an evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species,are nearly all obligate into living in inaccessible mountain caves now.We detected that only 14–29 breeders,with the effective population size of 9–25(5–44 of 95% confidence interval),were in each of three caves,through genotyping 20 microsatellite loci on larvae that were flushed out of caves.Both heterzygosity excess and M(ratios of allele number to allele size range) tests indicated severe genetic bottlenecks among populations.Both mitochondrial,with only one or two haplotypes of D-loop region(770–771bp) in each population,and nuclear genetic structure showed clear divergence between populations.Considering the long life history,small population size,and genetic differentiationof the Chinese Giant Salamander,putting an end to poaching and recovering the karst ecosystem instead of releasing may be the sole measures to save this severely threated species.展开更多
基金supported by National Key Programme of Research and Development, Ministry of Science and Technology (2017YFC0505202)National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (NSFC31471964 and 31201702)+1 种基金Important Research Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJZG-EW-L13)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA19050201)
文摘We described a new species, Microhyla beilunensis sp. nov., from Zhejiang Province of China. Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial 12 S, 16 S and CO1 gene sequences suggested that the new taxon was distinctly separated from its congeners and closed to M. mixtura and M. okinavensis. Morphologically, the new species could be identified from its congeners except M. mixtura by several characters:(1) rudimentary webs on toe base;(2) absence of disks and dorsal median longitudinal grooves on finger tips;(3) presence of disks and dorsal median longitudinal grooves on toe tips. As well, the new species could be identified from topotype M. mixtura by the combination of characters:(1) apart from the stripes, bar-shaped and oval-shaped patterns, the rounded spots present on the dorsum of body and legs;(2) the outer metacarpal tubercles prominently larger than the inner one;(3) of males, the ratios of HW, IND, UEW and LAW to SVL of the new species were significantly larger than those of M. mixtura(P < 0.01), and the ratios of SL, IOD, LAHL, HLL, TL, TFL and FL to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those of M. mixtura(P < 0.05).
基金supported by West Light Foundation of The Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.2021XBZG_XBQNXZ_A_006)National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(Grant Nos.:32270498 and 32070426)China Biodiversity Observation Networks(Sino BON-Amphibian and Reptile)。
文摘A new species of Leptobrachella is described from Sichuan Province and Chongqing Municipality,China.Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial and nuclear gene sequences indicated that the new species is genetically divergent from its congeners.It could be identified from its congeners by a combination of followings characters:body size of male 29.1-34.1 mm(n=14),female 34.1-34.9 mm(n=4);dorsal skin rough with large tubercles in size of humeral glands,without conical spines;fringes on toes narrow;ventral body basically floral white with deep grey pigments all over;dorsal body deep greyish brown with smoky black markings;iris gold above,gradually silver bellow;tibia-tarsal articulation reaches the level of the middle of the eye when leg being stretched forward;the main call type with dominant frequency4.08 ± 0.16 kHz(14.1-14.9℃),call duration 170.35± 15.19ms,the number of pulses for the first note in a call 3.50±0.89,and the number of pulses for the second note in a call 5.08±0.77.
基金supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program (STEP, 2019QZKK05010503)the China Biodiversity Observation Networks (Sino BON)the support of CIB Herpetological Museum
文摘A new keelback snake of the genus Hebius,H.jingdongensis sp.nov.,is reported from Jingdong in Yunnan,China based on a combination of molecular and morphological evidence.Although closest to H.khasiensis and H.boulengeri phylogenetically,this new species is genetically distinct amongst congeners with the mitochondrial Cyt b uncorrected p-distance ranging from 9.5%(vs.H.octolineatus)to 14.8%(vs.H.andreae).In addition,this new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characters:(1)body cylindrical,tail relatively short,TaL/TL 0.235–0.243;(2)dorsal scale rows 19-19-17;(3)ventrals 163–166,cloacal plate divided,subcaudals 71–74 pairs;(4)supralabials 8,the first two contact with the nasals;(5)infralabials 9 or 10,preocular 1,postoculars 3;(6)body dorsum sandy beige with the sides yellowish-brown decorated with two brick-red stripes on the dorsolateral scale rows in life;(7)sutures between the labials brick-red in life and taupe in preservative;(8)ventral light yellow with the outer part of each scale brick-red in life;(9)ventrolateral stripes present.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31472021)the National Key Wildlife Subsidy Fund Project of Hunan Province(No.2021-326)+1 种基金the project for Endangered Wildlife Investigation,Supervision and Industry Regulation of the National Forestry and Grassland Bureau of China(No.202207-HN-001)the project for Endangered Wildlife Protection of Hunan Forestry Bureau of China(No.HNYB-202201)。
文摘We described anew species of the Amolops mantzorum group(Anura:Ranidae) from northwestern Hunan Province,China based on morphological and molecular evidence.The new species differs from its congeners by a combination of the following characteristics:moderate body size of SVL 403-409 mm in adult males(N=3),and 52.6-57.7 mm in adult females(N=3);head length about equal to or larger than head width(HDL/HDW 1.01-1.03);skin on dorsum smooth;dorsolateral folds absent,but developed a series of elongated glands forming an incomplete line;dense small spiny tubercles on lower flanks,and sparse flat tubercles on upper flanks;skin on belly slightly granular,posterior half of ventral surface of thigh glandular;tympanum indistinct,small,covered by glandular skin;presence of dense spiny tubercles around the mouth corner;vomerine teeth present,attached on two oblique ridges;presence of supernumerary tubercles below the bases of fingers Ⅱ,Ⅲ and Ⅳ;several protruding tubercles around the cloacal region,with a pair of larger tubercles on sides of the anus;webs on each side of toe Ⅳ reaches the region between third subarticular tubercle and digit;and absence of vocal sacs and linea masculine in males.
基金supported by the National Key Programme of Research and Development,Ministry of Science and Technology(No.2022YFF1301401)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32170428)+2 种基金Research on monitoring technology system of amphibians and reptile in national parks(Research project of the National Park Research Institute)China Biodiversity Observation Networks(Sino BON-Amphibian and Reptile)the Species Conservation Project of Sichuan Liziping National Nature Reserve(2022).
文摘Many animals migrate during the breeding season.It is important to study the patterns of breeding migration of wild animals,especially rare and endangered species.However,current data acquisition methods are too coarse and imprecise for investigating the circadian rhythms of migrations in amphibians.Based on the frustrated total reflection image(FTRI),we developed a new device and recorded the precise migration time of an endangered salamander,Liangshantriton taliangensis.During the breeding period,a total of 33 individuals were effectively recorded.Analysis of the data indicated that the circadian rhythm of breeding migration in L.taliangensis was bimodal,and migration mainly occurred from 05:00 to 13:00(81.82%of the total migration records).The average relative activity intensity index(RAI)of breeding migration peaked in the temperature range of 14.0–16.0°C.With increased average relative air humidity,the activity intensity first increased and then decreased,reaching a peak in the humidity range of 91.0%–97.0%.These results demonstrate that our new device is a viable and accurate method for recording the migration time of target species.It is important to reveal the breeding migration pattern of L.taliangensis,which is important for the conservation of this species.Meanwhile,this new device can be used for field monitoring and conservation studies of amphibians,reptiles and other animals.
基金This work is supported by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research Program(STEP,Grant No.2019QZKK05010503)China Biodiversity Observation Networks(Sino BON-Amphibian and Reptile)+1 种基金Field work was conducted under permission of the Forestry and Grassland Administration of Xizang Autonomous Region(No.2021[71])Forestry and Grassland Administration of Yunnan Province(No.2019[825]).
文摘An integrative study based on morphological data and mitochondrial molecular data of all known Nanorana(sensu stricto)species have revealed a new species from the Hengduan Mountains,N.huangi sp.nov.The new species can be distinguished from its congers by its:(1)medium body size,SVL 31.3–40.6 mm in adult males(n=12),39.2–48.1 mm in adult females(n=8);(2)absence of subarticular tubercles on fingers,with supernumerary tubercles below the base of the fingers small but distinct;(3)presence of dark dorsal patches without pale margins,generally creamy yellow ventral body basically,bright yellow ventral limbs;(4)small but prominent tympanum;(5)tibio-tarsal joint that reaches to the tympanum or the shoulder when hindlimbs adpressed forward towards body;(6)head length more than 30%of SVL.In addition,the new species can be separated from all other congeners by uncorrected genetic distances:ranging from 2.8%–7.5%of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA,1.1%–2.1%of the 16S rRNA,and 7.5%–11.5%of the COI.
文摘The subsea anchor piles of offshore wind power floating platform structures are mainly subjected to uplift and horizontal loads, and this paper focuses on the case of horizontal loads. A three-dimensional numerical simulation study of the horizontal pullout characteristics of wind power suction anchor piles in clay layers was carried out to reveal the horizontal movement state of the anchor piles during horizontal pile pullout, the range of pile depth at the pullout point where the horizontal movement is achieved (referred to as the horizontal movement range), the relationship between the pullout load and the ultimate load during the horizontal movement, and the optimal location of the pullout point for the horizontal movement. The results show that at certain pull-out points, the anchor pile produces an overall horizontal movement state under suitable horizontal pull-out loads. The depth of the pile pull-out point for horizontal movement is in the middle and lower part of the pile, i.e. 14.2 m to 14.5 m. The horizontal pull-out load of 24,000 kN at a depth of 14.5 m within the pile horizontal movement range of 14.2m to 14.5 m is the maximum ultimate horizontal pull-out load;the optimum pull-out point depth is 14.5 m at 0.275 L (L is the pile length). For each pull-out point of the anchor pile in horizontal movement, the horizontal pull-out load in horizontal movement and the horizontal ultimate pull-out load existed and it was found that the two values were not exactly the same, the values were compared and it was found that at the optimum pull-out point the value of the ultimate horizontal pull-out load/horizontal pull-out load in horizontal movement tended to 1.
基金Collections in field were permitted by Administration of Leigong Mountain Nantioanl Nature Reserve (No. LGS20040348)approved by the animal ethical committee of Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and animal experiments were carried out following the institutional guidelines (No. 2017CIBAEC0344)+4 种基金supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB31000000)National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (NSFC31201702) Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Guizhou province Education Department, Guiyang College, The laboratory on biodiversity conservation and applied ecology of Guiyang college, Ocean Park Conservation Foundation of Hong Kong (No. PR 1030001252)Biodiversity Conservation Program of Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China (#2110404)Guizhou Provincial Department of Education Youth Science and Technology Talents Growth Project (Nos. KY[2018]455, KY[2018]468 and KY[2018]453)
文摘We describe a new species of the genus Megophrys sensu lato from Guizhou Province, China. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial DNA and nuclear DNA sequences all strongly supported the new species as an independent lineage in Megophrys(Panophrys) clade. The new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following morphological characteristics:(1) small body size with SVL < 38.8 mm in male and SVL < 42.3 mm in female;(2) vomerine teeth absent;(3) tongue not notched behind;(4) a small horn-like tubercle at the edge of each upper eyelid;(5) tympanum distinctly visible, rounded;(6) two metacarpal tubercles in hand;(7) relative finger lengths: II < I < V < III;(8) toes with rudimentary webbing at bases;(9) heels overlapping when thighs are positioned at right angles to the body;(10) tibiotarsal articulation reaching the level between tympanum to eye when leg stretched forward;(11) an internal single subgular vocal sac in male;(12) in breeding male, the nuptial pads with black nuptial spines on the dorsal bases of the first and second fingers.
基金supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(NSFC–31071906,30730029)granted to Jianping JIANGthe Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization of CIB,CAS,the Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province,and the Knowledge Innovation Program of CAS(Y1C2021200,Y1B3021,KSCX2-EW-J-22)
文摘A new species,Feirana kangxianensis sp.nov.,is described from the western Qinling Mountains in Gansu,China.Both morphological and molecular data support its validity.The new species is characterized by:(1)presence of keratinized nuptial spines on the thenar region of the hands in males of the new species,in contrast to F.taihangnica and F.quadranus;(2)of females,the ratios of UEW,INS,NSD and IPTL to SVL of F.kangxianensis were significantly less than those of F.taihangnica and F.quadranus(P<0.05),while the ratio of IOS to SVL of the new species was significantly larger than that of the latter two species(P<0.05);and(3)of males,the ratios of INS,NSD,IPTW to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those of F.taihangnica and F.quadranus(P<0.05),while the ratio of HL to SVL of the former was significantly larger than that of the latter,and the ratio of HW to SVL of F.kangxianensis was significantly larger than that of F.taihangnica but less than that of F.quadranus,the ratio of OPTL to SVL of F.kangxianensis was significantly less than that of F.taihangnica but larger than that of F.quadranus(P<0.05).The three species of Feirana can be easily identified and significantly differ from each other by the canonical discriminant analyses with high correct classification(>92%).Concurrently,based on partial mitochondrial ND2 gene sequences,the result of the molecular phylogenetic analyses of the Feirana indicates that the F.kangxianensis is sister to F.taihangnica.
基金partly supported by the Graduate Student Academic Innovation Research Project of Anhui University(yqh100101)the National Key Research and Development Programme(2016YFC1200700)
文摘A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described,from Yuexi county,Anhui province,in the south of the Dabie Mountains.It is based on morphological and molecular analysis.The new species is identified as belonging to the Tylototriton asperrimus group and shares a number of similarities with T.wenxianensis,T.broadoridgus and T.dabienicus.The diagnostic characteristics of the new species are as follows: the head length is greater than the width of the head; bony ridges on the head are prominent and necked-in; the distal digit ends,ventral digits,peripheral area of the cloaca and the tail's lower edge are orange.The result from the molecular analysis of the genus Tylototriton(including the type specimen of the new species) based on three mitochondrial genes(ND1,ND2 and CYTB) indicated that the new species was close to T.wenxianensis,T.dabienicus,and T.broadoridgus,but formed an independent clade.This result was consistent with the morphological analysis above,which supports the theory that the population distributed in the south of the Dabie Mountains,namely in from Yuexi county,Anhui province,represented a distinct species,Tylototriton anhuiensis sp.nov.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC-30770316,31071906)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KSCX2-EW-J-22)to Jianping JIANG
文摘A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described in this article based on morphological and genetic evidence. The new species is identified belonging to the T. asperrimus group and is similar to T. wenxianensis. The diagnostic characters of the new species are as follows: dorsal ridge broad and thick,its width approximately equal to eye diameter(P < 0.001); tail height greater than width at base of tail(P < 0.001); no villous genital papilla found inside the male anal fissure; nodule-like warts,along lateral margin of the trunk,bulge and forming tubercles,and thin and transverse striae present between the tubercles.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 31272332, 31071894, 30911120031, 30670243)Anhui Province Higher Education Revitalization Plan+2 种基金2014 Colleges and Universities Outstanding Youth Talent Support ProgramFoundation for Graduate Student Academic Innovation Research Project of Anhui University (yqh100081)the Foundation for College Student Innovation & Venture Project of Anhui University(201610357026)
文摘A new species of rhacophorid of the genus Rhacophorus is described from the Dabie Mountains of west Anhui,east China.The new species,Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae sp.nov.is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of the following characters: 1) the ventral surface and front-and-rear of the femur is paler yellowish and decorated with irregular grayish blotching,and without obvious spots on the dorsum of the hand and foot webbing; 2) the outer metatarsal tubercle is small; 3) outer fingers are half-webbed and outer toes two third webbed; 4) the skin on the dorsum is smooth and without compressed warts; 5) the throat,chest and belly are pure paler yellowish; 6) the dorsal part of the fingers and toes are grayish-white; 7) the iris is golden-yellow.In addition,the phylogenetic tree showed that all the individuals of R.zhoukaiyae sp.nov.clustered into one distinct clade which suggested the validity of this species.This results could also be used to the support of species delimitation.Currently,this species is known only from mid-elevation montane evergreen forest in the Dabie Mountains of west Anhui,China.
基金supported by Important Research Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences(KJZG-EW-L13)National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC No.31471964)+2 种基金2015 Western Light Talent Culture Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Y6C3021)the Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization of CIB,CASthe Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province
文摘Access to embryonic developmental stages is essential basic work for understanding how organisms develop. In this study, seven egg clutches(range 209–564 eggs) of ornamented pygmy frog Microhyla fissipes(Amphibia, Anura, Microhylidae) were obtained from seven breeding pairs in laboratory. One egg clutch of them was observed for the embryonic development, and the staging table of normal development was constructed based on morphological and physiological characteristics. Forty-five developmental stages were defined for M. fissipes, and two major developmental periods were designated: 1) early embryonic development period(stages 1–28), from fertilization to operculum completion stage, lasted for 82.6 hours at water temperature(WT) 23–25℃; 2) larval development period(stages 29–45), from operculum completion to tail complete absorption stage, took 38 days at WT 22–26.5℃, showing that the embryos of this species develop rapidly. In addition, the tadpoles were transparent, which is similar to those in field. These characteristics suggest that M. fissipes would be a good model to study developmental biology, adaptive mechanisms from aquatic to terrestrial phases, environmental toxicology, and human disease.
基金supported by NSFC (31071906)the Public Welfare Scientific Research Project, Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People’s Republic of China (201209028)the Construct Program of the Key Discipline in Hunan Province (CSUFT-2013001)
文摘We describe a new species from the family Salamandridae from northeastern Hunan Province of China based on morphological and molecular genetic evidences.The new species,Tylototriton liuyangensis,is a member of the T.asperrimus group,and shares a number of similarities with T.wenxianensis and T.broadoridgus.The dorsal surface of the new Tylototriton species is completely black,with nodule-like warts distributed evenly along the lateral margin of dorsal body,and there is no transverse striae between the warts.There are several diagnostic characters of the new species that differ from those of T.wenxianensis and T.broadoridgus as follows:(1)the interorbital space(IOS)is comparatively wide;(2)there is a bony ridge present on the dorsal head surface,running along the upper eyelids;(3)the space between axilla and groin(AGS)is comparatively large,with the mean male AGS approximately equal to 50%of the snout-vent length(SVL)and the mean female AGS being 53%of SVL;and(4)there is a small genital armature on the anterior angle of labial folds present inside the anal fissure of adult males during the breeding season.The result from the molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus Tylototriton(including the type specimen of the new species)based on the complete DNA sequence of the mitochondrial ND2 gene(1035 bp)indicated that the new species was similar to T.wenxianensis,T.dabienicus,and T.broadoridgus,but formed an independent clade.This result was consistent with the morphological analysis above,supporting that the Liuyang Population represented a distinct species.
基金This work performed by the author was financially sup-ported by Singapore Ministry of Education innovation Fund(MOE2010-IF-027).
文摘Micro arc oxidation(MAO)coatings were formed on magnesium alloy AZ31B to improve the corrosion resistance using environmental friendly electrolyte solution under single-polar pulse power supply.The effect of electrical parameters of pulse frequency on the coating performance was studied at frequencies of 2.5 Hz,25 Hz and 250 Hz.The coating performance at different frequencies was characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)and potentiodynamic polarization testing method.It was found that the corrosion resistance of the MAO coatings was improved when increasing the pulse frequencies from 2.5 Hz to 250 Hz.The corrosion current in 250 Hz case decreased by three orders of magnitude as compared with bare Mg alloy and the corrosion impedance also increased remarkably,means significantly enhanced corrosion resistance than bare Mg alloy.The results give us more insight in the optimization of electrical parameters to improve the MAO coating performance.The MAO technology is attractive for application on magnesium and other light alloys for surface protection in automotive and space industries.
基金supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Y1B302100)to Junhua HUthe National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC,31071906)the Main Direction Program of the Knowledge Innovation Project of CAS(Grant No.KSCX2-EW-J-22)to Jianping JIANG
文摘Amphibians are good indicators of ecosystem health. Updating the information of endemic species in time and understanding their spatial distributions are necessary for the development of integrative conservation strategies and the elucidation of geographic patterns of amphibians. We analyzed the diversity and distributions of the endemic amphibians in China based on a database of specimen records, recently published literature, and field surveys. Two hundred and sixty two endemic species of amphibians, belonging to 59 genera in 12 families and two orders, are recognized. They account for 67% of the total number of amphibian species in China, with the family Megophryidae possessing the largest number of endemics. There are also 17 genera endemic to China. Across provinces, the species richness of endemics shows five levels with a hierarchical diversification. Sichuan has the largest number of endemics, while Heilongjiang and Jilin have no endemic species. Alternatively, whether on the level of endemic genus or species, the highest diversity occurs in the Western Mountains and Plateau Subregion. The distribution ranges of most endemic species cover ≤ 4 provinces or zoogeographic subregions. Additionally, the species richness of endemics along an elevational gradient shows a bell-shaped pattern with the peak around 800 m. Most endemic species are distributed in areas of low to mid elevation(c. 700–1 500 m), while 36 species are distributed up to 3 000 m. Endemic species richness decreases with increasing of elevation range. Species at mid elevations display large range sizes, while species at lower and higher elevations exhibit smaller ranges. Our results are to be beneficial for further exploration of the underlying mechanisms of distributional patterns of amphibians in China. This study highlights a need to promote conservation programs for Chinese endemic amphibians due to their narrow distribution ranges and potential threats.
基金supported by China Scholarship Council (CSC)supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31700353)+2 种基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2017YFC0505202)the West Light Foundation of Chinese Academy of Sciences (2016XBZG_XBQNXZ_ B_007)China Biodiversity Observation Networks (Sino BON)
文摘Understanding the relationships between species,communities,and biodiversity are important challenges in conservation ecology.Current biodiversity conservation activities usually focus on species that are rare,endemic,distinctive,or at risk of extinction.However,empirical studies of whether such species contribute more to aspects of biodiversity than common species are still relatively rare.The aim of the present study was to assess the contribution of individual amphibian species to different facets of biodiversity,and to test whether species of conservation interest contribute more to taxonomic,functional,and phylogenetic diversity than do species without special conservation status.To answer these questions,19 000 simulated random communities with a gradient of species richness were created by shuffling the regional pool of species inhabiting Emei Mountain.Differences of diversity values were then computed before and after removing individual species in these random communities.Our results indicated that although individual species contributed similarly to taxonomic diversity,their contribution to functional and phylogenetic diversity was more idiosyncratic.This was primarily driven by the diverse functional attributes of species and the differences in phylogenetic relationships among species.Additionally,species of conservation interest did not show a significantly higher contribution to any facet of biodiversity.Our results support the claims that the usefulness of metrics based only on species richness is limited.Instead,assemblages that include species with functional and phylogenetic diversity should be protected to maintain biodiversity.
基金supported by the National Natu-ral Science Foundation of China(30770316)
文摘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 5and 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.
基金supported by the world academy of sciences(TWAS)CAS-TWAS president fellowship programthe National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(NSFC-31201702 granted to Bin Wang and NSFC-31471964 granted to Jianping Jiang)
文摘A new species of the genus Tylototriton is described from eastern Himalaya based on molecular and morphological comparisons. The new species is diagnosable from the closely-related species by having light brown colouration in dorsal region in life, flat and blunt snout, greatly separated dorsolateral bony ridges on head and straightthick tailfin. In addition to head morphology, the new species is also morphologically distinguishable from its closelyrelated species Tylototriton shanorum by having 16 dorsal warts and average smaller Snout Vent Length(SVL).
基金supported by National Key Programme of Research and Development (Ministry of Science and Technology,2016YFC0503200)NSFC (31570391,31200411,31360144 )+1 种基金Science and Technology Department of Sichuan Province (2012JY0101)Chinese Academy of Sciences (Y3C3011100).
文摘The rarity of limestone cave species due to habitat degradation makes them of special interest in conservation biology.The wild Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus,an evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species,are nearly all obligate into living in inaccessible mountain caves now.We detected that only 14–29 breeders,with the effective population size of 9–25(5–44 of 95% confidence interval),were in each of three caves,through genotyping 20 microsatellite loci on larvae that were flushed out of caves.Both heterzygosity excess and M(ratios of allele number to allele size range) tests indicated severe genetic bottlenecks among populations.Both mitochondrial,with only one or two haplotypes of D-loop region(770–771bp) in each population,and nuclear genetic structure showed clear divergence between populations.Considering the long life history,small population size,and genetic differentiationof the Chinese Giant Salamander,putting an end to poaching and recovering the karst ecosystem instead of releasing may be the sole measures to save this severely threated species.
