Abstract:Endohelminths were investigated in seven species of fish,including six in the Schizothoracinae and one in the Coitidae in Lhasa River in Tibet of China in July 2004. A total of 9 species of endohelminths were recorded in addition to digeneans in the Allocreadium,including 3 species of acanthocephalans,i.e.Neoechinorhynchus qinghaiensis,Echinorhynchus gymnocyprii and the unidentified species Neoechinorhynchus sp.,3 species of nematodes,i.e.Rhabdochona hellichi,Contracaecum sp.,Eustrongylides sp.,3 species of cestodes,i.e.Breviscolex orientalis,Ligula sp.,Diphyllobothrium sp.Morphological characters of N.qinghaiensis,R.hellichi,B.orientalis,digeneans in the Allocreadium spp.and the unidentified acanthocephalans Neoechinorhynchus sp.were described.Specimens of Allocreadium could not be identified to species due to their morphological variations in different fish hosts of Schizothoracinae.Other helminths which use fish as intermediate hosts were also unable to be identified to species level.Since N.qinghaiensis and Allocreadium spp.were reported in other species of fish in the Schizothoracinae,findings of the acanthocephalan and digeneans in Lhasa River may suggest that they be specialists in fish of the Schizothoracinae.4 to 6!helminth species were found in the fish species examined in the Lhasa River,indicating a high species richness,with the exception of no single endohelminth parasite detected in Schizothorax oconnori.The Shannon-Wiener index for 5 species in the Schizothoracinae (0.613 1-1.543 4) were much higher than in Triplophysa stenura (0.291 1).Similarities among the 5 species were relatively high (0.173 2±0.230 3)-(0.375 1±0.275 8),whereas similarities between the Schizothoracinae and T.stenura were rather low (0.028 8±0.087 7)-(0.091 6±0.161 8).In the present study,4 allogenic parasite species which mature in final bird hosts were recorded,which may at least to some extent reflects the fauna composition in this high land area of Tibet.

Abstract:Courtship and mating behaviors of the wolf spider Pardosa astrigera were determined in laboratory.Results indicated that the "push-up" behavior of the male plays an important role in courtship.Copulation in this wolf spider species was characterized by a pattern which male alternated the use of palps after each insertion at first,and followed by consecutive insertions with each palp,with multiple expansions of the hematodocha per insertion.The numbers of palp insertions in each complete mating counted 29.625 on average.Durations of precopulatory courtship,copulation and effective copulation of the pairs mated in laboratory averaged 6 min,32 min 25 s and 11 min 11 s respectively.Results of multiple mating suggest that female P.astrigera be essentially monandrous,while males be polygynous.Female mating status influenced sexual cannibalism,in which mated females killed the mates more frequently than virgin ones.

Abstract:The purpose of this study was to understand the antimicrobial effects of cecropin-XJ expressed by genetic engineering from Xinjiang Silkworm Bombyx mori.To further characterize the antimicrobial activity of cecropin-XJ,antimicrobial curve was drawn.Ultrastructural observation of Staphylococcus aureus treated with cecropin-XJ was also performed.It was showed that the ability of cecropin-XJ to kill S.aureus was effective and time-dependent.It might be through the "barrel-stave pore" mechanism that cecropin-XJ quickly penetrated and damaged the cell membrane.And then cecropin-XJ affected cytoplasmic membrane,disturbed the ordered arrangement of membrane lipid,and changed permeability of cytoplasmic membrane,leading to the leaking out of cytoplasmic contents.Finally,the affected S.aureus died due to leakage of the cell contents.The cell wall kept intact after cecropin-XJ treatment,suggesting that cecropin-XJ does not damage cell wall.These results indicate that cytoplasmic membrane is the main target attacked by cecropin-XJ.

Abstract:The reproductive period of Procambarus clarkii in Wuhan area was investigated to provide basic data for developing artificial reproduction technique.The asynchronism of oogenesis was observed in the sections of ovaries.The mature eggs appeared in the sections of the ovaries sampled in two periods.One period was from April to May,and the other one was from September to October.The large eggs contained abundant yolk granules.From June to July and in November,more previtellogenic and initial vitellogenic oocytes were observed in the ovaries,although there were a few eggs in degeneration,indicating that these periods might oogenesis recovery periods after spawning.In crayfish testis,the proportion of the testicular tubules containing spermatids and sperm increased dramatically in two periods,April to June and September to October,although spermatocytes were also observed during these two periods.Furthermore,the vas deferens containing spermatozoa were frequently observed in these two periods.The ratio of the testicular tubules containing the spermatogonia and spermatocytes was higher in other periods.These results suggest that P.clarkii have two periods of reproductive peak in Wuhan area,from April to May and from September to October.

Abstract:Mitochondrial CR gene and COⅠ gene fragments were amplified and sequenced from 9 wild stocks of Portunus trituberculatus in China.Respectively,530 bp and 584 bp long partial gene fragments of the CR gene and the COⅠ gene were obtained.A+T mean contents of the CR sequences and the COⅠ sequences were respectively 73.2% and 62.2%.Moreover,66 haplotypes were identified from 83 samples with 91 variation sites of CR gene and 33 haplotypes were identified from 96 samples with 42 variation sites of COⅠ gene.The genetic distance and cluster analysis showed that genetic distances were nearest among six stocks of Yellow Sea,East China Sea,Bohai Sea,while the genetic distances were nearest among three stocks of South China Sea.The fixation indices (F st) were from -0.074 54 to 0.270 87 between any two stocks and some of them got to significant and great significant level.So these indicated that there were some genetic differentiations in different wild stocks of P.trituberculatus in China.

Abstract:To study the influence of contaminated environment on the morphology and quantity of peripheral blood cells in Carassius auratus,the fishes were sampled from two different areas:Reservoir Liujiaxia (RL),a relatively unpolluted area,as a control site; Baiyin Section of the Yellow River (BSYR),a heavier polluted area compared to RL.Blood smears were prepared by normal method and stained with Giemsa.The erythrocyte micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities and the blood cells were counted and the cells were photographed by the microscope with Motic B5 Professional Series.The results showed that the number of erythrocytes was significantly lower (P<0.05) while the numbers of erythrocyte micronuclei (P<0.01) and nuclear abnormalities (P<0.05) were significantly higher in BSYR than that in RL; Total numbers of leucocytes (P<0.05) and lymphocytes (P<0.05) increased significantly,while the total numbers of thrombocytes (P<0.05) and neutrophils (P<0.01) decreased obviously in BSYR compared to those in RL; Monocytes had a tendency to decrease in BSYR but the difference did not reach a significant level (P>0.05) between the two sampling sites.The results suggest that the environmental contamination in BSYR has been causing obvious alterations in the numbers of peripheral blood cells,the frequencies of erythrocyte micronuclei,and nuclear abnormalities in C.auratus.

Abstract:The distribution and density of endocrine cells in the digestive tract of Takydromus wolteri were studied by the method of ABC (avidin-biotin complex method) immunohistochemical technique with six gut hormone antisera.5-HT cells distributed throughout the digestive tract from esophagus to rectum,with the highest density in the pylorus.The other five kinds of endocrine cells did not distribute as widely as the 5-HT cells.SS cells were not detected in the esophagus,ileum and rectum.The density of SS cells was the highest in the pylorus,followed by stomach part,and they were rarely observed in small intestine.Gas cells and PP cells distributed in small intestine,with the highest density in the duodenum.The distribution density of Glu cells was the highest in the pyloricus,followed by duodenum and jejunum,the lowest in the ileum.SP cells were only found in the pylorus.The six kinds of endocrine cells were mainly in round shape and shuttled shape.They widely lied between epithelial cells,between glandular epithelial cells and at the bottom of epithelia.The distribution density of endocrine cells was related to its feeding habit,food component and living environment.And morphologies of endocrine cells were conformable with the endocrine and exocrine functions.

Abstract:The surveys on current status of waterbirds at Qinghai Lake were conducted from April to September of 2006 and 2007 with aim of assessing the Avian Influenza surveillance at Qinghai Lake.Higher species diversity was found in spring and autumn, migration season.The diversity declined at breeding season.The most encountering bird species in spring migration season and breeding season are Bar-headed Goose,Brown-headed Gull and Great Black-headed Gull,at the Buhahekou,Tiebuqiahekou,Quanwan and Grila.During autumn migration,the gulls and geese often rest and feeding in flock at Buhahekou,Quanwan and Heimahe.Finally,in this paper we provided some conservation suggestions on Avian Influenza surveillance at Qinghai Lake.

Abstract:The population of Microtus fortis calamorum had entered one peak of multi-annual population fluctuation since 2005 in Dongting Lake Area.Some behavior of M.f.calamorum was observed during migration from beach and island habitat to farmland due to population outbreak,in 2007.The migration from beach and island habitat to farmland was with characteristic of looking for refuge.A majority of population died during migration while the survivals crowded many temporary colonies under stone,fallen tree,brushwood or tussock,and other coverts when they got at dike.One month later,the voles distributed into farmland and uncultivated land.They gathered in area with flourishing the weed,and fed on all eatable plant during migration,as well as the bark of blasted trees.So,they damaged the crops seriously during their migration.It will be helpful to control the harm and to learn their life history by understanding their migration behavior.

Abstract:To research the coexistent mechanism of 5 kinds of rodents in Hailin region of Heilongjiang Province in september, 2006, we investigated the niche widths of time and the niche overlaps of Sciurus vulgaris, Eutamias sibiricus, Apodemus peninsulae, Myodes rufocanus, M.rutilus with the method of tagging-recapture and indoor observing. Then we analysised the time differentiation of their resources utilization. The results indicated that the phenomena can be divided into two types: the nocturnal ones and the diurnal ones. Niches widths of diurnal ones such as S. vulgaris and E. sibiricus are relatively narrow. They are separately 0.679 and 0.618. On the contrary, the niche widths of the nocturnal ones such as M. rufocanus, M.rutilus, A. peninsular are wider. They are separately 0.935, 0.853, 0.844. The competition between the two species is small. And the niche overlap index is under 0.286, however the competition among the same species is great, and the niche overlap index is over 0.711.To reduce ac, we stagger their activity fastigiums or prolong their activity time to reduce the competition between the different species of the same type.

Abstract:The March Grassbird(Locustella pryeri),a Vulnerable Far East bird,used to be treated under the genus Megalurus and considered with small population breeding in Japan and in the northeastern part of China and mainly wintering around the Poyang lake,N Jiangxi of the central south mainland China,with all the birds in China considered of the subspecies sinensis^[1~10].

Abstract:We reported here the basic data on habitat,group size,diet component,egg size and incubation,predators,and current status of Tetraophasis obscurus in Mao County,Sichuan Province,China.Most of birds are activity in groups with of 3 to 5 individuals in shrubs.They often make sharp calls just before raining.Plant leaves,flowers,seeds,and roots are the major diet components for the birds.Nest is located either on ground or in trees,clutch size ranges from 3 to 5 with an average of 4.2 eggs.Chicks came out after 27-28 day of incubation and only females take the duty.The population size has been relatively stable during the past twenty years due to the effective protection.

Abstract:In this report,methods for preparing magnetic iron-dextran particles and separating highly synchronized (95%) ciliate conjugating pairs are introduced.When iron-dextran particles are added to the mixtures of complementary mating types of ciliates,single cells and loose conjugating pairs form food vacuoles containing the iron-dextran particles while absent from the tight mating pairs.By applying magnetic force,single cells and loose mating pairs can be removed from the tight conjugating pairs.This method has several advantages: simplicity,speediness,high quality,universality and practicality.No negative effects have been found when perform the experiments by this method.

Abstract:The survey on the birds was carried out from July to October 2006 in Shaanxi Micangshan Nature Reserve,Shaanxi Province.The results showed that there were 125 species (sub-species) of birds recorded in the reserve,belonging to 13 orders,37 families and 81 genera,accounting for 36.98% of Qinling Mountains and 33.42% of Shaanxi Province total species of birds respectively.Among these birds,1 species has been listed as the national first-grade and 12 species as the national second-grade wildlife of China for protection,4 species listed as the provincial key protected wildlife of Shaanxi Province; 13 species are of endemic to China and 10 species listed in Appendix Ⅱ of CITES.According to the type of avifauna,57 species belong to the Oriental realm,37 species to the Palaearctic realm and 27 species to the both realms.According to the type of migration,89 species belong to the residents,32 species to the summer breeders,2 species to the winter migrants and 2 species to the passengers.Comparing with Shaanxi Foping,Chongqing Dabashan Nature Reserves etc.,Micangshan Reserve has higher bird diversity,with dominance of Oriental type of avifauna and characteristics of transitional region from the Oriental realm to Palaearctic realm.

Abstract:We observed the diet component of Masked Palm Civets(Paguma larvata) by checking the content of stomach, feeding site and feces from Apr 2005 to Oct 2005, in Houhe Nature Reserve, Hubei Province, China. The results show that the major diet components are fruit vegetation (37.5%) and Arthropoda (25.2%), and non-fruit vegetation (9.9%) and small mammals (7.1%) are also formed a relatively higher proportion in the food items. There is a seasonal difference in the diet composition, in spring, the food items include Arthropoda (35.6%), non-fruit vegetation (26.7%), small mammals (15.6%), mollusca (4.4%) and fruit vegetation (8.9%). Masked Palm Civets feed on more fruit vegetation (39.8%) and Arthropoda (29.2%) in summer, and non-fruit vegetation (2.7%), small mammals (5.3%) and birds (0.9%) are a small proportion in their diet. In autumn, fruit vegetation (63.9%) forms the most component in their diet, the remainder items are birds (1.0%), small mammals (0.6%) and Reptilia (0.4%). Food diversity index is decreased from spring to autumn as food items of non-fruit vegetation reduce and fruit vegetation items increase.

Abstract:Notoplana humilis actively spawns in spring and early summer. Embryo undergoes spiral cleavage, epibolic gastrulation and uses macromeres to deposit yolk. The larva which needs about 20 days to hatch at 14-16℃, however, is not a Müller's type. The larva is planktonic for 1 week, demersal for 2 weeks, and undergoes gradual metamorphosis to become a juvenile flatworm.

Abstract:Soil fauna in Jujube garden at Wanhuashan, Yan'an City, Shaanxi Province was investigated in March and November 2006.The soil macrofaunas were taken by handsorting in different soil layers. The meso and microfauna were separated by Tullgren method and Baerman method. 463 individuals belonging to 3 phyla, 7 classes and 18 orders were collected, of which Coleptera includes 9 families. The results showed that the dominant group was Collembola, Acarina and Araneae, and the common group was Hymenoptera, Coleoptera (larva), Coleoptera (adult), Lepidoptera (larva), Diptera (larva), Lithobiidae, Lumbricida and Stylommatophora. The composition of groups, distribution of number of individual and diversity index of soil fauna were analyzed. The result indicated that the dominance index of plot No.2 (7 age group of jujube) was less than that of plot No.1 (5 age group of jujube), its diversity index and evenness index were higher than plot No.1. In addition, the total number of individuals and groups of No.2 were more than those of plot No.1.

Abstract:Reported here is the nutrient ingredient analysis on four species of land snails (Achatina fulica, Camaena jinpingensis, Cryptozona menglunensis, Cyclophorus menglunensis) in Yunnan Province. Compared to pork, beef and chicken, all of the four species has higher content of protein but lower content of fat and sugar. In addition, they are also full of vitamins and such inorganic elements as calcium, phosphorus and ferrum, and can be further exploited and utilized as fine health food product.

Abstract:The successive observation was conducted to study the artificial fertilized embryos and fry of Megalobrama hoffmanni from June to July in 2007. The post-embryonic development were divided into 12 stages based on the external morphology, internal morphogenesis; each stage were described and photographed. The characteristics of M. hoffmanni is very obvious: The body is somewhere transparent, with few pigments on the head; Beside the otic capsule there are some pigments developing into pigment flower; The shape of pigments in the fore part of belly likes a Calabash Gourd, which fades gradually after the formation of ventral fin; The length of caudal is 31% to 46% of the total length; After one chamber air bladder stage, total muscle nodes are about 43 pairs, including more than 19 pairs muscle nodes in the caudal. After developing and growing for 24 days, with formation of all fins, the fry gets the same characters as the adult M. hoffmanni.

Abstract:Combined with the annual variations in mass, volume and somatic index of testis, the changes in testicular microstructure during the annual reproductive cycle was observed in snake (Zaocys dhumnades). The results showed that the seasonal variations in mass, volume, somatic index of testis, seminiferous tubule, and seminiferous epithelium were very evident. The spermatogenetic cycle comprised of six stages with significant features and showed a discontinuous type. Its reproductive type belonged to postcopulative, and its testis somatic index was a reliable parameter for determining the spermatogenesis.

Abstract:Eremias argus often produces two clutches per breeding season in Chuzhou, Anhui Province, with females laying 2 to 5 eggs per clutch. Clutch size and clutch mass was positively correlated to female size (SVL); relative clutch mass was independent of female size; egg was independent of clutch size. There was no inter-clutch difference in clutch size, clutch mass and egg mass. Egg length was positively correlated to egg width. Egg length was negatively correlated to clutch size; and egg width was independent of clutch size. Females increased reproductive output mainly through increasing clutch size.

Abstract:Many avian parents temporarily abandon incubation duties, leaving the developing embryo to ambient thermal conditions from several hours up to several consecutive days with little or no effect on hatchability. The hypothermic tolerance of the eggs in passerines is poorly known. Three abnormally long off-bouts (4.45 h, 1.17 h and 5.32 h bouts, respectively) were observed in an incubating Slaty-blue Flycatcher (Ficedula tricolor) female at the Lianhuashan Natural Reserve, Gansu Province, China. The nest temperature was measured and recorded by a temperature data logger at 50-second intervals. During the absences the nest temperature dropped to a minimum of 7.7℃ and included two periods (3.83 h and 4.60 h) when nest temperatures were below 10℃. Nest attendance resumed thereafter and continued normally until the eggs hatched.

Abstract:In this paper, the histopathological structure of digestive system, spleen and lymph node in an elk (Elaphurus davidianus) infected by bovine viral diarrhoea-mucosal disease (BVD-MD) was observed by routine paraffin section and H.E staining. The results show that the lesions mainly exist in the layer of mucosa: cells of epithelium desquamated, necrosis, capillaries in lamina propria hyperemia, and inflammatory cells penetration. Lesions in spleen are mainly acute septicemia, with severe hyperemia and haemorrhage in red pulp, and disappearance of white pulp. The necrosis in lymph node is severe, with destruction of its histological structure, and only appearance of lymph cells penetrated. The histopathological observation has provided morphological data for clinical diagnosis.

Abstract:For the purpose of protection and utilization of Uroctea lesserti,the observation of its biological characteristics was conducted in the seashore area of Rizhao City,Shandong Province,from 1996 to 2003. The result shows that U.lessert reproduces one generation per year in Shandong Province,China.Hibernation occurs as larva within its self-made oblate sacks on walls or in caves and holes of bridges,emergence in early April the next year; imagines,mating,oviposition and hatching in early July.Its average incubation period is 13.5 days,larva period 337.2 days,and adult period 106.5 days.Its number ratio of male to female is 5∶3. It kills 5.8 gelechiid moth Mordv on average each day.Therefore it is an important natural enemy of various insect pests.It is very sensitive to chemical insecticide.Prohibition of chemical insecticide in rooms and forest is the key to protect the larva and adult U.lessert.

Abstract:This paper reports the distribution of Leptolalax oshanensis in Hunan Province for the first time.Compared to L.pelodytoides,another species distributed in Hunan,its size is smaller and lack fringe in its digital lateral.

Abstract:One female specimen of bats, Rhinolophus luctus, was collected in Tangle Cave (28°18'N, 109°39'E,altitude 319 m), Zhaiyang Town, Jishou City, Hunan Province, on 11 Jan., 2007. This was the first record from Hunan Province. We measured the morphological parameters of this specimen, and it was identified as R. l. lanosus.

Abstract:Animal mitochondrial DNA as a genetic marker has been used extensively in many biological fields from intraspecific to higher taxonomic categories.Most of these applications are based on the properties of strict maternal inheritance and non-recombination of mtDNA.Recent studies have provided some indirect and direct evidence of animal mtDNA recombination.Animal mtDNA recombination might occur by two main pathways,recombination between the maternal mtDNA and a nuclear encoded pseudogene copy of mtDNA and the combination between paternal and maternal mtDNA haplotypes through paternal leakage.Paternal leakage appears to be the most plausible pathway of mtDNA recombination.If animal mtDNA recombination occurs commonly in animal kindom,it will have significant influences to many application areas based on strict maternal inheritance.

Abstract:Feeding and locomotion are not only the primary physiological activities but also the main energy consumption processes in fishes.Studies related to feeding metabolism have demonstrated that the main energy expenditure in feeding is caused by assimilatory process of dietary nutrients.The energy expenditure of protein assimilation is much lower than that in terraneous vertebrate.Imbalance of dietary nutrients will increase the energy expenditure during the process of assimilation; there is trade-off between energy expending in activity of feeding and locomotion vs.maintenance in fish.The trade-off is limited by the maximum potential metabolism ability.Inter-specific differences are found in feeding and locomotion metabolism,other characteristic,as well as in competition mode.The investigation on the relationship between metabolism characteristic of feeding and locomotion with the ecological habits of fish can be taken as one important research topic in fish energetics in the further studies.