Abstract:We studied the food habits of Toad-headed Lizard (Phrynocephalus frontalis) collected in the Erdos region of Inner Mongolia using stomach dissection. The results show that Toad-headed Lizard prefers insects which account for 95.8% of all the food items in the period from August to September. No significant difference in food items was found between male and female although the index of food diversity (IFD) and the breadth of trophic niche (BTN) were greater in males than those in females. No any difference in food habits was found between adults and subadults or between subadults and juveniles, however, significant difference was detected between adults and juveniles. The percent similarity of food index was great between sexes and lower in different age group. The IFD and the BTN in different ages was the greatest in adults and the lowest in juveniles. The general beneficial coefficient, the beneficial coefficient in different gender and ages were V_Total=22.44%, V_Female=12.76%, V_Male=9.83%. The P.frontalis is a species beneficial to the desert steppe.

Abstract:The home range of the invasive Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) and the native Chinese Strip-necked Turtle (Mauremys sinensis) was tracked by radio telemetry in the periods of July 2010 to April 2011 and August 2011 to August 2012 in the Qionghai Section of Wanquan River, Hainan Island, China. The home range and home range length of each individual was calculated by minimum convex polygon based on 2 043 locations from 32 individuals tracked. The home range area of T.s.elegans and M.sinensis is, respectively, 8.15±2.83 hm², 5.82±3.95 hm², and the line home range is 534.07±74.98 m, 504.00±222.96 m. No any difference was detected between the two species in home range area and line home range. The home range and home range length of females were significantly larger than those of male in adult T.s.elegans. The home range overlap degree between individuals of T.s.elegans and M.sinensis is, 0.27±0.02 and 0.08±0.06, respectively; and the intraspecific home range overlap degree of T.s.elegans was significantly larger than that of M. sinensis. The home range overlap degree of T.s.elegans and M.sinensis is 0.20±0.02. The results of this study suggest that T.s.elegans may have a potential competitive threat to M.sinensis in the wild.

Abstract:We studied differences between the size and surface of tongue among three of Old World bats (Pteropodidae, Chiroptera), two frugivorous species (Cynopterus sphinx and Rousettus leschenaultii) and one nectarivorous species (Eonycteris spelaea). The maximum tongue length were measured by two measurements of length inserted into the tube with diameter in 2 cm. L1 (including the snout and the tongue outside snout), and L3 (tongue length outside snout). The maximum of tongue length L1 was 29.19±0.52 mm for C.sphinx, 35.05±0.82 mm for R.leschenaultii, and 49.34±1.64 mm for E.spelaea; L3 in the three species were 16.25±0.53 mm, 19.25±0.79 mm, 31.88±1.56 mm, respectively. The two length measurements were converted with weight and resulted in 8.57±0.17 mm/g^1/3, 7.90±0.27 mm/g^1/3, 12.41±0.40 mm/g^1/3 for L1 in the three species and 4.77±0.16 mm/g^1/3, 4.34±0.22 mm/g^1/3, 8.01±0.38 mm/g^1/3 for L3; the anatomical tongue length after conversion were 5.56±0.16 mm/g^1/3, 5.35±0.14 mm/g^1/3, 6.65±0.38 mm/g^1/3, respectively. There were significant difference in these five variables among the three species, i.e. the value of five variables in nectarivorous bat were significantly longer than those of the other two frugivorous bats. By comparing tongue structure, we found that E.spelaea had a long and tapering brush-tipped tongue with many grooves on the surface and two sides, while the tips of C.sphinx and R.leschenaultia's tongues were blunt and with less grooves and brush structures. Our results indicated that the tongue length and structure between Old World nectarivorous and frugivorous bats were different, which may result from the difference of foraging behaviour.

Abstract:The age determination of Daurian Pika (Ochotona dauurica) plays a key role in the study of its population ecology. We analyzed the carcass weight of 198 samples of Daurian Pika (116 female, 82 male), captured in Abaga Qi, Xilinhot City, Inner Mongolia of China from 2009 to 2010, and found out that the average carcass weight of female and male pikas was significantly different (79.13±2.37 g vs. 91.76±3.74 g). Basis on the frequency distribution of each carcass weight, taking the reproductive status as a reference, we divided the female and male pikas into three age groups, juvenile, subadult and adult, respectively. The standard of carcass weight was juvenile (≤55 g), subadult (55-75 g), and adult (≥75 g) for female; juvenile (≤55 g), subadult (55-85 g), and adult (≥85 g) for male. The carcass weight between different age groups was significantly different and was also significantly positively correlated with body weight. Thus, the standard of age division by body weight resulted from the present study can be used as a potential tool in analyzing age structure in Daurian Pika population ecology study.

Abstract: Megophrys caudoprocta Shen,1994 has several unique characteristics. Its urostyle is longer beyond the back fringe of ischium to support its caudal projection. The cloacal pore between the two posterior margins opens to the ventral. The anterior part of the upper eyelids is larger than posterior part and has a triangolar projection pointed posterolaterally. All these unique characteristics are different from any other congeneric species. Recently, three specimens including one female and two male were collected in Type locality. Here reported are the morphology, biological information and its distribution based on the further investigation on the Topospecimens.

Abstract:The brooding behavior and nestling growth of Relict Gull (Larus relictus) were observed using e-Science information technology and marked method in Hongjiannao(N 38°13'-39°27', E 109°42'-110°54'), Shannxi Province from May to July 2012. Nestlings were feeding by parent. Three feeding patterns were recorded in pre-brooding periods. Parent fed nestling in average 0.706±0.036 times/h in daytime and 0.469±0.024 times/h in night, respectively, the feeding frequency by male and female was no difference (F=32.54, P>0.05). In the post-brooding period, parent showed two feeding modes, the feed frequency was average 0.416±0.021 times/h in daytime and 0.331±0.018 times/h in night, respectively. Feeding frequency was related to age of nestlings (r=0.074, P<0.05). The frequency of warming nestlings tended to decrease as the chicks grew older. While, parent spent more time on warming and safeguarding chicks was increase largely in the day with bed weather. No any brooding behavior was recorded after the chicks reached to 20 day old. The growth curves of body weight and body length were suitable to fit to Gompertz curves.

Abstract:A simple and convenient method were introduced for making ecological specimens of small fishes. It can be achieved by steps as following: 1. preparation; 2. skinning; 3. to make and put carriage; 4. seaming; 5. prepare materials for filling; 6. to fill the materials; 7. to reshape and fit ocular prosthesis; 8. to dry, color, make ecological environments and fix. Compared to other methods, this new method is much easy, and it is convenient to control the amount of the filling materials, so that the specimens maken by this method is much more like the living status of the fish.

Abstract:White-striped Grass Lizard (Takydromus wolteri) is an oviparous lacertid lizard. Females produce multiple clutches of eggs during the breeding season. To understand the mating system, the paternity of the offspring within and among clutches, the population genetic structure and the evolutionary history of this species, we developed 9 highly polymorphic microsatellites for T. wolteri in a population from Chuzhou, Anhui, China. Loci were isolated from a genomic library enriched for (AC)_n and (ATAG)_n repetitive elements and primers were tested in 16-32 individuals. The number of alleles ranged from 12 to 20 per locus, the expected heterozygosity (H_e) ranged from 0.894 to 0.955, and the observed heterozygosity (H_o) ranged from 0.565 to 0.938. These loci could be useful markers to investigate population genetic structure, gene flow level, population differentiation and mating systems in T. wolteri.

Abstract:Short tandem repeat (STR)was amplified with fluorescence labeled primers of 17 microsatellite loci and Genetic Analyzer (ABI 3130xl)was used to separate and analyze the genotypes of the amplifiied products. The individual identification of Bulls (Bos taurus) was conducted with the standard that only one locus mismatch was permitted. The results showed that all the 17 microsatellite loci had high genetic polymorphisms, the probability of matching was 9.74×10^-10, and the cumulate discrimination power was 99.99%. This study suggests that the 17 microsatellites may be used in the bull individual identification.

Abstract:We conducted a field survey on the estimated the population size and distribution of Rhacophorus yinggelingensis by using the quadrate method and line intercept method in Hainan Yinggeling Nature Reserve from Jul. 2010 to Jan. 2012, This species live in a specific environment and inhabit at few temporary ponds in very narrow areas at 1 200 m above sea level, and the population quantity is estimated only 2 972±831. Therefore, we recommend to strengthen the protection for this species by upgrade its protection rank.

Abstract:The tubers of Scirpus planiculmis and S.nipponicus are the main food for migratory Siberian Cranes Grus leucogeranus at the Momoge National Natural Reserve (MNNR) of Jilin Province, Northeastern China. During 15-25 September 2010, we sampled tubers of these two species at 470 points evenly distributed at 100 m intervals along 20 transect lines at Etoupao wetland, the area of the highest concentration of migratory Siberian cranes at MNNR. Six different methods of spatial interpolation including inverse distance weighting (IDW), four radial basis functions (RBF) and ordinary kriging (OK) were employed to simulate the Scirpus tuber density in the study area based on the field sampling data. According to the results of the cross-validation and spatial distribution, the spline with tension of RBF is the most optimized method with the highest accuracy. The results of this method showed that the mean tuber density was 46.0±44.3 no./m². Areas with tuber densities < 25, 25-100, and > 100 /m² occupied 41.7%, 45.9% and 12.4% of the study area, respectively. The results provide basic, yet critical, data for determining the relationship between Siberian cranes and tuber availability, and predicting the environmental capacity of Etoupao wetland for supporting migratory Siberian cranes.

Abstract:Intestinal helminthes and comparison of intestinal helminth communities were investigated from the Rhinolophus ferrumequinum during the hibernation period of 2005-2006 year and 2006-2007 year collected in the artificial tunnel of Jiyuan City, Henan Province. Total 5 species of parasitic helminthes was identified in the intestine samples of the bat, including 2 species of trematode (Mesotretes jiyuanensis and Plagiorchis koreanus), 2 species of cestode (Vampirolepis kengtingensis and V.toohokuensis), 1 species of nematode (Strongylacantha pretoriensis), however, V.kengtingensis wasnt obtained in the hibernation period of 2006-2007 year. The total prevalence of the host infected during the hibernation period of 2005-2006 year was 94.74%, and the prevalence of trematode and nematode was 73.68% and 63.18%, respectively, these were 91.30%, 78.26% and 65.22% in 2006-2007 year, respectively. M.jiyuanensis and S.pretoriensis had high average infection intensity and rates in two hibernation groups, which were dominant species. The proportion (more than 50%) of bats infected 2 species of intestinal helminthes was relatively high in all bats of two hibernation groups. The number of bat possessing less than 30 helminth individual accounted for more than 75% of R.ferrumequinum infected. The relation had no obvious cooperation or rejection between P.koreanus, M.jiyuanensis and S.pretoriensis of intestinal helminthes from the R.ferrumequinum in the hibernation group. And parasitic cases of these worms should be independent of each other. The results indicated that intestinal helminthes of R.ferrumequinum had high prevalence from the hibernation group in the artificial tunnel of Jiyuan City, Henan Province. There was almost no difference within the same species, except for significant difference in mean intensity and mean density of P.koreanus. Community structure of parasitic helminthes from the R.ferrumequinum had little change during the hibernation period.

Abstract:The effect of salinity on muscle quality of the Sword Prawn (Parapenaeopsis hardwickii)was studied through testing the muscle nutrient composition, amino acid composition and content by culturing in different salinities. The results showed that the muscle moisture content significantly decreased, while the muscle protein content significantly increased with an increase in environment salinity from 12 to 36. No significant difference in muscle crude fat content was observed with salinity increase, although there was a slight decrease; The crude ash content at salinity 36 was significantly higher than that at salinity 12, 16, 20, 24 or 28. Among the 16 amino acids detected in the muscle, the content of 3 kinds significantly increased, while the content of other 13 kinds significantly decreased with an increase in salinity from 12 to 36; the content of 10 amino acids at salinity 12-24 was significantly higher than that at salinity 28-36, while no significant difference was detected from salinity 12 to24. No significant difference was found in total amino acid content or delicious amino acid content from salinity12 to 36. Both total essential amino acid content and total half-essential amino acid content at salinity 12-24 were significantly higher than those at salinity 28-36, while there was no significant difference from salinity 12 to 24 or from 28 to 36. Both the ratio of total essential amino acid to total amino acid and the ratio of total essential amino acid to total non-essential amino acid were significantly decreased with an increase in environment salinity from 12 to 36. The essential amino acid indexes (EAAI) at salinity 12-24(66.13-67.42)were higher than those at salinity 28-36(62.56-64.46). The results suggest that the optimal salinity range for muscle nutritive value is salinity 12-24, and that the Sword Prawn shows a low salinity trend. Considering the muscle moisture content and shrimp growth performance, the suitable salinity range for culture is salinity 16-24, and thus the Sword Prawn can potentially be cultured in the brackish water (16-24 salinity) existing in majority of the coastal areas.

Abstract:OTUB1 is a key factor of the estrogen signaling pathway in mammals. It has been proved that OTUB1 is a novel ERα-interacting protein with capability of deubiquitinating ERα and then repressing its transcriptional activity. In this study, expressed sequence tag (EST) of Scylla paramamosain OTUB gene(OTU-domain Ub-aldehyde-binding protein)was identified from transcriptome sequencing library and cloned by using SMART Rapid Amplication of cDNA end (RACE) technique. The full-length cDNA of Sp-OTUB is 1 261 bp, including 40 bp in 5'-UTR, 804 bp in open-reading frame (ORF) and 417 bp in 3'-UTR. The ORF encodes 365 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 31 ku, and the translated protein contains a typical OTU-like cysteine protease catalytic domain and a putative catalytic triad which was composed of conserved cysteine, histidine, and possibly the aspartate residues. Real-time quantitative PCR showed that Sp-OTUB was expressed in all detected tissues of mature crabs with the highest expression in haemolymph and the lowest expression in testis. In the process of ovarian development, Sp-OTUB showed the highest expression in proliferation stage compared to other development stages. In secondary spermatocyte stage, the expression of Sp-OTUB reached the highest and was significantly higher than that of primary spermatocyte stage or spermatid stage. Phylogenetic analysis based on the OTUB protein homologue sequences indicated that Sp-OTUB was separated together with OTUB1 in most other species, and Sp-OTUB had the closest genetic relationship with that of Ixodes scapularis or Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The preliminary experimental results showed that Sp-OTUB may play an important role in reproductive regulation.

Abstract:Soil fauna played an important role in the process of the degraded ecosystem rehabilitation and rebuild. To understand the variation characteristics of soil fauna community in reclaimed land that have been occupied by copper-mine-tailings, belt transect method and pitfall trapping test at Linchong reclaimed abandoned land of copper-mine-tailings (RALC) and suburbs forest and shrub land (SFSL) were used to investigated soil fauna communities in the city of Tongling, Anhui Province. A total of 3 154 individuals of soil fauna were collected which belonged to 27 genera, 5 phyla, 10 classes using belt transect method. Nematodes, Collembola and Acarina were the dominant groups, Harpacticoida and Coleoptera larvae were the frequent groups. A total of 2 160 individuals of soil fauna were collected which belonged to 12 genera mainly including the Collembola, Hymenoptera, Diplura, Araneae, Diplopoda and Oligochaeta using pitfall trapping test. The density and richness of soil fauna have the trend of constantly increasing from treatments of central RALC to that of SFSL. At treatments of RALC there was a low DG diversity index and a high Shannon-Wiener diversity index in comparison with that of SFSL. The greater the distance from treatments of RALC to that of SFSL, the smaller was the jaccard similarity coefficient (q) of treatments of RALC with that of SFSL and the more obvious was the surface aggregation of soil fauna in soil profile at treatments of RALC. The abundance and richness of ground-dwelling soil fauna immigrated from SFSL to RALC were constantly reducing by the increase of spacing distance, and were constantly increasing by the extending of investigation time, and were changing by the types of suburbs forest and shrub. The above results indicated that there were a very significant spatiotemporal differences and gradual changes of soil fauna community between RALC and SFSL which provided evidence for the immigration and colonization of soil fauna from SFSL to RALC.

Abstract:By changing water salinity gradually and temperature suddenly, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in livers of selective group of Trachinotus ovatus at different salinities (10, 20, 30, 40) and different temperatures (18.0℃, 21.0℃, 24.6℃, 29.0℃, 32.0℃) were studied respectively. At the end of the experiment, in groups with salinity of 10, the activity of enzymes had no significant difference with control groups (P>0.05); in groups with salinity of 20, the activity of SOD was significantly lower than that of control groups (P<0.01). In groups with salinity of 40, the SOD and GPX activities were significantly lower than those of control groups at 120 h (P<0.05), while the CAT activity had no significant difference compared with the control (P<0.05). In groups with temperatures of 18.0℃ and 21.0℃, the activity of SOD was higher than that of control groups at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 h, while the activity of CAT was significantly higher than that of controls 24 h (P<0.01). At the end of the experiment (24 h),in groups with temperature of 29℃ the activities of SOD and CAT were significantly higher than those in control groups (P<0.05). In groups with temperature of 32.0℃, the activities of SOD and CAT were significantly lower than those of control groups at 5 sampling time points (P<0.05). The results indicate that the change of water salinity and temperature could enhances the antioxidant enzyme activity in T.ovatus liver. The activation can be inhibited when the salinity and temperature vary beyond the tolerance range of the body.

Abstract:Anatomic, histological and histochemical methods were used to observe the post-embryonic development of digestive system in Triplophysa bleekeri. The growth of larva T. bleekeri was in a linear trend. Endogenous nutrition phase was within 2 days post hatching (dph), mixotrophic nutrition phase ranged from 3 to 14 dph, and ectogenous phase began since 15 dph. The mouth of newly-hatched larva could be observed and linked to the outside at 3 dph. Oropharyngeal cavity formation was completed at 9 dph and esophagus formation was completed at 8 dph. The digestive tract of newly-hatched larva was a prototype, without obvious gastrointestinal differentiation. The rudiment of gastric glands appearred in gastric pits at 64 dph, showing the initiation of stomach function. The intestine basically completed its development at 27 dph. The liver rudiment appearred in newly-hatched larva and hepatic cells began to differentiate at 2 dph, with central veins and hepatic cords formation at 7 dph. There was no obvious histological difference in liver structure between the larva and the adult. Pancreatic tissue appearred in front of liver at 3 dph and the pancreas rudiment appearred at 4 dph. The pancreas formed at the side of esophagus and stomach at 5 dph and there were a large number of eosinophilic granules in pancreatic cavities. The pancreatic islet appearred at 9 dph, indicating the basic completion of pancreas development. The development of histological structures of digestive system was completed at 64 dph. The period of morphological development was long. There was not any bending but front enlargement appearred in the larval gastrointestinal structure at 64 dph. Stomach and esophagus were at a right angle before bending down, but there was no significant gastrointestinal boundary at 85 dph. The stomach showed "Z" shape before going straight down and no noticeable gastrointestinal boundary formed. As a whole the liver was not divided into leaves at 120 dph. The anatomic structure of digestive system of one-year-old fish was similar to that of the adult, except for the lack of right liver leaf and round intestine ring bending on the dorsal side of the stomach. The characteristics of post-embryonic development of digestive system and the nutrition way of larva in T. bleekeri probably reflect the general pattern and nutrition trend of larva in fishes which breed in winter in the southern zone of the Changjiang River.

Abstract:To evalauate the safety of enrofloxacin for Carassius auratus gibelio, the acute toxicity of enrofloxacin and its influences on blood biochemical indicators were studied, based on the conventional dose of enrofloxacin in aquaculture. The results showed that the median lethal dose and safe dose of enrofloxacin for C.auratus gibelio were 1 949.84 mg/kg and 194.98 mg/kg, respectively. Compared with the control group, the content of serum total protein (TP), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and γ-glutamine transferase (γ-GT) were not significantly changed with the continuous oral administration at 20 mg/kg as a conventional dose for 30 days, while after the continuous oral administration at 40 mg/kg, 80 mg/kg, 160 mg/kg, 320 mg/kg for 30 days, the serum AST content was significantly increased by 23%, 30%, 46%, 86% (P<0.05), and the ALT content was significantly increased by 37%, 42%, 69%, 86% (P<0.05), respectively. This study determined the safe dose of enrofloxacin and its administration dose range causing liver dysfunction for C.auratus gibelio, and provided a scientific basis for the safe use of enrofloxacin in C.auratus gibelio. Enrofloxacin at 20 mg/kg as a conventional dose does not result in liver dysfunction in C.auratus gibelio.

Abstract:To discuss the division of the vertebral column in Urodela, the vertebral column characteristics of Batrachuperus pinchonii (Hynobiidae) was studied by a clearing and double staining method as a case in the present paper, and the morphological characteristics of each section of the vertebral column were described. The results showed that the vertebral column of B.pinchonii could be divided into five sections based on the morphological characteristics of vertebra. At the same time, combined with the vertebral column characteristics of 94 specimens from 20 species of other hynobiid salamanders and 27 specimens from 6 species of salamandrids and literature, the division of vertebral column in Urodela was discussed. The results show that it is reasonable to divide the vertebral column of Urodela into five sections, including cervical vertebra, truck vertebra, sacral vertebra, caudosacral vertebra and caudal vertebra.

Abstract:In this study, the postembryonic development of the gonad in the Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus was observed using anatomical and histological techniques. The results showed that the original gonad appeared 28-49 days after hatching, and primordial follicles which were composed of oocyte and somatic cells began to appear in some gonads 133 to 175 days after hatching. Seminiferous lobule differentiated in some gonads 259-343 days after hatching. On day 427 after hatching, the ovary was composed of cortex with more primordial follicles and medulla with ovarian cavity; seminiferous lobules, cavity gap and testis interstitial tissue were present in the testis obviously. On day 511 after hatching, the testis was composed of seminiferous lobules and immature lobules. It was concluded that the post-embryonic differentiation of the original gonad in the Chinese Giant Salamander was similar to that of other anamniotes, and the gonad differentiation of the female occured earlier than that of the male.

Abstract:Pharmacokinetics of florfenicol were studied in tissues from Pelodiscus sinensis Japanese strain using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. One hundred fifty healthy soft-shell turtles with the weight of 250±50 g were adnubustered florfenicol at a dosage of 30 mg/kg for 7 consecutive days under the temperature of 25.0±2.0℃. After the last feeding, tissues including blood, muscle, liver and kidney were collected at 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 16 h,24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, 120 h, 144 h, 168 h, 240 h and 360 h, respectively. Florfenicols in different tissues were extracted with ethyl acetate, cleaned by hexane, and detected by HPLC-MS/MS with negative electrospray ionization under multiple reaction monitoring. Quantitative analysis was used by internal standard method. Results showed that: The peak times of concentrations of florfenicol in plasma, muscle, liver and kidney were 4 h, 8 h, 8 h and 8 h, with the maximum content of 167 μg/kg, 188 μg/kg, 67.15 μg/kg and 85.71 μg/kg, respectively. The elimination half life was14.9 h, 9.4 h, 29.5 h and 13.0 h. The concentration-time curves of florfenicol in blood, liver, muscle and kidney were: C_blood=210.332 e^{-0.070 6 t} +938.161 e^{-0.046 5 t}, C_muscle=5 642.635 e^{-0.077 1 t}+5 765.891 e^{-0.074 4 t}, C_liver=111.596 e^{-0.036 0 t}+4.339 e^{-0.023 5 t} and C_kidney=176.509 e^{-0.0654 t}+615.697 e^{-0.053 6 t}, respectively. Florfenicol was absorbed and eliminated fast in P.sinensis Japanese strain. The withdraw period should not be less than 15 d under this experiment condition.

Abstract:The histological structures of digestive tracts of White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) have been studied by light microscopy. The plicae in the esophagus are developed and the wall of the esophagus is lined by stratified squamous epithelium. The lamina muscularis mucosa is a layer of longitudinal muscle of 0.06-0.26 mm thick, while the tunica muscularis is a layer of circular muscle of 0.19-0.27 mm thick. The number of the esophagus glands in the cervical segment is more than that in the thoracic segment. The wall of the glandular stomach is lined by simple columnar epithelium. There are two kinds of gastric glands in the tunica propria. The simple tubular glands are 0.11-0.20 mm long. And the compound tubular glands are 1.19-1.26 mm thick, accounting for 77.8%-80.4% of the wall of the glandular stomach. The koilin in the surface of the muscular stomach is developed and 0.16-0.24 mm thick. The simple tubular glands in the tunica propria and the koilin form the poicae. The muscular layer is composed of interior circular muscle and outer longitudinal muscle. The villi in the intestine are not branched and have no central lacteal. The villi in the duodenum and rectum are long and dense and those in the jejunum are fingerlike. There are some dense lymphoid nodules in the villi of the duodenum and rectum. The villi in the cecum are short and the glands are few.

Abstract:Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) is a recently discovered uncoupling protein, which possesses various biological activities. For example, UCP2 has the ability to inhibit the excessive generation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in certain cells, such as immune cells. In our research, we designed primers for RT-PCR, and obtained the core sequence in the cDNA of UCP2 from Tupaia belangeri. This core sequence was 750 bp, encoding 248 amino acids. After structure-function analysis, we found that the fragment composed of these amino acids possessed two mitochondrial carrier protein motifs, five potential transmembrane α-helix domains, one purine-nucleotide binding domain (PNBD) and three UCP-specific sequences. When comparing the amino acid sequence of UCP2 from T.belangeri with that from Equus caballus, Mus musculus, Canis lupus familiaris, Homo sapiens, Rattus norvegicus, Cavia porcellus, Pongo abelii, Phodopus sungorus, or Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, we founded that it shared over 90% identity with others. At the same time, we built the phylogenetic tree of UCP2 through MEGA5 to explore its characteristics of molecular evolution.

Abstract:During the survey on the vertebrate animal diversity in Libo of the World Natural Heritage-South China Karst from July 2010 to August 2012, five specimens of snakes of the Colubridae were captured at Banzhai, Yaoshan, Wengang and Dongtang in Libo County, Guizhou Province. These specimens all were identified as Elaphe moellendorffi, which is the first record of Colubridae in Guizhou Province.

Abstract:Recent rediscovery of the Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio) at Xiamen (Amoy) together with its breeding colony has more likely than not shown a continuous occurrence of bird to the locality in the last 150 years since R. Swinhoe, and the current knowledge on the range of the bird in the mainland China is to become much larger than known before. Whilst, along with those new records of the bird emerged in southern China in the last decade years, recognition of the subspecies argued, and, if this paper could encourage drawing a bit more attention on the status of the Purple Gallinule in China in the years to come, the authors will be very pleased.