Abstract:Murina lorelieae, a recently described new species which is similar to M. cyclotis, is only reported from type locality, namely Diding Village, Guangxi Province, China. In 2014, 13 small bats were sampled through harp traps from Ailao Mountain Natural Reserve, Yunnan Province, China. According to their external and craniodental characteristics as well as the phylogenetic evidences using 680 bp sequences of partial cytochrome oxidase subunit Ⅰ sequences, they are identified as M. lorelieae (Table 1 and 2, Fig. 1﹣3), which represents a discovery outside of its type locality and a new chiropteran record in Yunnan Province, China.

Abstract:The geographical variation in bat echolocation calls is common. However, it is not clear whether juveniles of bats are able to discriminate the echolocation differences between populations before the juveniles′ diffusion. In this study, we used two-choice playback experiments to detect the discrimination ability and behavioural response of juveniles (one-month old) to geographical variation in echolocation calls of the Greater Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum). We used four response parameters to measure the behaviour of juveniles towards to either local or foreign echolocation calls: number of flights, time spent in flight, number of landings, and time spent in detection. The result showed that there was a significant difference in number of flights, time spent in flight and time spent in detection by Mann-Whitney U test (P < 0.05), but no any significant difference in number of landings (Fig. 2) was detected. Overall, the juveniles flew more often and spent more time in flying to detect the calls made by local population than those made by the foreign populations (Fig. 2, Table 1). We performed a principal component analysis for the four response parameters of juveniles and found out that there were statistically significant differences in the PC1 scores between playback treatments (P < 0.01) for the result of Mann-Whitney U tests. The juveniles responded more strongly to local than to foreign echolocation calls (PC1: t10 = 5.25, P < 0.001; PC2: t10 = 2.34, P < 0.05) by the paired samples Student′s t tests. This study showed that the juveniles of the Greater Horseshoe Bats was capable to discriminate the acoustic difference between their own population and other population.

Abstract:The Mid-day Jerbil (Meriones meridianus) distributes in the northwest of China widely and is the dominant species in the desert rodent community. Its breeding characteristic is an important life history parameter which will produce great influence on population abundance. We conducted a 3 years filed study to investigate the population dynamic and breeding characteristics of Mid-day Jerbil in the south of Alxa using trap day method in four different areas with different grazing loads. We got the results as following: the meaning of the sex ratio was 1.09 ± 0.12, testicular decent rate was 0.74 ± 0.01, pregnancy rate was 0.21 ± 0.05, the number of foetus were 4.20 ± 0.32, breeding characteristics was 0.90 ± 0.22 in three years for the Mid-day Jerbil in the whole study area. The population density of Mid-day Jerbil was significant difference in four areas with different grazing load (grazing free < heavy grazing < rotational grazing < farmland) (Fig. 1); the highest sex ratio Appears in rotational grazing area, the next higher was recorded in farmland. The sex ratio collected in grazing free area was with minimum value (Fig. 2). The pregnancy rate in rotation grazing areas was significantly higher than those three other area, while the testicular descent ratio was significantly higher in heavy grazing load area than that in the other three areas and the lowest value occurred in the rotational grazing area (Fig. 3). No any difference was found between the mean embryo number of Mid-day Jerbil collected in the whole study areas with different grazing load (Fig. 4). The value of breeding index was the highest in rotational grazing areas of the four areas with different grazing loading (Fig. 5). The breeding characteristic, pregnancy rate and testicular descent ratio showed an obvious feedback for the population density but the feedback degree was difference in each area with different grazing load (Table 1). In conclusion, the Mid-day Jerbil′s showed a highest breeding potentials in rotational grazing area where was with the obvious density feedback and most suitability for the Mid-day Jerbil survival.

Abstract:Vigilance behavior, affected by many factors, is animals′ response to potential dangers. To study the vigilance behavior of Brandt′s vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii), we examed the effects of group size and foraging distance on the vigilance behaviour frequency of Brandt′s vole during the food storing period in typical steppes in Xilingole League, Inner Mongolia. We manipulated the group size of the voles in three levels (11, 6, and 3 individuals) and foraging distance in four levels (5 m, 10 m, 20 m, 30 m) in this study. The vigilance behaviour frequency was taken counted in the same time (Fig. 1 and Appendix). Two-way ANOVA shows that the frequency of vigilance behaviour significantly related to both group size and foraging distance. Moreover, the interaction between group size and foraging distance was extremely significant (Table 2). Vigilance behaviour frequency was higher with smaller group size and longer foraging distance. The result suggests that the group size effect of Brandt′s vole well supports the many-eyes hypothesis. And the result also indicates that foraging efficiency of Brandt′s vole rises with the increase of the group size. Combined with the study that with higher group size comes higher predation risk, the trade-off between predation risk and foraging efficiency makes us ensure that there is an optimum group size of Brandt′s vole.

Abstract:The foraging and vigilance behaviors of Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) was studied from March to July 2009 in the Nian Valley (29o46′N, 92o19′﹣92o20′E) Rotok Township, Mozhu Gonggar County, Lhasa Prefecture, Tibet Autonomous Region. We captured the Plateau Pike in 16 quadrats and marked each of them using ear marks to identify their gender later, then released them to the field. We made an observation on the behavior of those remarked Pikes, and used Poisson regression to determine if the behavioral frequencies of these sampled Plateau Pikas were affected by vegetation characteristics, as well as by land-use type. The results showed that the forage frequency of females was higher than males (β =﹣0.203, SE = 0.096, P < 0.05), whereas male vigilance frequency was higher than females (β = 0.199, SE = 0.088, P < 0.05). The foraging behavior of Pike showed a descending trend with increasing of dicotyledons plants in the vegetation (β =﹣0.009, SE = 0.004, P < 0.05), whereas the forage frequency of Pike was increased with increasing of monocotyledons plants in the vegetation (β = 0.009, SE = 0.004, P < 0.05). The vigilance behavior of Pika showed an increasing trend at the grazing areas (β = 0.007, SE = 0.003, P < 0.05) and at habitat with densenseness of vegetation (β = 0.023, SE = 0.006, P < 0.001), The forage behavior of Pika was positively increase as the coverness of Carex spp increase, while, the frequency of vigilance behavior of the animal showed a negative correlation with the cover of Carex spp in the vegetation (β =﹣0.018, SE = 0.007, P < 0.05).

Abstract:The short time feature Mel frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) were extracted (for the process, see Fig. 2) from 117 sound samples of Chinese leaf warbler (Phylloscopus yunnanensis), which were collected from 7 regions in Beijing, Gansu, Sichuan and Shaanxi (Table 1, Fig. 1). Then we constructed the cluster tree (Table 2, Fig. 3) of the sound characteristics of different geographic populations by using pattern recognition method. Finally, we discussed the mechanism of geographical variations in songs of Chinese leaf warbler. The results showed that there were no significant differences between MFCC feature of the songs and their distances or habitats (Pearson, r =﹣0.036, P = 0.762, n = 117). However, the sound of Chinese leaf warbler and altitude showed significant differences (Pearson, r =﹣0.836, P < 0.001, n = 117). This is the first attempt for geographic population relationship based on short time feature of sound of birds.

Abstract:The growth rate of wild Crested Ibis (Nipponia nippon) in the Shaanxi Hanzhong Crested Ibis National Nature Reserve before fledgling was measured in 2014 and 2015. The body growth indexes (body weight, body length, culmen length, tarsus length, wing length and middle toe length) of 15 nestlings from 6 nests were examined. The results showed that the growth of nestlings was not affected by the hatching order, and the growth rate of body length of male nestlings was faster than the female (Table 1). The growth curves of the nestlings matched with the Logistic models, and the growth rate of body weight reached the maximum at about 13-day-old (Table 2). Compared with the results from 1989, the overall nestling growth of the wild Crested Ibis slowed relatively (Table 2, 3; Fig. 1, 2), which could be explained by higher environmental pressure and lower food availability with the development of population size and their dispersal in recent decades.

Abstract:Published information on Rotifera of Hainan Island is fragmentary, and more species than currently recorded may be expected. This contribution is part of an ongoing investigation to examine the species composition and distribution of the Rotifera from a wide range of freshwater habitats on Hainan Island. Species new to China are described based on material (parthenogenetic females) obtained from Hainan Island. Qualitative sampling of the littoral zones of reservoirs, ponds, temporal ponds, brooks, rivers and rice fields on Hainan Island, was carried out in November 2010, May and August 2011. About 134 samples were collected from 134 freshwater habitats (Fig. 1) using 35 μm plankton net, and preserved in 5% formaldehyde. In most localities, temperature and pH were measured. Twenty-five species of the genera Brachionus were identified (Table 1). Brachionus donneri bifurcus, B. huangi and B. murphyi are endemic to the Oriental Zone. Brachionus quadridentatus mirabilis, B. dichotomus reductus, B. dimidiatus, B. huangi, B. lyratus, B. leydigii rotundus and B. sericus are new to Hainan Island. Brachionus quadridentatus mirabilis, B. dichotomus reductus and B. dimidiatus are new to China. Brachionus quadridentatus mirabilis was collected only from a small pond (pH 6.7) with extremely long median anterior, posterolateral and foot-opening spines (Fig. 2). Brachionus dimidiatus was collected only from a small pond (pH 8.6) with Eichhornia crassipes. Its lorica has no caudal spines, and very short spines on the anterior margin (Fig. 3). Brachionus dichotomus reductus was collected from a reservoir (pH 7.2) with much elongated median anterior spines and long caudal spines (Fig. 4). Brachionus quadridentatus quadridentatus, B. calyciflorus, B. falcatus and B. angularis are the most common species in this genus. There are twelve cosmopolitan taxa, eight tropicopolitans taxa and five pantropical taxa on Hainan Island, and the biogeographical affinity of Brachionus has a circumtropical or cosmopolitan distribution. Diversity of Brachionus is much higher on Hainan Island than that in other six regions of China (Guangdong, Hubei, Shanghai, Xizang, Beijing and Jilin), and the species richness is negatively related to latitude (Fig. 5). Bray-Curtis dissimilarity of Brachionus between Hainan Island and other six regions of China varies from 0.17 to 0.54, and increases as latitude increase (Fig. 6).

Abstract:Zooplanktonic investigation was carried out from September 2013 to June 2014 in Chaohu Lake and its three tributaries (Zhegao River, Hangbu River, and Nanfei River). Totally, 297 species of zooplankton including 124 species of protozoa, 135 species of rotifer, 29 species of cladocera, and 9 species of copepoda were found. The species number of zooplankton was the highest in Nanfei River (203), and lowest in Chaohu Lake (130). Protozoa and rotifer had the highest species number in Chaohu Lake and three tributaries (Table 2, Appendix). The total abundance of zooplankton was 644 223 ind/L, Zhegao River had the highest abundance, Chaohu Lake had the lowest abundance, and the abundance of protozoa was on predominance. Zhegao River had the highest abundance of zooplankton in four seasons (Fig. 2a). The total biomass of zooplankton was 253.14 mg/L, Nanfei River had the highest biomass, Hangbu River and Chaohu Lake had the lowest biomass (Table 2). Zhegao River had the highest biomass of zooplankton in spring and winter, Nanfei River had the highest biomass of zooplankton in summer and autumn (Fig. 2b). Compared with three tributaries, Chaohu Lake had the lowest species number of dominant species (Table 3). Based on physiochemical parameters, it was found that Chaohu Lake and three rivers were in eutrophic or hypereutrophic status, the degree was as follows: Nanfei River > Chaohu Lake > Zhegao River > Hangbu River (Table 1). Zooplankton community structure was analyzed in relation to physiochemical parameters by redundancy analysis (RDA), the results showed that these was no obvious spatial heterogeneity of zooplankton community structure in Chaohu Lake and its three tributaries in four seasons, and physiochemical parameters were weekly correlated with the zooplankton community structure (Fig. 3).

Abstract:Investigation on the zooplankton of Lianhuadang River System which feeding into the Taihu Lake in Yixing in four seasons within a year were carried out in 2015. Total of 136 species of zooplankton were identified including 72 species of Protozoa, 39 species of Rotifer, 13 species of Cladocera, 9 species of Copepoda and 3 unkown species by the larvae. Community structure was mainly made up of small zooplankton, including Protozoa and Rotifer. The annual average density, biomass and biodiversity index were 14 664 ind/L (Table 4), 4.903 mg/L (Table 5) and 2.26 (Fig. 4) respectively. Annual average density and biomass reached to the largest at sampling site H (32 909 ind/L) and site 9 (12.176 mg/L) (Fig. 2, Fig. 3) respectively. The density and biological amount of zooplankton varied obviously with seasons. The quantity of species found in autumn was 65 species which is the highest in the four seasons (Table 2). Total of 20 species was recognized as dominance species in the samples collected in one or more than one seasons, however, none of them appeared in the samples through out the whole year. The main dominant species were Tintionnopsis sp., Difflugia sp., Euplotes sp., Keratella sp., Brachionus sp., Polyarthra spp., Bosmina sp., Sinocalanus dorrii and Mesocyclops sp. (Table 3). The total nitrogen, ammonia nirtogen and dissolved oxygen were the significant factors on zooplankton density (Table 6). The evaluation based on the biological diversity index and dominant species indicated clearly that the water quality of Lianhuadang River System was moderately polluted and meso-eutrophic.

Abstract:Sanjiao Lake is a representative small urban lake in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River. Eutrophication has became a problem for this lake recent years. In order to understand the seasonal community structure of planktonic crustacean and environmental variables, we made a monthly survey in Sanjiao Lake from July 2014 to June 2015 (Fig. 1) to provide a basis for managing eutrophication and providing supports for the ecological restoration efforts. We got the following data: water temperature varied seasonally 10℃ in winter and 28℃ in summer; sechi disk depth 0.27 to 0.72 m; total nitrogen and total phosphorous 1.50 to 3.34 and from 0.07 to 0.58, respectively (Table 1). We identified a total of 22 species, belonging to 17 genera and 9 families of planktonic crustacean from the seasonal samples. The community included 13 species in Cladocera and 9 species in Copepoda (Table 2). The species composition showed a light similarity between summer and autumn or winter with Jaccard index ranging from 0.45 to 0.50, and a medium similarity among other seasons with Jaccard index ranging from 0.60 to 0.72 (Table 3). The density of planktonic crustacean ranged from 0.6 to 13.1 ind/L with an average density of 3.7 ± 3.6 ind/L. The lower density occurred in summer and autumn, while the peak was in February. Copepoda and nauplii dominated the community in most months except May and June, accounting for 55.2%﹣95.4% of the total density (Fig. 2). The dominant species were Cyclops vicinus, Microcyclops leuckarti, Moina irrasa, Microclops varicaricans, M. rectirostris, Diaphanosoma leuchtenbergianum and Bosmina longirostris (Fig. 3). Species richness of planktonic crustacean ranged from 6 to 15, with an average of 10 ± 3. Higher species richness occurred from late autumn to spring, while the lower value occurred in summer. Simpson index of the community ranged from 0.76 to 0.90, with an average of 0.80 ± 0.04 (Fig. 4). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the total density of planktonic crustacean had a significantly negative relationship with the water depth (r =﹣0.636, P < 0.05, n = 11), reflecting that seasonal fluctuation of water level affect the density of planktonic crustacean. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated that water temperature and sechi disk depth were the key factors affecting the seasonal variation of species composition of planktonic crustacean (P < 0.05, Fig. 5). It is inferred that predator pressure from the intensive aquaculture for Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and Bighead Carp (Aristichthys nobilis) was likely responsible for the low density of planktonic crustacean community in Sanjiao Lake.

Abstract:In mammals, haploidy is normally restricted to the post-meiotic stages of germ line cells and represents the end of cell proliferation, which means that physiological haploidy is incompatible with self-renewal. The successful establishment of androgenetic haploid embryonic stem cell broadened the practical prospect of haploid stem cells, which means, pluripotency, self-renewal, and haploidy can be incorporated together in a single cell line. These haploid ESCs contained only the paternal set of chromosomes and shown pluripotency as well as self-renewal capabilities. Haploid embryonic stem cell had drawn great interest of researchers because of its potential in genetic modification and drug screening. Continuous technological progress in mammalian genetics depended on the availability of mouse embryonic stem cells. Some reverse genetic approaches had taken advantage of the pluripotency of genetically engineered mouse haploid embryonic stem cell to produce animals with germline-transmitted mutations. To generate androgenetic haploid mouse embryos, we performed nuclear transfer (NT) technology, in which a single sperm head from C57/BL6 × DBA/2 F1 mice, instead of a somatic nucleus, was injected into an enucleated oocyte from C57/BL6 × DBA/2 F1 mice. The androgenetic haploid embryo underwent development from 1-cell stage to blastocyst stage (Fig. 1). Among the 206 haploid embryos that were reconstructed, 30 (14.5%) developed into blastocysts in vitro. After removal of the zona pellucida, blastocysts were cultured in a standard embryonic stem cell (ESC) culture system supplemented with 2i. As the result shown, the unsatisfied blastocyst rate and blastocyst quality is still an obstacle to the derivation of androgenetic haploid stem cells. To improve the quality of androgenetic haploid blastocyst and the efficiency of the androgenetic haploid stem cells derivation, we assessed the expression of Xist gene in the androgenetic haploid embryos during the preimplantation development of mice in vitro. The result showed that the blastocyst rate of androgenetic haploid embryo was 10%﹣14% (Table 1), the time for the development to blastocyst stage varied from 3.5 day to 5.5 day. RNA-FISH results indicated that Xist gene was actively expressed in the early developmental stage, but was silenced in these embryos which developed to blastocyst stage (Fig. 2). Xist Knockdown by siRNA improved the quality of the blastocyst and the rate of outgrowth when seeded on the feeders, but did not improved the blastocyst rate. These results indicated that the expression of Xist gene is one of the factors for the unsatisfied quality of the androgenetic haploid blastocyst and the low efficency of androgentic haploid stem cell derivation.

Abstract:The structural characteristics of the skin and fins were observed by paraffin section, haematoxylin-eosin and Alcian blue-periodie acid Schiff staining in Catfish-like Loach (Triplophysa siluroides). Skin samples were taken from head, abdomen, dorsal, lateral and caudal peduncle, respectively, and fins samples were taken from pectoral fin, ventral fin, dorsal fin, anal fin and caudal fin. The comparison of difference between groups was analyzed with one-way ANNVOA method using SPSS 17.0. The results showed that the skins were all composed of epidermis and dermis, and the latter was divided into stratum spongiosum and stratum compactum (PlateⅠ). Different parts of skins had different thicknesses which was related to the size of the glands (Table 1, Table 2). Among the five different positions, the thickest epidermis layer (84.62 ± 10.82 μm) was present in the abdomen, while the thinnest epidermis (14.97 ± 3.95 μm) was present in lateral region, and there was significant difference in epidermis thickness at different positions (Table 1). Mucous cells, club cells and taste buds were observed in the epidermis layer. For stratum spongiosum, the thickest layer (282.71 ± 70.56 μm) was in the head, while the thinnest layer (29.07 ± 4.88 μm) was in the caudal peduncle (Table 1). There were some pigment cells, vacuolar cells and granular glands in the stratum spongiosum, and the mucous glands were present in the stratum compactum (PlateⅠ). The thickness of stratum spongiosum could be thicker due to the presence of glands. Fins were composed of epidermis layer, collagen fiber layer, sub-collagen fiber layer and fin ray. The composition of epidermis layer was similar with that in the skin. Fin ray was mineralized connective tissue (PlateⅠ).

Abstract:In order to understand the developmental relationship between the cycloid scale and ctenoid scale in teleosts, the distribution of the two types of scales in Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea) and Small Yellow Croaker (Pseudosciaena polyactis) were investigated (Fig. 1). By comparing with the different morphological structures in different scales stained with alizarin red, we found not only cycloid scale and ctenoid scale with typical structures, but also scales with transitional morphological features between typical cycloid scale and ctenoid scale in one fish body of flounder, large yellow croaker and small yellow croaker, that indicated the typical ctenoid scale might be developed from the cycloid scale (Fig. 2). The different types of scales in the same body section were found in the flounder at 100 days after hatching and adults, which provided the further indication for the developmental relationship between the cycloid scale and ctenoid scale (Fig. 2). We further investigated the numbers of cycloid scales and ctenoid scales in different body parts in both L. crocea and P. polyactis, and found out no significant difference of the numbers of cycloid scales or ctenoid scales between left and right body sides (Table 1, 2). We also did not found any difference between the scale number in dorsal area, lateral line area and abdomen area. However, the significant difference in number was found in the different body areas along anterior to posterior axis in both L. crocea and P. polyactis (Table 1, 2). The number of cycloid scales decreased gradually from the head to tail, on the contrary, the number of ctenoid scales increased gradually from anterior to posterior (Fig. 3, 4). More ctenoid scales distributed in the body rear in the two species of croakers, indicating the croaker might use ctenoid scales as generator vortex to improve swimming efficiency.

Abstract:Loach, Paramisgurnus dabryanus, a small-sized fish belonging to the family of Cobitidae of the order Cypriniformes, can breathe air through its mouth when swimming to the water surface. And its accessory breathing organ for O2 and CO2 exchange is its posterior intestine. To investigate the effect of respiratory metabolism and oxidation resistance of gill and intestine as well as related physiological feedback mechanism in P. dabryanus, an air-breathing model under intestine breathing restrain treatment was employed. Mature individuals were chosen for intestine respiratory restriction by limiting them under the water surface. The total static metabolism rate, respiratory rate, lactic dehydrogenase activity (LDH), succinate dehydrogenase activity (SDH), Na+/K+ATPase activity (NKA), catalase activity (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of gill and intestine were examined after 2 weeks′ acclimation in control and treatment groups. Data were expressed as Mean ± SE. All the measured data were analyzed and compared with one-way ANOVA and t-test using spss 19.0 and excel. The level of significant difference was set at P < 0.05. The result showed that total static metabolism rates in control and treatment group did not differ significantly (P > 0.05) (Table 1). However, the gill of P. dabryanus in treatment group breathed more quickly than the control group (P < 0.05) (Table 1). In treatment group, succinate dehydrogenase activity of gill showed a significant increase (P < 0.05), while succinate dehydrogenase activity and Na+/K+ATPase activity of posterior intestine showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05) (Fig. 1b, c). At the same time, lactic dehydrogenase activity of posterior intestine increased significantly in treatment group (Fig. 1a). Although there was no significant difference in catalase or superoxide dismutase activity in the gill, anterior and middle intestine between the control and treatment group (P < 0.05), the enzyme activity of posterior intestine in treatment group was lower than that of control group (P < 0.05) (Fig. 2a, b). When P. dabryanus was intestine breathing restricted, it would enhance its gill aerobic respiratory metabolism as an offset for intestine breathing loss, in order to meet physiological requirements and its air-breathing posterior intestine would have an oxidative stress response. Respiratory metabolism of the gill and posterior intestine of air-breathing loach P. dabryanus could be adjusted to adapt environment under different environment stress conditions.

Abstract:We collected three adult samples from Daweishan Natural Reserve, Pingbian (22°53′59″N, 103°41′23″E, 2 088 m above sea level) and Banbianqing, Funing (23°28′11″N, 105°35′59″E, 1 442 m above sea level). We compared the morphological measurement of our samples with topotype specimen (Table 1, Fig. 1 and 2), and established the phylogenetic relationship using Cyt b sequences (Fig. 3). The results showed that the shape of tail and hind feet was similar with topotype specimens. The P-distance of Cyt b between them was only 1.6%. We confirmed that these three samples belong to Taiwanese Gray Shrew (Crocidura tanakae), which were the first record in Yunnan Province. The habitat of collection locations was the junction of primary and secondary forest and deciduous monsoon forest.

Abstract:One female bat was collected in the Xianfei Cave (26°58′24.93″N, 113° 3′23.03″E, alt. 641 m), Sifang Mountain, Hengdong County, Hunan Province, on July26, 2015. The results of morphological measurements and analysis on mitochondrial Cyt b gene proved that this specimen was David′s Myotis (Myotis davidii). The size of this specimen was small with the measurements as forearm length 34.54 mm, foot longer than half of tibia (Fig. 1); skull length was 13.34 mm (Table 1), dental formula 2.1.3.3/3.1.3.3 = 38 (Fig. 2). Agarose gel electrophoresis of Cyt b PCR products shows a clear bright band near 1 000 bp (Fig. 3). The genetic distance based on 1 140 bp Cyt b from this specimen and other M. davidii populations were inferred using the Neighbor-Joining method (Fig. 4). Molecular phylogenetic analysis shows that M. davidii is monotypic, but with two clades. Populations from Guangdong share the same clade with those from Guangxi, while the populations from Jiangshu, Anhui, Hunan, Chongqing form the other clade. The genetic distance between those populations from Jiangshu and Guangxi is the largest. The specimen is preserved in Vertebrate Specimens Museum of Hunan Normal University.

Abstract:Seven new records of birds occurred in Anhui Province were reported, including: Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor), Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis), Brent Goose (Branta bernicla orientalis), Narcissus Flycatcher (Ficedula narcissina narcissina), Scaly-headed Stubtail (Urosphena squameiceps), Sulphur-breasted Warbler (Phylloscopus ricketti), and Ochre-rumped Bunting (Emberiza yessoensis continentalis). We suggest that the first three birds be the stragglers, next three birds be the travellers and the last one be the summer bird.

Abstract:Egg mass development of the Leishan Moustache Toad (Vibrissaphora leishanensis) was surveyed from October 2015 through April 2016 in the Leigongshan National Nature Reserve. During the survey, 54 egg masses from 14 spawning ground were observed. Egg mass of this toad took 127.71 ± 1.38 d to develop from zygote to operculum (range 107﹣157 d, n = 54). Effects of air and water temperatures, and water depth to the embryonic development are of interest in further study.

Abstract:Leptojulis lambdastigma, new to the South China Sea, is identified from a specimen collected from the Hainan Island. Diagnostic characteristics for this species as follows: body moderately elongate, the depth 3.7﹣4.0 in standard length (SL), head length 3.1﹣3.6 in SL; snout length 2.7﹣3.3 in head length (HL), pectoral fins 1.45﹣1.65 in HL; head naked; 2 pairs of canine teeth anteriorly in both jaws, the second pair recurved and outcurved. Dorsal fins Ⅸ-12, anal fins Ⅲ-12, pectoral fins i (unbranched) +11﹣12 (branched); lateral line complete, and lateral-line scales 27; a large V-shaped dark mark on nape; an irregular black blotch below lateral line above pectoral fin. Color when fresh with 2 yellow stripes on sides of head, the first from upper lip through eye to end of the basal part of caudal fin, the second beginning at corner of mouth, passing the basal part of pectoral fins and extending to the basal part of caudal fin; one faintly yellow stripe on the back near to dorsal fin; pectoral fins brown to red anteriorly, and pale colours posteriorly; anal fins pale blue; lower and upper parts of caudal fin separated, slight blue and orange. Color of preserved in formalin is significantly different from the fresh specimen, body with a pale color, and the stripes disappeared except for the V-shaped dark mark. It differs from the similar L. urostigma in: nape with the V-shaped dark mark (absent in L. lambdastigma), and without the dark blotch at base of caudal fin found in L. lambdastigma. L. lambdastigma has been recorded from Gulf of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, and Taiwan of China to date.

Abstract:Oryzias pectoralis was identified from more than thirty ricefishes captured from the Long-Jiang in Jingxi County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, South China in November, 2015, which represents a newly recorded distribution of the species in China. This ricefish has the following main characteristics: body slender compressed laterally; a prominent black plaque presents on the pectoral-fin base; no prolonged filamentous addition to distal ends of dorsal and anal-fins; caudal fin rounded, a yellow to orange submargin stripe among each caudal-fin lobe. The phylogenetic tree constructed by NJ method based on CO1 gene supports the results of morphological identification. The characteristics data of O. pectoralis obtained by X ray and morphometry were compared with those of O. sinensis, O. latipes, O. minutillus, O. curvinotus and O. pectoralis from Vietnam respectively. All specimens examined were deposited in the fish collection at the college of life science, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.

Abstract:Flight initiation distance (FID) is defined as a distance at which an animal flees due to the presence of an approaching stimulus (such as predators and humans). It is a very common used parameter for studying the processes associated with escape decision making because it reflects the risk at which an individual is willing to take while approached by a potential predator. It is also applied for animal conservation purposes such as establishing buffer areas to minimize human disturbance. This review summarized the factors influencing the FID in birds during the predator-prey interaction, with mainly three categories classified as environmental factors (e.g., distance to refuge and habitat openness), bird′s own factors (e.g., life history, body size and group size) and predator′s factors (e.g., direction of approach and approach speed). Moreover, urbanization also affects the FID in birds, with smaller FID in the cities, caused by habituation, local adaptation, and habitat selection. Knowledge and understanding of the factors affecting FID in birds may play a key role in escape behavior research and promoting the coexistence of human being and birds. Most studies on FID of birds were focused on behavioral observation or the effect of single factor in China, we suggest future works should strive to test targeted interactions between factors to understand how species weigh the importance of each factor in different situations.

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