Abstract:[Objectives] There are significant seasonal variations in the acoustic communication of many animals, as does the bird song. Bird song that functions in mate attraction and territory defense should differ somewhat between the breeding and non-breeding seasons, but how? And in what specific ways? This is not yet known in many bird species. In this study, Light-vented Bulbuls Pycnonotus sinensis, a common urban songbird species, which also have significant singing behavior in autumn (non-breeding season), were focused on to examine the seasonal variations in their songs. [Methods] Song characteristics of Light-vented Bulbuls in spring (breeding season) and those in autumn were compared. Song recordings of 27 males in spring and 30 males in autumn were collected respectively from 2020 to 2021 in Wuhan, China (Fig. 1). 372 songs in spring and 435 songs in autumn were measured and analyzed. The following song parameters were measured and calculated for songs of each male (Fig. 2): 1) song parameters on frequency: maximum frequency, minimum frequency, frequency range, peak frequency; 2) song parameters on timing: song duration, between-song interval, song rate, peak time relative; 3) song parameters on energy distribution: aggregate entropy, average entropy; 4) song parameters on quality traits: number of syllables per song, number of syllable types per song and song type occurrence rate (number of song types / number of songs recorded per individual, equivalent to song repertoire). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) is used to compare the overall difference of all song parameters between season groups. If there is a significant difference, each song parameter is then compared separately between seasons (independent sample t-test). The song types shared by Light-vented Bulbuls in spring and in autumn were analyzed from spectrogram inspection. [Results] Results suggested that there were significant differences between breeding and non-breeding seasons in the following two song parameters of Light-vented Bulbuls: song duration and number of song syllables per song (both P < 0.01) (Table 1). Song durations of Light-vented Bulbuls in spring are significantly longer, and the numbers of syllables per song in spring are also significantly more than those in autumn, while song parameters on frequency, energy distribution and song type occurrence rate did not show significant differences between seasons (all P > 0.05) (Table 1). Light-vented Bulbuls in the same recording site were found to share song types across seasons (Fig. 3). [Conclusion] In summary, this study suggested that only the song timing characteristics (song duration) and syllable numbers per song of Light-vented Bulbuls show significant seasonal plasticity. Light-vented Bulbuls’ longer songs in spring with more syllables indicated their song output in spring is more than that in autumn, reflecting the song behavior in spring is more active, which is consistent with the fact that birds invest more energy for breeding success during breeding season than in non-breeding season. It is speculated that Light-vented Bulbuls still need to defend territories and food resources through singing in autumn and their autumn songs are believed to mainly function in intraspecific competition. This study provides further evidence for understanding the seasonal variations and the function of bird song.

Abstract:[Objectives] Predation risk is one of the important factors that affect the life-history strategies of birds. To cope with predation risk, birds have evolved diverse self-protection measures and complex anti-predation strategies. This study aims to explore the adaptation mechanism of birds’ growth and development to high nest predation risk in the northern tropical limestone forest area. [Methods] We simulated nest predators by using snake models to increase the potential nest predation risk in an experimental group, and the experiment without the snake model was set as the control group. We measured the daily mass, tarsus length and wing length of the nestlings of Yellow-bellied Prinia (Prinia flaviventris) and Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus) during the brood period. The growth and development laws of the mass, tarsus length and wing length of Yellow-bellied Prinia and Red-whiskered Bulbul were compared and analyzed in the experimental group and the control group. The growth parameters of each day-old nestling conformed to the parametric assumptions and therefore were analyzed by t-test. The growth parameters of each day-old nestling that did not conform to the parametric assumptions were analyzed by the Wilcox rank sum test (non-parametric test) and the mean value were calculated (Table 1). Then, we used SPSS 26.0 statistical software package for logistic curve fitting and comparison of the “S” development curves of the same growth parameters of nestlings between the experimental group and control group (Fig. 1). [Results] The asymptotes of mass, tarsus length and wing length of Yellow-bellied Prinia nestlings in the experimental group accounted for 71.57%, 94.10% and 55.29% of the adult measurements, and 78.05%, 97.49% and 55.67% of the adult measurements in the control experiment, respectively. The brood period was 11.1 and 10.6 days in experimental and control group. The growth of nestlings of Yellow-bellied Prinia was significantly different from the second day of age. The growth rates of body mass, tarsus and wing in the experimental group were 0.59, 0.64 and 0.41 respectively, and in the control group were 0.64, 0.57 and 0.47 respectively (Table 2). The asymptotes of mass, tarsus length and wing length of Red-whiskered Bulbul nestlings accounted for 55.29%, 97.70% and 49.60% of the adult measurements in the experimental group, and 53.83%, 99.73% and 52.17% of the adult measurements in the control group, respectively. The brood period was 11.4 and 10.1 days in experimental group and control group. For Red-whiskered Bulbul, only mass at 7th day of age and tarsus length at 8th day of age showed significant differences. The growth rates of body mass, tarsus and wing in the experimental group were 0.34, 0.39 and 0.38 respectively, and in the control group were 0.70, 0.59 and 0.55. [Conclusion] Higher potential predation risk prolonged the brood period of Yellow-bellied Prinia and Red-whiskered Bulbul nestlings, and the development of Yellow-bellied Prinia nestlings was slower than that under normal predation risk. On the contrary, the growth characteristics of Red-whiskered Bulbul were more developed when fledging. Increasing the potential nest predation risk has different effects on nestlings of the Yellow-bellied Prinia and the Red-whiskered Bulbul, resulting in different changes in the growth and development patterns of different nestlings. The two nestlings may adopt different developmental strategies, which provided new insights into the effects of predation risk on the growth and development of birds.

Abstract:[Objectives] From July 2019 to November 2021, based on the data of bird community diversity surveys conducted at Yangzhou Taizhou International Airport and its surrounding areas, this study analyzed the species, function and phylogenetic diversity of bird communities in different habitats, to explore the function and phylogenetic structure of bird communities and the correlation between each index. This study investigated the construction process of the bird community in the human-disturbed airport environment and provided a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of bird disease in the airport and its surrounding areas. [Methods] The traditional point count method was used to investigate the bird community of 30 sampling sites in 4 habitats (Fig. 1). The statistical analysis included single-group t-test, with a total of 713 samples, which was the cumulative survey number of 30 samples in 2 years. A total of 2 224 individuals were included in the sample, which was the cumulative sum of the number of species observed during the survey of the sample sites. Traditional bird community diversity indices such as richness, abundance, Shannon-Wiener index, Simpson diversity index, and Pielou evenness index were used to characterize the species diversity, functional (FDis) and phylogenetic (Faith’ PD) diversity elucidates the differences in the diversity of bird communities around the airport for each habitat type. Meanwhile, based on the mean pairwise functional distance (MFD) and mean pairwise phylogenetic distance (MPD) weighted by abundance, the function and phylogenetic structures of the community were characterized, and the community assembly mechanisms, as well as correlations between various diversity indicators, were explored. The calculation and statistical analysis of this study were completed in R 4.0.0. A total of 30 survey samples were designed in this study, with a total of 713 survey samples and 2 224 observational data. [Results] Our results showed that (1) The species accumulation curves of the four habitats were close to asymptotes, indicating that the survey data of bird species were relatively complete and fully met the requirements of the analysis (Fig. 2). (2) A total of 88 bird species were recorded, belonging to 14 orders and 36 families, respectively. The largest number of orders and families were Passeriformes and Scolopacidae (Fig. 3). (3) FDis was highest in farmland and lowest in urban areas, and PD was highest in urban areas and lowest in wetlands (Fig. 4). (4) Standardized effect size analysis showed that random processes affected the function and phylogenetic construction of wetland bird communities, and the clustering of communities in the other three habitats was mainly affected by habitat filtering (Fig. 5). [Conclusion] The analysis of bird community diversity and related indicators in this study can grasp the relationship between habitat types and airport bird communities, and provide theoretical guidance for airport managers.

Abstract:[Objectives] Small populations are isolated or heterogeneous populations with survival risks under the influence of natural factors or anthropogenic activities, and understanding their formation are the basis to formulate conservation strategy and rescue programme. The Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) has many small populations which are isolated from each other, and the living conditions of the small populations will determine the overall conservation effectiveness of the species. [Methods] Taking the Giant Panda population in Duoer Reserve of Gansu Province as an example (Fig. 1), based on the investigation of population distribution, space utilization and disturbance status of the Giant Panda in the reserve, the habitat suitability assessment was completed, and the spatial and temporal pattern of effective utilization of the Giant Panda and its environmental capacity are also analyzed (Table 1). [Results] The results showed that: (1) The suitable habitat area of the reserve is 5 789.2 hm2, and the sub-suitable habitat area is 18 165.6 hm2, accounting for 43.9% of the total area of the reserve (Table 2). The high-quality habitat is mainly distributed in Gongbulong area, which is the main distribution area of Giant Pandas in the reserve (Fig. 2). (2) Grazing is the main disturbance factor of Giant Panda habitat in the Gongbulong area, and the pasture occupies 43.7% of this area. The total area of suitable and sub-suitable habitats in the Gongbulong area decreased by 1 200.9 hm2 under grazing interference, accounting for a decrease of 12.9% in the total area of the region (Fig. 3, Table 3); moreover, the fragmentation of habitat got worse. (3) Pasture inserted into Giant Panda habitat and shaped mosaic pattern with habitat, it also led to the isolation of suitable habitat. Due to the seasonal features for grazing, Giant Pandas were forced to choose seasonal migration along altitude retrograde to avoid the interference, which resulted in a suitable habitat area of 364.0 hm2 available for their use, sub-suitable habitat area is 1 088.9 hm2 in summer, and the available suitable habitats are 756.4 hm2 and the sub-suitable habitat area is 1 719.2 hm2 in winter and spring (Table 4). [Conclusion] Studies have shown that the spatial pattern of pastures and grazing activities lead to insufficiency of living space and habitat isolation for Giant Pandas. Especially in summer, the minimum environmental capacity is only 2 to 3, which cannot guarantee the long-term survival of large populations. It also affects their life history and population fitness resulting in a low encounter rate in field. It is suggested to optimize the functional zoning, adjust the pasture layout, control the grazing activities to reduce the disturbance and increase the habitat supply, and implement Ex-situ conservation programme to improve the habitat environment and living conditions of the small population.

Abstract:[Objectives] Habitat is the basis of wild animals, and bed-sites is one of the most important functional patches. In order to understand the bed-sites habitat characteristics and selective utilization pattern of wild Alpine Musk Deer, this study was conducted from December 2021 to January 2022, in Xinglongshan National Nature Reserve of Gansu Province in northwestern China. [Methods] We obtained the bed-sites records of Alpine Musk Deer by sample line survey method. Vanderploeg selection coefficients and Scavia selection indices were used to calculate the selection of discrete variables, and principal component analysis and resource selection function were used to assess the bed-sites habitat selection. [Results] The results showed that wild Alpine Musk Deer preferred to use habitats with lower altitude (2 488.5 ± 26.6 m), higher shrub height (1.3 ± 0.3 m), higher shrub canopy (31.08% ± 3.14%), higher ground-plant cover (38.36% ± 3.27%), more fallen wood (0.5 ± 0.1) plot and shallower snow cover (1.0 ± 0.3 cm) in winter (Table 1); and preferred to use habitats in southern lower slope, closer to water resources, shrub habitats with good concealment condition in winter (Table 2); the principal component analysis showed that the cumulative contribution of arbor factor, food factor, safety factor and topographical factor amounted to 67% (Table 5). The resource selection function yielded a log-linear model: Logit(x) =﹣4.967 + 0.001 × altitude﹣0.02 × slope gradient + 0.03 × arbor canopy + 0.104 × arbor height + 0.17 × shrub canopy﹣0.466 × snow depth﹣1.015 × slope aspect (Table 7). [Conclusion] Our results reflected the comprehensive ecological demands of security, food and water resources adaptability of bed-sites used by Alpine Musk Deer during winter.

Abstract:[Objectives] Small mammals are important vehicles and can diffuse many diseases. Their population distribution is affected by the urbanization effect. The urbanization process would change the living environment and food resources of small mammals, resulting in habitat fragmentation, which leads to the aggregation and distribution of wild small mammals in the remaining agricultural areas and parks. Small mammals in agricultural areas have access to more food and habitats and may be more diverse and abundant than those in parks. In addition, the diversity composition and spatiotemporal variation of small mammals in Chancheng District of Foshan City and other southern regions may have different patterns. Understanding these patterns is an important support for the prevention and control of small mammals. Therefore, taking Chancheng District of Foshan City as an example, this paper studied the species and distribution characteristics of small mammals remaining in fragmented agricultural areas and parks caused by urbanization, and discussed the seasonal fluctuation trends of small mammals, which could also be used for the prevention and control of small mammals and their infectious diseases. [Methods] In December 2020 and the second half of April, July and October 2021, the samples were collected by trapping method in parks and agricultural areas in four seasons. The species information was determined, and the relative population density was reflected by the capture rate. The differences of capture rates between different seasons and agricultural areas and parks were compared. The capture rate was analyzed by one-way ANOVA and t test with the total capture rate, rodent capture rate, and Suncus murinus capture rate. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Community ecological indices were represented by Richness index, Shannon-Wiener index, Pielou index and Simpson index. [Results] A total of 1 843 clips were effectively placed, and 244 small mammals were captured from 7 species, 4 genera, 2 families, 2 orders. The S. murinus of the Eulipotyphla accounted for 48.77% of the total captured animals; the dominant species of rodents were Rattus andamanensis (20.90%) and Mus caroli (18.03%). S. murinus, R. andamanensis and M. caroli were captured in four seasons, while Bandicota indica was caught only in summer and winter, and R. norvegicus only in spring and winter. In addition, R. andamanensis, M. caroli, R. losea and S. murinus were mainly distributed in parks and agricultural areas. However, R. norvegicus and R. tanezumi were distributed in agricultural areas (Table 1). In this investigation, the R. andamanensis was a new record in Foshan City, and the M. caroli was a new record in Chancheng District. In terms of faunal distribution, except R. norvegicus, which is a widespread species, the rest are all Oriental species. The total capture rate of the four surveys was 13.28% ± 0.93%, including 6.78% ± 0.81% for rodents and 6.49% ± 0.66% for S. murinus. There was no significant difference in the total and the S. murinus capture rate with seasonal changes, while the capture rate of rodents had a certain range of seasonal changes, and there was a significant difference between December and April (P = 0.046), the seasonal change of capture rate did not show a typical bimodal curve, mainly showing a significant increase in October, believed to be affected by food and habitat change. The total and rodent capture rate were both slightly higher in the parks than in the agricultural areas, while the S. murinus capture rate was slightly lower than in the agricultural areas, but the difference was not significant (Table 2). The richness index and Simpson index in December were the highest, while the Pielou index was the lowest. The Shannon index was the highest and the Simpson index was the lowest in April. The Pielou index in October was the highest, and the Richness index and Shannon index were the lowest. The Richness index and Shannon index of the parks were lower than those of the agricultural areas, but the Pielou index and Simpson index were slightly higher than those of the agricultural areas (Table 3). [Conclusion] In conclusion, compared with the conventional monitoring in the densely populated residential areas of Chancheng District, Foshan City, more species of wild small mammals were captured in the habitats of parks and agricultural areas in this study. It was found that the dominant species such as S. murinus, R. andamanensis and M. caroli accounted for 87.70% of the total captured species, and the population density was relatively high and showed a certain seasonal change. At the same time, the diversity of small mammals in agricultural habitats was significantly higher than that in parks. The capture rate of rodents in the park is high and the dominant species are obvious, and the potential risk of rodent-borne diseases is higher than that in the agricultural areas. Continuous monitoring and prevention should be strengthened in the future to provide scientific support for the prevention and control of small mammals and infectious diseases in the area.

Abstract:[Objectives] According to Li’s “Fauna Sinica, Osteichthyes, Pleuronectiformes” in 1995, the five species with specimen of genus Arnoglossus in Bothidae were records along the coastal waters of the Chinese mainland, including the Arnoglossus tapeinosoma, A. tenuis, A. polyspilus, A. Scapha and A. japonicus. Weber et al. listed Arnoglossus macrolophus Alcock, 1889 as synonym of Platophrys (Arnoglossus) tapeinosoma Bleeker, 1866 (currently Arnoglossus tapeinosomus) in 1929, this opinion has been accepted by many authors at home and abroad. In 1996, Arai et al. re-examined the holotype of A. tapeinosoma, and checked the specimens of A. tapeinosoma supposedly conspecific by Weber et al. and other researchers. They pointed out that all these specimens misidentificated as A. tapeinosomus should be A. macrolophus; A. macrolophus was affirmed to be the valid name. During this study from 2008 to 2021, off the coast of mainland China, samples resembling A. macrolophus and A. tapeinosomus were found, in order to correctly identify the specimens, the morphology and molecular barcodes were studied in this study. [Methods] The morphological features of representative samples were compared with that of type specimen and related research data of A. tapeinosoma and A. macrolophus. [Results] The results showed that the eight meristic features and 20 proportional values in our samples were the same, continuous, inclusive or slightly differece with those of A. macrolophus (Table 1). In particular, all three distinguishing features of elongated dorsal fin rays, black spots on the end of dorsal and anal fins, and developed prevomer are consistent, but there are many differences with the characteristics of A. tapeinosomus. Thus, the samples in this study were identified as A. macrolophus. The genetic distance of the COI sequence obtained in this study (GenBank number: MZ086865) was 12% between one of A. macrolophus collected from Taiwan, China, and zero between three others of A. tapeinosomus collected from the South China Sea and Vietnam downloaded on GenBank. Therefore, these three samples from the South China Sea and Vietnam were misidentified as A. tapeinosomus and should be A. macrolophus, but the species of A. macrolophus from Taiwan, China cannot be determined without specific morphological information of specimen. [Conclusion] This species of A. macrolophus was found for the first time along the coastal waters of Chinese mainland, thus a new record species. Accordingly, A. macrolophus is redescribed herein based on the morphological data of type specimen, the results of ours and previous studies. The main diagnostic characters of this species are: the first 1-6 dorsal fin rays of the male prolonged into long filaments, a large dark brown spot at the junction of the straight and curved lateral line, a large dark spot on distal part of pectoral, two small black spots on the straight of the lateral line, a slightly larger black spot on the of the posterior dorsal and anal fin bases, and a row of about 5-6 and 3-4 pale black spots scattered near the margins of dorsal and ventral fins, respectively.

Abstract:[Objectives] Ground-dwelling macroarthropods are important indicators of soil ecosystem. Studying the characteristics of community of ground-dwelling macroarthropods in alpine meadows is helpful to reveal the response of its distribution pattern to the change of alpine meadow ecological factors. [Methods] From May to September 2018, we investigated ground-dwelling macroarthropods community composition and diversity by pitfall traps at four typical alpine meadow habitats (swamp wetland, swamp meadow, meadow and mature meadow). The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) was used to explain the similarities or differences in ground-dwelling macroarthropods community from different habitats. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PerMANOVA) tests the significance of community distinctions among habitats and sampling time. Variance partitioning analysis (VPA) was used to evaluate the soil environmental factors, above ground biomass and sampling time on ground-dwelling maroarthropods community. The influence of specific soil environmental factors on the dynamics of ground-dwelling maroarthropods community structure was analyzed by distance-based redundancy analysis (db-RDA). [Results] A total of 2 545 individual ground-dwelling macroarthropods were collected from May to September 2018, belonged to 30 genera of 29 families, 9 orders, 3 classes. The dominant groups were Lycosa, Camponotus and Formica, and predators and herbivores were dominant in trophic groups (Table 2). The number of ground-dwelling macroarthropod groups in habitat of mature meadow was significantly higher than that of habitats of swamp meadow and meadow (P < 0.05); the Pielou evenness index (Js) of habitat of swamp wetland was significantly higher than that of habitats of meadow and mature meadow (P < 0.05); Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H′) had no significant difference (P > 0.05) among habitats, and the similarity index of ground-dwelling macroarthropod communities between habitats was low (Table 3). Among the Checkerboard score of the matrix (C-score), variance ratio (V-ratio), standardized effect size based on binary data, the Pianka niche overlap, the difference between the observed and simulated values have not regularity, suggesting that the ground-dwelling macroarthropods community assemblage was randomness and competition coexist, and that is structured simultaneously by both random diffusion and ecological filtering (Table 5). PerMANOVA analysis showed that the habitat characteristics of the study area (R2 = 0.636 4, P < 0.001) could more explain the changes of the ground-dwelling macroarthropods community characteristics than seasons (R2 = 0.157 3, P < 0.001). The characteristics of the ground-dwelling macroarthropods community was affected significantly by soil physicochemical properties, of which soil temperature and soil moisture content have the greatest impacts (Fig. 2). The distance based on redundancy analysis (db-RDA) showed that the soil physicochemical properties and aboveground biomass explained 29.88% of the variation of the ground-dwelling macroarthropods community, while the other 70.12% of the variation was not explained, indicating the complexity of the formation of the ground-dwelling macroarthropods community (Fig.3). [Conclusion] The result showed that the ground-dwelling macroarthropods community changed with different habitats and seasons. The effects of habitats on ground-dwelling macroarthropods composition were much greater than those of seasons.

Abstract:[Objectives] Intestinal flora of animals is related to their health, and the composition of flora is affected by many factors including living environment. Exploring the relationship between intestinal flora diversity and living condition is conducive to promoting animal conservation. Based on non-injury sampling and 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing, this study compared the intestinal flora structures of captive Canis lupus at two different geographical latitudes. [Methods] High-throughput sequencing by the Illumina Miseq platform was performed on 19 fecal samples of C. lupus collected from Tianjin Zoo (38°88′ N) and Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo (31°14′ N) (Tianjin group and Nanjing group, respectively). Bioinformatics was used to analyze the sequencing and to compare the differences in microbial composition and diversity between two groups. Student’s t test and Welch’s t test were used to detect the difference in the Alpha diversity, while the Beta diversity was analyzed by principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) based on weighted and unweighted UniFrac distances. Functional prediction analysis was used to predict the metabolic pathways and explore the correlation with the intestinal microbiota of C. lupus of both groups. [Results] After OTU clustering according to 97% similarity (Fig. 1), the microbial composition was analyzed between two groups. At the phyla level, Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were the dominant phyla in two groups, and the abundance of Campilobacterota in Tianjin group was higher than that in Nanjing group (Fig. 2). At the genus level, the relative abundance of Peptostreptococcus in Nanjing group was significantly higher than that in Tianjin group (Fig. 3). Peptoclostridium, Collinsella and Clostridium _sensu_stricto_1 were the dominant genus for both groups (Fig. 4). Both the Alpha diversity indices (Shannon index) (Fig. 5, 6) and PCoA analysis based on unweighted UniFrac distance revealed significant group differences in intestinal flora structure (Fig. 7). The main functions of intestinal microbiota of two groups were basically the same (Fig. 8). [Conclusion] The intestinal flora diversity of Nanjing group was significantly higher than that of Tianjin group. Different feeding environment directly affects the diversity and relative abundance of intestinal flora. The findings in this study provide basic scientific reference for both the conservation of captive population and the comprehensive management of wild population in this species.

Abstract:[Objectives] Gut microbiota plays an important role in immune function and gastrointestinal system. The diversity and richness of gut microbiota are important physiological index to measure host health. Sex hormones play an important role on the growth and development of animals, but the effect of sex hormones on gut microbiota composition is not clear. [Methods] In this study, a mouse (Mus musculus) castration model was established by surgical method, fresh fecal samples of mice were continuously observed and collected during feeding, and the effects of sex hormones on the intestinal flora of mice were studied by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology. Usearch was applied to cluster reads with similarity above 97.0% and generate OTUs. Taxonomic annotations of feature sequences were processed by Bayesian classifier using SILVA as reference database. Statistics on composition in each sample were calculated at level of phylum, class, order, family, genus and species. QIIME was applied to obtain abundance of each species in samples, and distribution histogram at each taxonomic level were generated by certain R package. Alpha diversity metrics were evaluated by QIIME2. Beta diversity analysis was processed by QIIME. Blood was collected from the mice after they were fed for one month. The contents of estradiol and testosterone in serum of mice were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA). [Results] Sex hormone levels in female and male mice decreased significantly after ovulation (Table 1). At phylum level, the intestinal bacterial communities of both normal mice and castrated mice were composed of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Epsilonbacteraeota, Patescibacteria, Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, Deferribacteres, Acidobacteria and Cyanobacteria (Fig. 4). The populations of major bacteria found in normal and castrated mice were similar, with Firmicutes and Bacteroides as the dominant flora, and the sum of relative abundance percentages of the two flora was more than 80% (Table 4). Alpha diversity showed no significant difference in microflora evenness between the normal group and the castrated group (Table 5). Beta diversity showed no significant difference in microflora structure between the normal group and the castrated group. Followings are Beta diversity analysis based on four distance matrices: PCA analysis; PERMANOVA analysis and UPGMA analysis (Fig. 8). [Conclusion] The change of sex hormones did not cause the difference in the composition of the intestinal flora of mice.

Abstract:[Objectives] In this study, we took Yak (Bos mutus) as studying object to illustrate the impact of low oxygen environment on the expression level of the three subunit genes (lactate dehydrogenase A, LDHA; lactate dehydrogenase B, LDHB; lactate dehydrogenase C, LDHC) of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) gene in skeletal muscle. [Methods] Adult male Yaks that inhabit in different altitudes, including high altitude (altitude 4 200 m), medium altitude (altitude 3 200 m) and low altitude (altitude 1 900 m) were used in our study. Real-time PCR and western blot were utilized to detect the mRNA and protein content of various skeletal muscle subtypes in Yaks at different altitudes. The experimental data were compared by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SPSS 23.0. [Results] The results showed that LDHA mRNA expression decreased in the Yak skeletal muscle with elevation increase (Fig. 2). LDHB mRNA expression was first reduced and then increased in the Yak skeletal muscle with increasing elevation, and the expression of LDHB mRNA was highest among high-altitude Yaks (2.82 ± 0.12), and the expression of LDHB mRNA at high altitude was significantly different from that of low-altitude (1.01 ± 0.07) (P < 0.05) and medium-altitude Yaks (0.73 ± 0.06) (P < 0.05) (Fig. 2). The expression of LDHC mRNA decreased with elevation, and the difference between low altitude (1.10 ± 0.16), medium altitude (0.86 ± 0.16) and high altitude (0.69 ± 0.12) was significant (P < 0.05) (Fig. 2). The expression of LDHA and LDHC proteins decreased with the increasing altitude, the expression of LDHA protein was significantly different between low altitude (1.00 ± 0.00), medium altitude (0.88 ± 0.02), and high altitude (0.75 ± 0.02) (P < 0.05) (Fig. 3a, b), the expression of LDHC protein was significantly different between low altitude (1.00 ± 0.00), middle altitude (0.89 ± 0.02), and high altitude (0.74 ± 0.02) (P < 0.05) (Fig. 3e, f); with an elevation in altitude, the expression of LDHB protein firstly reduced and subsequently returned to normal, and high-altitude Yaks (1.37 ± 0.02) had significantly higher levels of LDHB protein expression in their skeletal muscles than did low-altitude (1.00 ± 0.00) (P < 0.05) and medium-altitude Yaks (0.95 ± 0.01) (P < 0.05) (Fig. 3c, d). [Conclusion] Lactate dehydrogenase is the key enzyme catalyzing conversion of pyruvate and lactate, its content and activity are regulated by genes. The results of this experiment report different mRNA expression and protein content of LDH in Yak skeletal muscle at different altitudes, which indicate adaptation of skeletal muscle in plateau-living Yaks to different oxygen partial pressure environments, as well as corresponding changes in pyruvate and lactic acid metabolism in skeletal muscle, and the oxidative metabolism capacity of anaerobic oxidation.

Abstract:Trimeresurus sichuanensis was a newly described species from China in 2011, with only two known localities: Hejiang County, Sichuan Province, and Jiangkou County, Guizhou Province. During our field surveys in July 2020, one adult female Trimeresurus specimen was collected from Hunan Hupingshan National Nature Reserve (HHNNR), Hunan Province, China. After a detailed morphological examination, it exhibits the same characteristics as T. sichuanensis (Table 1), we believed this is a species which never been reported from Hunan Province. We then used four fragments of the mitochondrial genes Cyt b, ND4, 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree of Trimeresurus to identify the position of the newly collected specimen from Hunan Hupingshan National Nature Reserve (Fig. 3). The result shows the HHNNR sample clustered together with the paratype specimen (YBU030116) of T. sichuanensis from Hejiang County, Sichuan Province, and there’s nearly no genetic distance between these two samples. Thus, we here report T. sichuanensis as a new record in Hunan Province, China. Our discovery indicates that a broader distribution range of T. sichuanensis in the Wuling Mountains and nearby areas. In order to provide useful data for the conservation of this endemic species, researches on its potential range and population status should be a focus.

Abstract:Three snake specimens were collected in Pu’an County, Guizhou Province in August 2020. The specimens resemble Pareas niger based on morphological comparisons. The phylogenetic trees constructed based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene sequences show that the newly collected specimens are clustered closely with a topotype of P. niger (Kunming, Yunnan) (Fig. 2), and the genetic distance between them is 0.4%, which is much smaller than interspecific genetic distance of Pareas (5.60%﹣23.90%). According to morphological comparisons and molecular phylogenetic results, the newly collected specimens should be P. niger, which is a new record of reptiles in Guizhou Province.

Abstract:The genus Boulenophrys belongs to the family Megophryidae, Anura. This genus includes 56 species, and they are widely distributed in Sichuan, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong and other regions in China. Currently, 5 species of genus Boulenophrys have been recorded in Sichuan Province, including B. binlingensis, B. minor, B. ombrophila, B. spinata and B. wushanensis. In July 2021, two subadult amphibians were collected from Wulinggou, Daxueshan town (27°53′ N, 104°45′ E, 1380m) in the Daxueshan Scenic Area (Yibin City, Sichuan Province, China). The specimens were measured according to Fe et al.’s method (2001), and their mitochondrial 16S rRNA and COI genes were amplified and sequenced. We gathered all available 16S rRNA and COI sequences of the Boulenophrys genus and the corresponding sequences of Brachytarsophrys carinense from GenBank (Table 2), and used maximum likelihood method to build a phylogenetic tree of Boulenophrys. Genetic distances among species were measured using uncorrected p-distances calculated by MEGA 7. Through morphometric measurements (Table 1) and external morphological (Fig. 2) examination, the two specimens were found to be similar to B. qianbeiensis. Two mitochondrial 16S rRNA and COI gene sequences, length 1094 bp, were obtained. The phylogenetic tree of species in Boulenophrys showed that the two specimens were clustered with the type of B. qianbeiensis (Fig. 3). and the genetic distance of COI gene between the specimen and B. qianbeiensis was 0.000﹣0.004, whereas the genetic distance between the specimen and the B. omeimontis group was 0.038﹣0.113. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA and COI genes as well as morphological traits have supported the two specimens were B. qianbeiensis, which should be a new amphibian record of Sichuan Province. Previously, B. qianbeiensis was only found in Huanglian Nature Reserve and Kuankuoshui National Nature Reserve in Guizhou Province. Our discovery not only expanded the distribution range of B. qianbeiensis, but also provided important information for protection and evolutionary research of B. qianbeiensis.

Abstract:The morphology of the genus Pareas is highly conservative, and the morphological differences between different species are subtle. The application of the integrative taxonomic approach centered on molecular systematics has made important contributions to the solution of the classification problems of this group. In the past eight years, 9 new species have been described (7 of them have been added in the last three years), and 6 synonyms have been resurrected. Based on the latest literature achievements and the investigation data over the years, this paper describes the progress of the classification of the genus Pareas, sorts out its species checklist, compiles the identification key, and clarifies the current species of the genus Pareas in China. Up to now, there are 26 species in the genus Pareas, including 18 species in China, which are distributed in the vast areas of the south. The paper also discusses the existing problems in the study and puts forward suggestions for the future work: the species diversity of the genus is highly underestimated, the sampling coverage is still insufficient, and the research method is still simple. The large-scale intensive sampling and the application of phylogenomic methods are helpful to the final solution of the phylogenetic relationship of this group.

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