Abstract:[Objectives] The Przewalski’s Horse Equus ferus przewalskii is a nationally protected species in China. The reintroduction projects in the Kalamaili National Park have become a successful example of restoring endangered species. Precise individual identification of Przewalski’s horses is crucial for the appropriate design of conservation and management strategies. Advances in computer vision provide an opportunity for the development of individual identification, with a high degree of accuracy in characteristic recognition. [Methods] In this study, we collected 31 477 images of 20 Przewalski’s Horses in the Kalamaili National Park and used convolutional neural network of deep learning to develop a new individual identification model (Fig. 2). We employed the YOLOv8 model to detect the head images of Przewalski’s Horses and segmented the head images as regions of interest (ROIs). We then used EfficientNetV2 to extract image features from the ROI dataset and identify the individuals (Fig. 3). Furthermore, we used VGG19 and YOLOv8 to extract image features and calculate the identification accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and confusion matrix (Figs. 4, 5). [Results] To validate the model performance, we compared the EfficientNetV2 model with VGG19 and YOLOv8 under the same conditions. The EfficientNetV2 model achieves the accuracy of 96.44%, precision of 94.81%, and recall of 94.57%. The VGG19 model has the accuracy of 89.51%, precision of 90.96%, and recall of 89.51%. YOLOv8 reaches the accuracy of 89.33%, precision of 83.90%, and recall of 83.52% (Table 1). The results indicate that the EfficientNetV2 model has the highest accuracy, demonstrating excellent individual identification performance. [Conclusion] This study focused on 20 Przewalski’s Horses in the Kalamaili National Park and developed an individual identification model for Przewalski’s Horses. Our model can be applied in future studies of Przewalski’s Horses, such as accurate individual identification, long-term monitoring, and behavior analysis.

Abstract:[Objectives] Niche differentiation is the foundation for the long-term steady coexistence of sympatric species. This study investigated the spatiotemporal distribution patterns and niche differentiation of Moschus berezovskii, Elaphodus cephalophus, and Muntiacus reevesi with similar body sizes and dietary habits in the same area, aiming to improve the understanding about the animal behavior and facilitate multi-species integrated conservation. [Methods] From October 2022 to September 2023, 160 infrared cameras were set up in Changqing National Nature Reserve, Shaanxi Province (Fig. 1). We employed kernel density estimation to analyze the monitoring data and thus reveal the temporal relationship of Mo. berezovskii, E. cephalophus, and Mu. reevesi. The daily activity rhythm curves were plotted. “CompareCKern” in “activity” package was used to compare their activity patterns. Then, the degree of the spatial overlap was calculated by the Pianka index, based on the relative abundance index of species at each site. Single-species occupancy models were adopted to analyze their spatial utilization characteristics, based on the detection history of the species at each site and 13 environmental factors potentially affecting their spatial distribution. All the analyses were conducted in R v.4.3.3. [Results] In 58 400 accumulated camera-days, we obtained 17 432 independent valid photos of wild animals, which included 426 photos of Mo. berezovskii, 1 274 photos of E. cephalophus, and 4 099 photos of Mu. reevesi. The overlap degree of the daily activity rhythms among species in different seasons was relatively high, with the overlap coefficients (?) between species consistently exceeding 0.82, while the spatial niche overlap was relatively low, with Pianka index (Oik) all less than 0.30 (Fig. 3). The curves of Mo. berezovskii, E. cephalophus, and Mu. reevesi showed an obvious bimodal pattern, with the first peak appearing in 5:30﹣7:30, 6:00﹣8:00, and 8:00﹣10:00, respectively, and the second peak all appearing in 17:30﹣19:30 (Fig. 4). For seasonal daily activity, Mo. berezovskii exhibited a typical bimodal pattern in spring and autumn, a unimodal pattern in summer, and three activity peaks in winter, while the activity curves of E. cephalophus and Mu. reevesi had two peaks with different timing and intensity patterns across the four seasons (Fig. 5). The common environmental factors influencing the spatial utilization of the three ungulates included elevation, distance to rivers, slope, relative abundance of predators, and vegetation type. Variations in preferences for vegetation types served as the principal driver of spatial segregation among the ungulates (Fig. 6). [Conclusion] These three sympatric species maintained stable coexistence through a high degree of spatial niche differentiation and temporal activity segregation, which effectively mitigated the competitive pressure despite high diel overlap.

Abstract:[Objectives] Bird strike not only causes serious casualties and economic losses but also greatly affects the population of birds. Bird surveys and bird strike risk assessment are of great significance for bird strike prevention and management at airports. Seasonal activities of birds, such as migration and breeding, can lead to significant changes in bird communities, resulting in time variations of high-risk bird species at airports. However, most studies only assess bird strike risks based on year-round avian diversity data, ignoring seasonal variations, which is not conducive to providing scientific guidance for airport bird strike prevention and control. In this case, a year-long monthly survey was conducted at Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport, and a weighted additive model and a risk matrix model were used to assess the bird strike risk around the airport, with a view to pointing out the focus of bird strike prevention in different months and habitats and providing a theoretical basis for bird strike prevention at the airport. [Methods] A monthly survey of birds at Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport was conducted via sample line and point methods from March 2023 to February 2024. A total of 12 lines and 5 points were set up (Fig. 1), with each line or point surveyed twice a month in spring and autumn and once a month in winter and summer. The distance sampling method was employed to estimate the monthly density of high-risk species through the Distance package in R 4.3.1. A weighted additive model and a risk matrix model were adopted to assess bird strike risk at the airport each month (Table 1). A modified community similarity index named model similarity index was used to measure the similarity of the results of the two models. Data analyses were conducted in Excel 2023 and Origin 2021. [Results] There were 187 species of birds (including Columba livia domestica) distributed around Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport, belonging to 19 orders and 30 families (Electronic appendix 1). The highest number of species was recorded in April, with a total of 120 species, and the highest number of bird individuals was recorded in October, reaching 5 043. Forty-one bird species were identified as high-risk at least by one model at one month, with Accipitridae (12 species, 29.27%) being the most numerous in terms of taxonomy and resident birds (18 species, 19.51%) being the most numerous in terms of residence type (Electronic appendix 1). From a temporal perspective, the weighted additive model identified an average of 7.7 ± 1.8 high-risk bird species each month, with the highest number (11) in October and the lowest number (5) in July. The risk matrix model identified an average of 9.7 ± 3.8 high-risk bird species each month, with the highest number (18) in April and the lowest number (5) in July. The high-risk bird species identified by the two models were the most similar in March, with a model similarity index of 0.923, and the greatest difference occurred in December and January, with a model similarity index of 0.500. Generally, the bird species density was higher in winter and lower in summer (Electronic appendices 2﹣3). According to the temporal characteristics of the occurrence of high-risk bird species around Zhongchuan Airport, they can be categorized into the following four groups:bird species of focus throughout the year, bird species of focus during the breeding season, bird species of focus during the migratory season, and bird species of focus during winter, and precautions should be taken according to the time of their occurrence. In terms of habitat, both models identified the highest number of high-risk bird species in wetlands, with weighted additive model at 6.9 ± 1.9 and risk matrix model at 7.7 ± 3.1, followed by towns, with weighted additive model at 4.4 ± 1.5 and risk matrix model at 5.5 ± 2.6, while the numbers of high-risk bird species in the rest three habitats were similar (Table 2). On the basis of the habitat preferences of high-risk bird species around Zhongchuan Airport, they can be categorized into the following five groups:bird species of focus in wetland, bird species of focus in town, bird species of focus in desert grassland, bird species of focus in artificial forest, and bird species of focus in farmland, and precautions should be taken according to the habitats in which these high-risk bird species occur. [Conclusion] The number of high-risk bird species at the airport was the highest in April and October and the lowest in July. Wetlands had the highest bird strike risk, followed by towns, and the numbers of high-risk bird species in the other habitats were similar. Airport staff were supposed to target high-risk bird species in prevention of potential safety hazards based on their occurrence time and habitats.

Abstract:[Objectives] With the acceleration of urbanization, human disturbances have become increasingly prevalent, prompting birds to adapt their behaviors to the changing environment. These adaptation activities include shifts in habitat selection, activity periods, and escape responses. [Methods] From December 2023 to March 2024, we conducted a field study using direct observation to assess bird abundance and activity patterns across 18 study sites at Anhui University, Hefei University of Technology, and Anhui Sanlian College in winter vacation (February 2024) and non-winter vacation (from December 2023 to January 2024, and March 2024) (Fig. 1). At each site, we recorded the count of people, human activity duration, number of birds, and bird activity duration within a 10-min observation session. In addition, we measured the flight initiation distance (FID) and distance fled of birds. We adopted generalized linear models to analyze the effects of winter vacation (number of people and human activity duration) on the number of birds, FID, and distance fled of seven bird species (Cyanopica cyanus, Pica serica, Spilopelia chinensis, Pterorhinus perspicillatus, Eophona migratoria, Turdus merula, and Gracupica nigricollis). We performed the Kruskal-Wallis test to examine the effect of winter vacation on bird activity duration. [Results] The number of birds during winter vacation was higher than that during non-winter vacation (H = 12.37, df = 2, P = 0.002). However, the effect of winter vacation on FID varied among species. Specifically, T. merula exhibited a longer FID during winter vacation (t = 2.528, P = 0.021), whereas other six bird species showed no significant differences in FID across different time periods. No significant difference in distance fled was detected between winter and non-winter vacations for all seven species. Further analysis revealed that FID was positively correlated with flock size (t = 2.354, P = 0.019, Fig. 4) and starting distance (t = 11.017, P < 0.001). And distance fled increased as the distance between birds and nearby shelter increased (t = 7.877, P < 0.001). [Conclusion] This study highlights that number of birds is notably higher during winter vacation across the surveyed campuses, while FID is shortest during this period. These findings suggest that spatial and temporal variations in human activities influence the behavior of common urban birds, with different species exhibiting distinct behavioral adjustments. Our study provides valuable insights into the adaptive responses of birds to urban environments, contributing to a better understanding of avian behavioral ecology in human-dominated landscapes.

Abstract:[Objectives] Zhejiang Wuyanling National Nature Reserve ranks second in area among the nature reserves in Zhejiang Province. It boasts abundant animal resources and serves as the sole in-situ conservation and artificial propagation base for the Cabot’s Tragopan Tragopan caboti in China. It is a habitat for national-level protected birds like the Elliot’s Pheasant Syrmaticus ellioti. There is a dearth of in-depth research on how ground-dwelling birds of Galliformes utilize their habitat within this reserve. [Methods] In this study, infrared camera monitoring was employed to record the activity patterns of three rare and endangered avian species:Cabot’s Tragopan, Elliot’s Pheasant, and Silver Pheasant Lophura nycthemera. By integrating MaxEnt software with Worldclim climate data, we investigated the current and future alterations in their suitable habitats. The daily activity rhythm model, calculated via R software (v 3.6.3), was combined with the MaxEnt model results. Then, ArcGIS (v 10.8.1) was utilized to comprehensively predict future habitat conflicts among the three species and explore the underlying causes. [Results] (1) The current distribution ranges of the three avian species showed overlapping areas (Table 1, Fig. 2). (2) All the three species exhibited diurnal activity patterns with highly repetitive daily rhythms. Statistical analysis showed no significant differences in their activity rhythms (P > 0.05, Fig. 3). (3) Projections suggest that the habitats of these three species will undergo changes over the next 20 years. Specifically, the suitable habitat for the Cabot’s Tragopan will decline, while the suitable habitats of the other two species will overlap with that of the Cabot’s Tragopan, potentially leading to habitat conflicts (Table 2, Fig. 4). [Conclusion] To enhance the protection of these three species, particularly the Cabot’s Tragopan, and mitigate conflicts, efforts should be made to actively promote infrared monitoring, artificial breeding, and field releases. Additionally, the nature reserve and local authorities should introduce scientific conservation policies based on the species distribution patterns.

Abstract:[Objectives] The study aims to test whether there is a significant difference in the cognitive level between adult and sub-adult Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris. [Methods] From March to May 2023 and March to May 2024, we conducted experimental tests on Black-tailed Gulls (Fig. 2a) in the Heishi Reef sea area (Fig. 1) of Dalian, Liaoning Province, China. The experimental equipment consisted of two transparent acrylic boxes for four experimental approaches (Fig. 3), and the performance of Black-tailed Gulls in these four experiments was captured and recorded by a camera (Fig. 4). A total of 120 tests were performed on sub-adult and adult Black-tailed Gulls (Table 1), and all test options had two different possible outcomes (failure or success). The number of successes for both adult and sub-adult Black-tailed Gulls was counted and analyzed using SPSS 27.0 software, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare whether there was a significant difference between the two groups of Black-tailed Gulls in terms of cognitive ability. [Results] The results showed that the success rate of sub-adults was significantly lower than that of adult Black-tailed Gulls in all experiments (P < 0.05) (Table 2), indicating that there were significant differences in cognitive ability between the two groups of individuals. [Conclusion] Our experimental results show that Black-tailed Gulls are able to solve problems by observing and pulling on a string and have cognitive abilities, but there are age differences in cognitive levels among animals at different age stages, which has important reference value for people to understand the degree of intelligence development in animals, especially birds.

Abstract:[Objectives] Aggressive behavior represents a prevalent manifestation of mental disorders, with severe violence posing detrimental consequences for the society. During the screening of CD-1 retired breeder mice, we found significant differences in aggression among individuals, and selecting those with higher aggression is crucial for successfully establishing the model of depression induced by chronic social defeat stress (CSDS). Therefore, this study investigates the metabolic pathways and related genes in CD-1 retired breeder mice during aggressive behavior, aiming to reveal the mechanisms of aggressive behavior. [Methods] During the screening phase of aggressive mice of the CSDS-induced depression model, CD-1 retired breeder mice were housed in individual cages for a week to establish territorial awareness, and then attack and non-attack mice were screened out through the resident-intruder test. Compound Discoverer 3.0 was used for serum metabolomics based on ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to identify differential metabolites and metabolic pathways between the attack group and the non-attack group of mice. Meanwhile, biological network analysis based on Cytoscape 3.9.1 software was performed to identify key metabolic pathways and genes involved in the occurrence of aggressive behavior. Independent samples t-test was performed to compare the aggressive behavior between the two groups. [Results] The serum metabolomics (Appendix 1) screened out 12 differential metabolites between the attack group and non-attack group of CD-1 retired breeder mice. Among them, DL-glutamic acid, N-acetyl-L-leucine, dehydroascorbic acid, oleamide, trans-palmitoleate, choline, and linoleamide were significantly increased, while tetradecanoylcarnitine, cholic acid, 1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine, and octadecanoic acid were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). The results above, combined with those of biological network analysis (Figs. 5, 6 and Table 3), show that glycerophospholipid metabolism is a key pathway for aggressive behavior and Pld1, Pld2, Pla2g5, Pla2g3, Pla2g10, Lypla1, Lcat, Chka, and Chat in the metabolic pathway may be key genes shared by aggressive behavior and differential metabolites (Table 4). [Conclusion] The occurrence of aggressive behavior may be closely related to glycerophospholipid metabolism, which is not only significant for elucidating the metabolome of aggressive behavior in CD-1 retired breeder mice but also of great value for the scientific research and standardization of the model of CSDS-induced depression.

Abstract:[Objectives] During fish expeditions to the Red River Basin conducted in 2023 and to the Salween River Basin in 2025, the authors discovered a freshwater fish species Danio roseus, which had not been recorded from these basins both in Hekou, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture and Gengma Dai and Wa Autonomous County, Lincang City in Yunnan Province. [Methods] This study employed an integrative approach combining morphological and molecular analyses to characterize the collected specimens. Morphological identification was conducted by documenting diagnostic anatomical features and cross-referencing taxonomic descriptions from established Danionidae literature. For molecular phylogenetic analysis, PhyloSuite 1.2.2 was used to construct a Bayesian inference tree based on mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene sequences. All novel COI sequences generated in this study have been deposited in the GenBank (accession numbers provided in Table 1), while comparative sequences were retrieved from existing entries in the same repository. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic comparisons were conducted between D. roseus from the Lancangjiang River in China, D. roseus from the Mekong River in Thailand, D. albolineatus from the Irrawaddy River in China, and D. albolineatus from Myanmar. [Results]The specimens of Danio from the Red River, Salween River, Irrawaddy River, and Lancangjiang River in China were shown to be the same species. D. roseus, the species with distribution in the four rivers, was described, with morphological photos (Fig. 1) and morphological data (Table 2) for identification and phylogenetic analysis (Fig. 2) being provided and the distribution being redefined. In addition, the distinguishing between D. albolineatus and D. roseus was proposed (Fig. 3). [Conclusion] D. roseus is the first record of Danio in the Red River Basin and the first record in the Salween River Basin. Long-term misidentification of D. roseus in the Irrawaddy River, Yunnan Province as D. albolineatus is rectified.

Abstract:[Objectives] Heavy metals are widely present in the marine environment. Due to their long lifespans and habitat fidelity, sea turtles can accumulate heavy metals over time, which poses a threat to their health and reproduction. In recent years, the levels of certain heavy metals in the marine environment of the South China Sea have exhibited an upward trend. High concentrations of heavy metals have been detected in the tissues of stranded sea turtles in the northern South China Sea. However, there have been few studies on the accumulation of heavy metals in sea turtles in the coastal areas of Hainan Island and the Xisha Islands. These two areas are crucial foraging and nesting grounds for sea turtles in the South China Sea. [Methods] Between 2019 and 2022, eight Green Turtles Chelonia mydas and 3 Hawksbill Turtles Eretmochelys imbricata were collected by rescue organizations in Hainan Province. These stranded sea turtles were dissected, and the liver, kidney, muscle, and fat tissues were collected for measurement of the contents of 12 elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Cd, Cr, Ni, Ba, Sr, As, and Hg). Principal component analysis and Friedman test were performed to examine variations in heavy metal contents among four tissues. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated to assess the relationships between heavy metals in the two species of sea turtles. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U tests were employed to evaluate differences in cumulative heavy metal percentages between the two species. [Results] Fe, Zn, and Cu were the most abundant elements in sea turtle tissue, with concentrations ranging from 51.20 to 915.00 μg/g, 27.00 to 146.00 μg/g, and 3.36 to 68.00 μg/g, respectively. In contrast, Cd, Pb, and Hg were present at lower levels, with concentrations ranging from 0.013 to 1.500 μg/g, 0.027 to 0.159 μg/g, and 0.009 to 0.326 μg/g, respectively. In addition, the concentrations of heavy metals in the livers and kidneys of Green Turtles were higher than those in Hawksbill Turtles. This may be attributed to the different pollution levels of their habitats. Significant differences were observed in the concentrations of most elements among the four tissues of sea turtles:Hg, Mn, Fe, and Cu were the highest in the liver; Pb and Cd were the highest in the liver and kidney; Ni was the highest in the kidney; As was the highest in the muscle; and Zn was the highest in the fat (Figs. 1, 2). Furthermore, significant correlations were identified between certain non-essential and essential elements in the tissues of sea turtles (Appendix 5). These elements may share common origins or employ similar detoxification mechanisms in turtles, thereby necessitating further investigation. [Conclusion] In this study, we present the first report on the concentrations and tissue distribution of 12 heavy metal elements in turtles stranded along the coast of Hainan Island and the Xisha Islands in the South China Sea. These results offer a scientific basis for the environmental protection and management of sea turtle habitats in the South China Sea.

Abstract:[Objectives] The Chinese Soft-shelled Turtle Pelodiscus sinensis is an important species in China’s aquaculture. The intestine serves as the primary organ for the digestion, absorption, and transport of nutrients, while also functioning as a barrier against harmful external substances. However, the structural characteristics of the intestinal tissue in P. sinensis remain unclear. [Methods] In this study, the complete intestinal tract of P. sinensis was divided into 20 intestinal segments from fundus gastris to genital pores. Histological analysis was performed by hematoxylin and eosin (H.E) and Alcian Blue-Periodic Acid-Schiff (AB-PAS) staining. SPSS 22.0 was used for one-way analysis of variance of quantitative analysis data, and P < 0.05 was defined as significant difference. [Results] Segments I﹣IV are adjacent to the liver and gallbladder. Segments V﹣VIII are close to the pancreas and near the liver and gallbladder. Segments IX﹣XII and XIII﹣XVI are near the spleen. Segments XVII﹣XX are located adjacent to the kidneys and ovaries (Fig. 1). H.E staining showed that segments I﹣IV had larger diameter, thicker muscular layer, pronounced and numerous intestinal folds, and nearly no intestinal villi. Segments V﹣VIII had significantly smaller diameter and thinner muscular layer than segments I﹣IV, with large but singular folds and well-developed villi. Segments IX﹣XII had smaller diameter and thinner muscular layer than segments V﹣VIII, with shorter and numerous folds and almost no villi. Segments XIII﹣XVI had smaller diameter and thinner muscular layer than segments IX﹣XII, with short singular folds and relatively well-developed villi. Lastly, segments XVII﹣XX showed no significant differences in diameter or muscular layer thickness compared with segments IX﹣XII, with large and numerous folds and almost no villi (Figs. 2，3). AB-PAS staining revealed that segments I﹣IV predominantly contained type I and type III goblet cells, while segments V﹣XVI primarily had type I and type II goblet cells. No goblet cell was observed in segments XVII﹣XX. [Conclusion] These results indicate distinct classification characteristics among the intestinal segments of P. sinensis, allowing the intestine to be categorized into five regions:initial of small intestine (ISI), anterior of small intestine (ASI), middle of small intestine (MSI), posterior of small intestine (PSI), and finale of small intestine (FSI).

Abstract:Opisthotropis zhaoermii is a natricid snake species originally described from western Hunan Province, China and subsequently recorded in eastern Guizhou Province. In July 2011, an adult female snake specimen (YBU 11260; total length 363 mm, snout-vent length 287 mm, tail length 76 mm) was collected from Xiushan, Chongqing, China (108°55′44″ E, 28°16′29″ N, 588 m a.s.l.). Morphological examination revealed diagnostic characteristics consistent with O. zhaoermii, including a dark olive-green dorsal surface with yellowish-white longitudinal stripes, an ivory-yellow ventral surface with asymmetrical speckles laterally; subcaudals edged with dark pigmentation forming continuous longitudinal stripes, 142 ventral scales, and 28 maxillary teeth on both sides (Fig. 1). Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene sequences demonstrated minimal genetic divergence (p-distance ≤ 0.01%, Bayesian posterior probability 0.96), further confirming it as O. zhaoermii (Fig. 2). This specimen represents the first confirmed record of O. zhaoermii in Chongqing, significantly extending its known distributional range westward beyond previously recorded localities in Hunan and Guizhou provinces. This discovery provides critical baseline data for resolving taxonomic and biogeographical questions concerning the O. latouchii species complex.

Abstract:Opisthotropis zhaoermii was previously known only from Guzhang County, Hunan, and Xiushan, Chongqing, China. On August 28, 2024, two female snake specimens (GXNU090517 and GXNU090518) were collected from Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, Liuzhou, Guangxi. The morphological characteristics of the two specimens were similar to those of O. zhaoermii (Figs. 1﹣3). The sequencing peak maps of 2 sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene were evaluated and manually corrected in this study, and 31 sequences from 16 species of Opisthotropis were retrieved from GenBank (Table 1). PhyloSuite was used for Bayesian inference (BI) analysis and maximum likelihood (ML) analysis. The phylogenetic analysis based on Cyt b revealed that the specimens and O. zhaoermii specimens clustered together (Fig. 4), with uncorrected pairwise distances (p-distance) approaching 0 (Table 3), which were less than the p-distances between species of Opisthotropis (0.048﹣0.187). According to both morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analysis, the two specimens collected in Liuzhou were identified as O. zhaoermii, which was a new record species for reptile distribution in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China.

Abstract:A specimen of Lycodon was collected from Hezhang County, Bijie City, Guizhou Province, China during field work in July 2024. Morphological comparison indicated that this specimen closely resembled L. gongshan (Table 2). The phylogenetic analysis based on mitochondrial Cyt b gene sequences revealed that the specimen from Bijie clustered with those of L. gongshan from Xizang and Yunnan (Fig. 2). Combining these genetic results and the morphological traits, the specimen from Bijie was identified as L. gongshan. This represents the first record for this species in Guizhou Province. The dorsum of this specimen is predominantly dark black, with irregular orange-yellow bands spanning 1﹣2 lines of dorsal scales, presenting a previously unrecorded color type for L. gongshan.

Abstract:This study aims to confirm the taxonomic identity of gecko specimens collected in Yunnan Province, China, and determine whether they represent a new reptile record for the province. On July 24, 2023, two gecko specimens were collected in the Hekou Yao Autonomous County within the Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture of Yunnan Province, China. First, they were identified based on morphological characteristics described by Boulenger (1907) and Song et al. (2024). Then, phylogenetic analyses based on maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI) approaches were performed using the 16S rRNA gene to assess genetic relationships among all the species used in this study. Finally, genetic distances were calculated via the uncorrected pairwise distance (p-distance) model in MEGA X. Morphological comparison suggests that the new specimens are Gekko palmatus:nares in contact with the rostral, with 1 or 2 internasals; tubercles present on dorsum but absent on the limbs; webbings between the fingers and toes well developed; 21 or 25 precloacal pores in males; one postcloacal tubercle on each side of the tail base; a pair of dark-brown plaques on the occiput; 4 or 5 dark-brown stripes from the nape to the caudal base (Fig. 2, Table 2). Phylogenetic analyses also reveal that these specimens cluster with G. palmatus (Fig. 3), with high node supports (ultrafast bootstrap approximation, UFB 98; Bayesian posterior probability, BPP 1.00). Moreover, the genetic distance between the newly collected specimens from Yunnan and those from other locations is 0.5%, which is significantly lower than the genetic distances (ranging from 2.6% to 17.6%) among other species within the subgenus Japonigekko (Table 3). Both the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic insights identify the specimens as G. palmatus, which represents the first documented occurrence of this species in Yunnan Province, China. This finding expands the known distribution of G. palmatus and contributes to the herpetofaunal diversity records of this region.

Abstract:Shanghai is located in the coastal area of eastern China and lies in the subtropical monsoon climate zone. Its unique geographical location and ecological environment provide suitable conditions for the diversity of reptiles. Therefore, it has long been an important area for biodiversity research. Notwithstanding the existing research on reptiles in Shanghai, the expansion of cities and changes in the ecological environment over the past few decades may have led to a lack of comprehensive investigations and reporting of new species records.On July 12, 2022, a grass lizard (specimen number:DT20220712) was photographed in Dongtan Wetland Park in Chongming District, Shanghai (31°52′48″ N, 121°83′31″ E). This individual had four pairs of chin shields and one pair of inguinal pores, as well as two longitudinal white stripes on its dorsal and lateral body. These morphological features are similar to those of Takydromus wolteri. On October 30, 2023, a male grass lizard specimen (specimen number:DT20231030) was collected from the same location. A digital caliper was used to measure 21 morphological characteristics of the grass lizard with an accuracy of 0.02 mm. Based on the morphological descriptions, the specimen was identified as T. wolteri.IQ-tree software was used to construct a maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree based on mitochondrial ND2 gene fragments. The result showed that our sample clustered robustly with T. wolteri (GenBank accession number:JX181764) with a high support value of 98.84% (Fig. 2). Furthermore, the genetic distance calculated via the p-distance model between our specimen and T. wolteri was only 4.5%, which was significantly lower than the genetic distances (15.2% to 44.0%) observed between Takydromus species (Table 2). Based on both morphological and genetic data, the newly collected specimen was identified as T. wolteri (Reptilia, Lacertilia, Lacertidae). This is a new record for reptile species in Shanghai, further enriching the biodiversity in this region.

Abstract:

Abstract:

Abstract:

Abstract:

Abstract:

Abstract: