Different matrilineal contributions to genetic structure of ethnic groups in the Silk Road region in China

Previous studies have shown that there were extensive genetic admixtures in the Silk Road region. In the present study, we analyzed 252 mtDNAs of five ethnic groups (Uygur, Uzbek, Kazak, Mongolian, and Hui) from Xinjiang Province, China (through which the

Balitora nantingensis (Teleostei : Balitoridae), a new hillstream loach from Salween drainage in Yunnan, Southwestern China

A new species of hillstream loach genus Balitora Gray is discovered from Nanting River drainage, which drains to Salween, Yongde County, Yunnan, China. Balitora nantingensis can be distinguished from B. lancangjiangensis by a triangle-like blotch in nape absent vs. present; area from halfway of pelvicfin ray to anus covered by scales vs. no scales in this area; the first pectoral ray thickened vs. not; posterior end of pelvic-fin surpasses middle point from posterior end of pelvic-fin base to anal-fin origin vs. the end from posterior extremity of pelvic-fins to anus; fewer lateral line scales, 59-64 vs. 66-70; slightly longer head, SL 4.2-5.1 (4.6) times of HL vs. 5.0-5.9 (5.4); slightly larger eyes, HL 4.0-6.4 (5. 1) times of eye diameter vs. 5.5-7.5 (6.3). Balitora nantingensis can be distinguished from B. burmanica by body rounded vs. slender in dorsal view; pointed snout vs. blunt in dorsal view; a deeper body, body depth 12.5-16.9% of SL vs. 10-12%; a deeper caudal-peduncle, length of caudal-peduncle 2.0-2.8 times of its depth vs. 3.0-4.2; a shorter caudal-peduncle, 14.3-15.6% of SL vs. 16-21%; the average ratio of body width at pelvic-fin origin and distance between inner pelvic-fin base 2.0 vs. 3.4; body width 1.1-1.5 times of body depth vs. 1.5-1.6; posterior end of pelvic-fin almost one or slight more than one eye diameter from anus vs. closet to anus; outside rays of pelvic-fin extend more posteriorly than inside rays and make posterior outline of fin acclivitous and straight vs. the outside ones almost equal to the inside ones and make the fin slightly convex.

Schistura cryptofasciata, a new loach (Cypriniformes : Balitoridae) from Salween drainage in Yunnan, Southwestern China

Schistura cryptofasciata is distinguished from its congeners by following combination characters: lateral line complete; 8(1)/(2) branched dorsal-fin rays; 9+8 branched caudal-fin rays; no sexual dimorphism; 8-11 indistinct bars, wider than interspaces; caudal-peduncle length 44.1-16.5% standard length, 68.1-90.4% dorsal head length; anterior portion of body scaleless; air bladder entirely embedded in bony capsule; lateral head length 104-122% dorsal head length; lower jaw with a notch at symphysis; lower lip completely interrupted; interorbital width 1.9-2.2 times eye diameter; pelvic-fin origin ventral to dorsal-fin origin; anus 1.0-1.5 eye diameters in front of anal-fin origin; the widest part of black basal caudal bar is the midlateral, and then the upper and lower ends.

A new species of bamboo bat (Chiroptera : Vespertilionidae : Tylonycteris) from southwestern China

Bamboo bats are a group of small bats with unique skull and morphology. They roost inside hollow bamboo stems in tropical and subtropical Asia and the Ambon Islands (Moluccas). We examined 53 specimens of Tylonycteris from southern and southwestern China. Comparisons of skull and external characteristics, pelage color, shapes of thumbpads and footpads, and statistical analysis of cranial measurements revealed that specimens from Damenglong, Jinghong County, Xishuang-banna, Yunnan, are distinctly different from the other two species of Tylonycteris described so far. The Yunnan specimens are the smallest in size; have dark blackish brown pelage color; and have larger upper premolars, smaller first lower premolars, and longer C-M-3. They are sympatric with the previously described species. Here we review the genus Tylonycteri and describe a new species, Tylonycteris pygmaeus, from the Yunnan material.

PATTERNS OF SPATIAL-DISPERSION, LOCOMOTION AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR IN 3 GROUPS OF THE YUNNAN SNUB-NOSED LANGUR (RHINOPITHECUS-BIETI)

Aspects of the behaviour of three groups of Yunnan snub-nosed langurs, Rhinopithecus bieti, were observed over the course of three field seasons from 1986 to 1988. The major findings of the study were: (1) The habitats of R. bieti were mainly at heights of 3,600-4,150 m above sea level. (2) Groups were very large, with group sizes ranging from more than 100 to 269 individuals. (3) Spatial dispersion densities ranged from about 27 to 106 m2/individual during sleeping and resting, to feeding dispersions as large as 5,000-15,000 m2. (4) The locomotor repertoire of R. bieti consisted largely of walking, jumping and climbing. On very rare occasions, semibrachiation was observed, but true brachiation was never observed. The locomotor repertoires of juveniles were more diverse than those of subadults or adults. (5) Communication consisted mainly of eye-to-eye contact accompanied by murmurs; while loud calls were heard only rarely. (6) Groups moved between sleeping and feeding sites in single file. It is concluded that R. bieti is a mainly terrestrial species.

Molecular evidence for the monophyly of East Asian groups of Cyprinidae (Teleostei : Cypriniformes) derived from the nuclear recombination activating gene 2 sequences

The family Cyprinidae is one of the largest families of fishes in the world and a well-known component of the East Asian freshwater fish fauna. However, the phylogenetic relationships among cyprinids are still poorly understood despite much effort paid on the cyprinid molecular phylogenetics. Original nucleotide sequence data of the nuclear recombination activating gene 2 were collected from 109 cyprinid species and four non-cyprinid cypriniform outgroup taxa and used to infer the cyprinid phylogenetic relationships and to estimate node divergence times. Phylogenetic reconstructions using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian analysis retrieved the same clades, only branching order within these clades varied slightly between trees. Although the morphological diversity is remarkable, the endemic cyprinid taxa in East Asia emerged as a monophyletic clade referred to as Xenocypridini. The monophyly for the subfamilies including Cyprininae and Leuciscinae, as well as the tribes including Labeonini, Gobionini, Acheilognathini, and Leuciscini, was also well resolved with high nodal support. Analysis of the RAG2 gene supported the following cyprinid molecular phylogeny: the Danioninae is the most basal subfamily within the family Cyprinidae and the Cyprininae is the sister group of the Leuciscinae. The divergence times were estimated for the nodes corresponding to the principal clades within the Cyprinidae. The family Cyprinidae appears to have originated in the mid-Eocene in Asia, with the cladogenic event of the key basal group Danioninae occurring in the early Oligocene (about 31-30 MYA), and the origins of the two subfamilies, Cyprininae and Leuciscinae, occurring in the mid-Oligocene (around 26 MYA). (c) 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cymbellaceae and Gomphonemataceae (Bacillariophyta) from the Hengduan Mountains region (southwestern China)

We present a species list of the Gomphonemataceae and Cymbellaceae occurring in the Hengduan Mountains re-ion. These two families were found to be presented in the area by 117 species, varieties and forms belonging to four genera (Amphora, Cymbella, Didymosphenia and Gomphonema). Size, striae density, habitat and distribution in China are given for each taxon. The common taxa were Cymbella aequalis var. piscicultis. C. affinis, C. cesatii, C. cistula var. gibbosa, C. delicatula. C. gracilis, C. hustedtii, C. minuta f. latens, C. minita var. silesiaca, C. naviculiformis, C. parva. C. turgidida, Gomphonema acuminatum var. acuminatum, G. gracile, G. intricatum, G. olivaceum. G. parvulum and G. truncatum var. capitatum. Some morphological features of Cymbella cistula var. capitata, Cymbella sinica var. miyiensis, Gomphonema hedinii and G. kaznakowii were found to differ from previously published descriptions. Taxa typical of high latitude climates encountered during the present study were Cymbella affinis, C. alpina, C. cistula var. cistida, C. delicatula. C. naviculiformis. Didymosphenia geminata, Gomphonema acuminatum var. pusillum, G. constrictum var. capitatum f. turgidum, G. kaznakowii, G. olivaceum, G. subtile var. subtile, G. tergestinum and G. ventricosum.

Fridericia nanningensis, a new terrestrial enchytraeid species (Oligochaeta) from southwestern China

Fridericia nanningensis, a new species from wetland soil of Nanhu Park, Nanning city, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in southwest China, is described. It is characterized by 2-4 chaetae per bundle, poorly-developed clitellar glands, slender, unbranched peptonephridia, and spermathecae with 2 ampullar diverticula, a deep constriction in the middle of the ampulla and one large ectal gland. It is closely related to the European species, F. alata Nielsen & Christensen, 1959 and the East European species, F. tubulosa Dozsa-Farkas, 1972 by the shape of peptonephridia and the undeveloped clitellar glands. It differs from F. alata by its shorter body length and fewer chaetae per bundle, its type of coelomocytes (type "c"), its deep constriction in the middle of the spermathecae ampulla and a larger ectal gland, and it differs from F. tubulosa by its pale epidermal glands, its more anterior origin of the dorsal vessel, a deep constriction in the middle of the spermathecae ampulla, shorter ectal duct, and only one ectal gland at the spermathecal orifice.