Phylogeny of mitochondrial DNA macrohaplogroup N in India, based on complete sequencing: Implications for the peopling of South Asia

To resolve the phylogeny of the autochthonous mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups of India and determine the relationship between the Indian and western Eurasian mtDNA pools more precisely, a diverse subset of 75 macrohaplogroup N lineages was chosen fo

Two new species of Rhagophthalmus Motschulsky (Coleoptera : Rhagophthalmidae) from Yunnan, south-western China, with notes on known, species

Rhagophthalmus fugongensis Li & Liang and Rhagophthalmus lufengensis Li & Ohba are introduced as new to science. The first record of R. tonkineus in China is provided. The male genitalia of R. gibbosulus and R. giganteus are described and illustrated. The female and larva of R. giganteus and the female of R. semisulcatus are illustrated. The distribution of Rhagophthalmus is discussed and a rectification of the relative arrangement of different parts of the male genitalia is provided (the base-piece is on the ventral side of the male genitalia, and the parameres on the dorsal side).

A new species of the genus Mekongina Fowler, 1937 (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) from South China

A new species of cyprinid fish, Mekongina lancangensis, is described from the upper Mekong River drainage in Southern Yunnan, China. The new species is distinguished from the other species of Mekongina occurring in the lower Mekong River drainage by posse

The decline and impending extinction of the South China tiger

The South China tiger Panthera tigris amoyensis is the rarest of the five living tiger subspecies, the most critically threatened and the closest to extinction. No wild South China tigers have been seen by officials for 25 years and one was last brought into captivity 27 years ago. The 19 reserves listed by the Chinese Ministry of Forestry within the presumed range of the tiger are spatially fragmented and most are too small to support viable tiger populations. Over the last 40 years wild populations have declined from thousands to a scattered few. Despite its plight and occasional anecdotal reports of sightings by local people, no intensive field study has been conducted on this tiger subspecies and its habitat. The captive population of about 50 tigers, derived from six wild-caught founders, is genetically impoverished with low reproductive output. Given the size and fragmentation of potential tiger habitat, saving what remains of the captive population may be the only option left to prevent extinction of this tiger subspecies, and even this option is becoming increasingly less probable. This precarious dilemma demands that conservation priorities be re-evaluated and action taken immediately to decide if recovery of the wild population will be possible.