Foraging habitats and utilization distributions of Black-necked Cranes wintering at the Napahai Wetland, China

One of the most endangered populations of Black-necked Cranes (Grus nigricollis), the central population, is declining due to habitat loss and degradation, but little is known about their space use patterns and habitat preferences. We examined the space use and habitat preferences of Black-necked Cranes during the winter of 2007-2008 at the Napahai wetland in northwest Yunnan, China, where approximately 300 Black-necked Cranes (>90% of the total central population) spent the winter. Euclidean distance analysis was employed to determine the habitat preferences of Black-necked Cranes, and a local nearest-neighbor, convex-hull construction method was used to examine space use. Our results indicate that Black-necked Cranes preferred shallow marsh and wet meadow habitats and avoided farmland and dry grassland. Core-use areas (50% isopleths) and total-use areas (100% isopleths) accounted for only 1.2% and 28.2% of the study area, respectively. We recommend that habitat protection efforts focus on shallow marsh and wet meadow habitats to maintain preferred foraging sites. Core-use areas, such as the primary foraging areas of Black-necked Cranes, should be designated as part of the core zone of the nature reserve. Monthly shifts in the core-use areas of the cranes also indicate that the reserve should be large enough to permit changes in space use. In addition to preserving habitat, government officials should also take measures to decrease human activity in areas used by foraging Black-necked Cranes.

Threatened fishes of the world: Plesiomyzon baotingensis (Zheng & Chen, 1980) (Cypriniformes: Balitoridae)

We are grateful to all the voluntary donors of DNA samples in this study. We thank Hui Zhang and Yan-jiao Li for their technical help. We also thank Dr. Darren Curnoe for his critical reading of the manuscript. This study was supported by grants from the National 973 project of China (2007CB947701,2007CB815705), the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX1YW-R-34, Westlight Doctoral Program), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (30525028, 30700445, 30630013 and 30771181), and the Natural Science Foundation of Yunnan Province of China (2007C100M, 2009CD107).

Molecular phylogeography and population structure of a mid-elevation montane frog Leptobrachium ailaonicum in a fragmented habitat of southwest China

Leptobrachium ailaonicum is a vulnerable anuran restricted to a patchy distribution associated with small mountain streams surrounded by forested slopes at mid-elevations (approximately 2000-2600 m) in the subtropical Mount Wuliang and Mount Ailao ranges in southwest China (Yunnan Province) and northern Vietnam. Given high habitat specificity and lack of suitable habitat in lower elevations between these ranges, we hypothesized limited gene flow between populations throughout its range. We used two mitochondrial genes to construct a phylogeographic pattern within this species in order to test our hypothesis. We also examined whether this phylogeographic pattern is a response to past geological events and/or climatic oscillations. A total of 1989 base pairs were obtained from 81 individuals of nine populations yielding 51 unique haplotypes. Both Bayesian and maximum parsimony phylogenetic analyses revealed four deeply divergent and reciprocally monophyletic mtDNA lineages that approximately correspond to four geographical regions separated by deep river valleys. These results suggest a long history of allopatric separation by vicariance. The distinct geographic distributions of four major clades and the estimated divergence time suggest spatial and temporal separations that coincide with climatic and paleogeographic changes following the orogeny and uplift of Mount Ailao during the late Miocene to mid Pliocene in southwest China. At the southern distribution, the presence of two sympatric yet differentiated clades in two areas are interpreted as a result of secondary contact between previously allopatric populations during cooler Pleistocene glacial cycles. Analysis of molecular variance indicates that most of the observed genetic variation occurs among the four regions implying long-term interruption of maternal gene flow, suggesting that L ailaonicum may represent more than one distinct species and should at least be separated into four management units corresponding to these four geographic lineages for conservation. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genome-wide computational identification of microRNAs and their targets in the deep-branching eukaryote Giardia lamblia

Using a combined computational program. we identified 50 potential microRNAs (miRNAs) in Giardia lamblia. one of the most primitive unicellular eukaryotes. These miRNAs are unique to G. lamblia and no homologues have been found in other organisms; miRNAs.

Gene duplication in the genome of parasitic Giardia lamblia

Background: Giardia are a group of widespread intestinal protozoan parasites in a number of vertebrates. Much evidence from G. lamblia indicated they might be the most primitive extant eukaryotes. When and how such a group of the earliest branching unicellular eukaryotes developed the ability to successfully parasitize the latest branching higher eukaryotes (vertebrates) is an intriguing question. Gene duplication has long been thought to be the most common mechanism in the production of primary resources for the origin of evolutionary novelties. In order to parse the evolutionary trajectory of Giardia parasitic lifestyle, here we carried out a genome-wide analysis about gene duplication patterns in G. lamblia. Results: Although genomic comparison showed that in G. lamblia the contents of many fundamental biologic pathways are simplified and the whole genome is very compact, in our study 40% of its genes were identified as duplicated genes. Evolutionary distance analyses of these duplicated genes indicated two rounds of large scale duplication events had occurred in G. lamblia genome. Functional annotation of them further showed that the majority of recent duplicated genes are VSPs (Variant-specific Surface Proteins), which are essential for the successful parasitic life of Giardia in hosts. Based on evolutionary comparison with their hosts, it was found that the rapid expansion of VSPs in G. lamblia is consistent with the evolutionary radiation of placental mammals. Conclusions: Based on the genome-wide analysis of duplicated genes in G. lamblia, we found that gene duplication was essential for the origin and evolution of Giardia parasitic lifestyle. The recent expansion of VSPs uniquely occurring in G. lamblia is consistent with the increment of its hosts. Therefore we proposed a hypothesis that the increment of Giradia hosts might be the driving force for the rapid expansion of VSPs.

云南鸟类种的新记录——海南■

2006年10月28日凌晨3点,笔者在位于云南省新平县哀牢山的金山丫口鸟类环志站进行夜间鸟类环志工作时,用灯光诱捕到一只鹭科鸟类,经鉴定为海南(Gorsachius magnificus),为云南省鸟类物种新记录。形态特征:头和颊部黑褐色;枕部具黑褐色的延长羽冠;有明显的白色眼后条纹,颊纹白色;眼球外凸,黄绿色的眼睑向外伸出;眼先裸露皮肤呈黄绿色;喉白,中央有褐色条纹;颈侧棕色,前端有黑色条纹,前颈具褐白斑驳的条纹,后颈黑褐色;背部、翅和尾羽褐色;第一枚初级飞羽外栗红色;胸、腹部、尾下覆羽及翅下覆羽白色,杂有褐色斑纹;上嘴黑色,下嘴嘴基黄色,嘴端黑色;虹膜褐色(中国鸟类野外手册上记载的虹膜为黄色,MacKinnon et al,2000);跗黄绿色。雌性标本量度(g,mm)如下:体重563,全长565,嘴峰72,翅长305,尾长111,跗76。海南是中国的特有种鸟类,属国家Ⅱ级重点保护鸟类。分布于中国南方的少数地区,国外仅在越南东京有过一次记录(MacKinnon et al,2000),种群数量稀少,过去曾记录于安徽、浙江、福建(Cheng,1987)、海南、广西及广东(Gao et al,200...

东南亚大陆5种长吻松鼠的支系系统关系(英文)

基于Hennig支系系统原理,本研究分析并编码了分布于东南亚大陆5种长吻松鼠头骨及外形共计32个性状特征,运用Paup4.0b10软件构建上述5种的支系系统关系。结果显示:D.pyrrhomerus和D.rufigenis均为独立的有效种,D.lokriah是Dremomys中最早分化的类群,其次是D.pernyi;D.pyrrhomerus与D.rufigenis间的支系关系最近,D.gularis与他们构成姐妹群关系。基于上述支系系统关系,本研究尝试探讨了5种长吻松鼠的分化、分布与其环境演变的关系。

Sorex bedfordiae has the Smallest Diploid Chromosome Number of the XY Group in the Genus Sorex (Mammalia, Soricidae)

Karyological data on the lesser stripe-backed shrew, Sorex bedfordiae, were obtained from four specimens collected on Mt. Laojun, Lijiang District, Yunnan Province, China. Three of the four S. bedfordiae specimens had karyotypes consisting of 2n=26, NFa=4

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.

黄连山自然保护区非人灵长类现状和生存威胁因素

介绍了黄连山自然保护区非人灵长类的现状。利用现有统计资料中隐含的生态信息 对自然保护区中的非人灵长类的生存威胁因素作了分析。农村人口与农民收入、粮食面积、粮 食产量、茶叶产量、水果产量和紫胶产量呈正相关;农民收入与粮食产量、茶叶产量、水果产量、 紫胶产量和橡胶面积呈正相关。农村人口、农业发展和偷猎行为是保护区非人灵长类的威胁 因素;提高农业生产效率和加强保护区管理是改善非人灵长类现状的关键。

云南孟加拉种眼镜蛇蛇毒因子在灵长类动物内应用的免疫原性研究

眼镜蛇蛇毒因子(CVF)能特异性清除机体循环中的补体C3,从而可能在防治补体介导的损伤或疾病中发挥重要的治疗作用.云南孟加拉种眼镜蛇蛇毒因子(Y-CVF)较文献报道的其他各种CVF具有更高的活性和较少的用药量.为探讨Y-CVF静脉使用是否诱导灵长类动物体内产生特异性中和抗体和异种天然抗体,给2只正常食蟹猴每两周静脉注射一次治疗剂量(0.05mg/kg)的Y-CVF,共4次,检测注射前后不同时间点血清内补体C3水平、总补体活性(CH50)、抗Y-CVF抗体和抗猪内皮细胞异种抗体的变化.结果显示,前2次注射Y-CVF后均有良好的清除补体效果,第3次注射Y-CVF后补体仪被部分灭活,第4次注射Y-CVF后则基本无效.免疫印迹和酶联免疫吸附试验均证实特异性抗Y-CVF抗体产生,且其滴度随着Y-CVF注射次数增加而递增.多次注射Y-CVF后,并没有在血清内榆测到明显的抗猪内皮细胞抗体的变化.因此,多次静脉注射Y-CVF能诱导灵长类动物产生特异性抗体,从而导致Y-CVF失效,但未发现抗α-Gal异种天然抗体明显增加.

滇南、滇东南黑冠长臂猿分布与数量

滇南、滇东南曾是黑冠长臂猿广泛分布的地区之一.为掌握该地区近年黑冠长臂猿分布及种群数量现状,从2003年7月～2004年12月,采用访问调查及利用鸣声定位法进行了实地调查.调查结果显示,在近40 000 km2的范围内,东黑冠长臂猿(Nomascus sp.cf.nasutus)在云南境内可能已消失;西黑冠长臂猿(N.concolor)亦仅发现4～7个种群,且孤立分布于3个地区(金平芭蕉河2群6只,金平西隆山1-2群,绿春黄连山1～3群,总计不超过25只),而在江城牛倮河自然保护区、马关古林箐自然保护区、麻栗坡老君山自然保护区及屏边大围山自然保护区可能已绝迹.滇南、滇东南黑冠长臂猿分布区缩小及种群数量剧减,主要与栖息地丧失及过度捕猎有关.

云南眼镜蛇毒因子用于预致敏大鼠同种心脏移植的实验研究

目的观察纯化的云南眼镜蛇毒因子(Y-CVF)对预致敏大鼠同种心脏移植急性体液排斥反应的作用。方法BN大鼠到Lewis大鼠连续3次皮肤移植预致敏后行颈部异位心脏移植。将15对大鼠用随机数字法分成2组,实验组(n=8)于心脏移植前24h静脉给予Y-CVF80μg/kg;对照组(n=7)不用Y-CVF。观察移植心的生存时间,移植心停跳后病理学检查排斥类型,免疫组织化学染色观察移植心IgG和补体C3的沉积。结果Lewis大鼠预致敏后抗BN大鼠抗体滴度由0升高至1∶1028~1∶2056。对照组移植心存活时间为12·71h±13·94h,实验组移植心存活时间为99·50h±38·72h,与对照组比较差异有统计学意义(t=5·599,P<0·01)。病理检查结果证实,实验组均未发生急性体液排斥,仅见以大量单核淋巴细胞浸润为特征的急性细胞排斥反应。对照组则见以小血管内血栓形成为特征的急性体液排斥反应。免疫组织化学IgG染色实验组和对照组均为阳性,C3染色对照组为阳性,而实验组为阴性。结论使用Y-CVF可克服预致敏大鼠同种心脏移植急性体液排斥反应的发生。