Are Hylobates lar Extirpated from China?

The Nangunhe Nature Reserve in Southwest Yunnan (PRC) has long been presumed to be the last stronghold of lar (or white-handed) gibbons (Hylobates lar) in China and the likely last place of occurrence of Hylobates lar yunnanensis. We conducted a comprehen

利用染色体涂染方法建立人和白眉长臂猿(Hylobates hoolock)的比较染色体图谱

自人与白眉长臂猿的祖先分歧以来,大量的染色体间重排(至少发生了39次易位)和染色体内的重排导致了二者核型的差异。根据杂交结果绘制了首份人和白眉长臂猿比较染色体图谱,并结合已有的人和白掌长臂猿(Hylobates lar)(2n=44)和合趾长臂猿(Hylobates syndactylus)(2n=50)的比较染色体图谱对长臂猿属的染色体进化作了初步探讨。

猕猴白化病分子机制和灵长类的分子进化研究

酪氨酸酶是黑色素合成当中的关键酶。人酪氨酸酶基因包括5个外显子，在染色体11q14-q21位置上占据了约50kb长的区域。对人类眼皮肤型白化病（Oculocutaneous albinism, OCA)的许多研究表明，该病主要是由于酪氨酸酶基因的突变引起的。昆明动物研究所白化猴研究小组数十年来一直从事白化猕猴的培育和研究工作，目前饲养着2只白化猕猴和它们的后代，这提供了我们研究猕猴白化分子机制目的条件。为了弄清猕猴白化病的分子机制，我们根据人酪氨酸酶基因序列设计了5对PCR引物扩增相应的5个外显子，序列分析表明，白化猕猴珍珍酪氨酸酶基因第184个密码子第2位置（外显子1的核苷酸位置551）处发生一个C→A的无义突变，使编码丝氨酸（Ser)的密码子变成了一个终止密码，这样后面1038bp的核苷酸片段（346个氨基酸残基）被截断，导致酪氨酸酶翻译不完全，迄今为止，并没有发现合成黑色素的第二条生化途径，因此由于该酶不能行使正常功能而将导致黑色素不能正常表达。这可能是导致该例猕猴白化病的原因。为了解酪氨酸酶基因序列变异的规律及其与功能的关系，探讨该基因作为系统发育研究中遗传标记的有效性，我们测定了黑猩猩（Pan troglodytes)、倭黑猩猩（Pan paniscus)、大猩猩（Gorilla gorilla)、猩猩(Pongo pygmaeus)、长臂猿（Hylobates lar)、食蟹猴（Macaca fascicularis)、狒狒（Simia cynocephalus)、猕猴（Macaca mulatta)、熊猴（Macaca assamensis)、菲氏叶猴（Presbytis p. crepusculus)、白臀叶猴（Pygathrix nemaeus)、滇金丝猴（Rhinopithecus r. bieti）和蛛猴（Ateles paniscus)13个灵长类中代表种的酪氨酸酶基因全部5个外显子的DNA序列。基于这些序列，用简约法构建了分子系统树。结果表明，人猿超科与旧大陆猴各自形成一单系群。人猿超科各物种和旧大陆猴有明显分化，人与大猩猩的关系比人与黑猩猩的关系近。酪氨酸酶基因在解决灵长类系统发育关系上是一个较有用的基因。为了进一步了解中国猕猴（Macaca mulatta)的亚种分化和不同地理群体间的基因流状况，我们测定了来自中云南、广西、福建、海南、浙江、河南、湖南、湖北、安徽、四川、贵州和越南猕猴共96只个体和一只外群食蟹猴的线粒体DNA控制区576bp的DNA序列，基于这些序列，运用距离法对中国恒河猴的分子进行和遗传多样性进行了分析，我们的研究结果显示，云南、四川和湖南猕猴群体与其它群体存在显著分析，海南群体内遗传多样性最低、四川、广西、浙江、福建和越南群体内遗传多样性较丰富。中国猕猴的分化可能存在三条路线。中国猕猴的遗传多样性较丰富。

滇南、滇东南黑长臂猿分布与数量及金平芭蕉河黑长臂猿栖息地选择与利用

长臂猿是现存最小的类人猿（俗称小猿），主要分布于东南亚的的热带雨林、季雨林及亚热带常绿阔叶林中，是典型的树栖灵长类动物。我国现有长臂猿3属5种，包括黑长臂猿(Nomascus concolor)、白颊长臂猿(N. leucogenys)、海南长臂猿(N. hainanus)、白掌长臂猿(Hylobates lar)和白眉长臂猿(Hoolock hoolock)。其中黑长臂猿是主要分布于我国云南省境内的一种长臂猿，在国外仅在越南北部和老挝西北部局部地区分布，越南北部的数量不足100只，老挝目前仅发现9群。 滇南、滇东南曾是黑长臂猿广泛分布的地区之一。为掌握该地区近年黑长臂猿分布及种群数量现状，从2003年7月～2004年12月，利用访问调查及利用鸣声定位法对该地区进行了调查。调查结果显示，在云南境内，近40 000 km2的范围内，黑长臂猿在红河以东可能已消失，而红河以西亦仅发现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。 在长臂猿数量与分布调查的基础上，我们于2004年底确定了以金平芭蕉河黑长臂猿的一个群体为研究对象进行行为生态观察。通过扫描与瞬时取样法记录，结合生境调查及物候监测，对其游走行为及生境利用格局进行了比较和分析，主要结论如下：⑴家域大小（活动范围）不是限制长臂猿日活动距离及活动时间的主要原因；⑵日活动距离及移动时间均与温度呈正相关；⑶食物资源分布及斑块丰富度一定程度上决定了长臂猿对栖息地选择与利用方式；⑷长臂猿对陡坡与沟谷利用强度较高，与其主要行为表现（如;过夜点、休息点、取食点选择）有关；⑸长臂猿过夜点选择与食物资源分布、群体间关系及鸣叫点选择无关，而可能与天气和安全性因素有关；⑹果实树分布对取食点、休息点选择作用明显，而物候变化及食物可得性可能是影响长臂猿对栖息地利用季节性变化的主要原因；⑺在一定程度上，人为干扰只是在短时间内改变了长臂猿的活动路线或时间，而对其总体的生境利用策略并没有太大影响。食物资源的分布及季节性变化在长臂猿的游走行为及生境利用中均起到了重要作用。

Molecular origin of the mosaic sequence arrangements of higher primate α-globin duplication units

The human adult α-globin locus consists of three pairs of homology blocks (X, Y, and Z) interspersed with three nonhomology blocks (I, II, and III), and three Alu family repeats, Alu1, Alu2, and Alu3. It has been suggested that an ancient primate α-globin-containing unit was ancestral to the X, Y, and Z and the Alu1/Alu2 repeats. However, the evolutionary origin of the three nonhomologous blocks has remained obscure. We have now analyzed the sequence organization of the entire adult α-globin locus of gibbon (Hylobates lar). DNA segments homologous to human block I occur in both duplication units of the gibbon α-globin locus. Detailed interspecies sequence comparisons suggest that nonhomologous blocks I and II, as well as another sequence, IV, were all part of the ancestral α-globin-containing unit prior to its tandem duplication. However, sometime thereafter, block I was deleted from the human α1-globin-containing unit, and block II was also deleted from the α2-globin-containing unit in both human and gibbon. These were probably independent events both mediated by independent illegitimate recombination processes. Interestingly, the end points of these deletions coincide with potential insertion sites of Alu family repeats. These results suggest that the shaping of DNA segments in eukaryotic genomes involved the retroposition of repetitive DNA elements in conjunction with simple DNA recombination processes.

Population genetic structure and patterns of dispersal in the Giant Long-Armed Prawn, Macrobrachium lar (Fabricius, 1798) (Decapoda : Palaemonidae)

The Giant Long-Armed Prawn, Macrobrachium lar is a freshwater species native to the Indo-Pacific. M. lar has a long-lived, passive, pelagic marine larval stage where larvae need to colonise freshwater within three months to complete their development. Dispersal is likely to be influenced by the extensive distances larvae must transit between small oceanic islands to find suitable freshwater habitat, and by prevailing east to west wind and ocean currents in the southern Pacific Ocean. Thus, both intrinsic and extrinsic factors are likely to influence wild population structure in this species. The present study sought to define the contemporary broad and fine-scale population genetic structure of Macrobrachium lar in the south-western Pacific Ocean. Three polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to assess patterns of genetic variation within and among 19 wild adult sample sites. Statistical procedures that partition variation implied that at both spatial scales, essentially all variation was present within sample sites and differentiation among sites was low. Any differentiation observed also was not correlated with geographical distance. Statistical approaches that measure genetic distance, at the broad-scale, showed that all south-western Pacific Islands were essentially homogeneous, with the exception of a well supported divergent Cook Islands group. These findings are likely the result of some combination of factors that may include the potential for allelic homoplasy, through to the effects of sampling regime. Based on the findings, there is most likely a divergent M. lar Cook Islands clade in the south-western Pacific Ocean, resulting from prevailing ocean currents. Confirmation of this pattern will require a more detailed analysis of nDNA variation using a larger number of loci and, where possible, use of larger population sizes.

An evaluation of the culture performance of two Macrobrachium species in Vanuatu: the exotic M. rosenbergii and the indigenous M. lar

Fisheries and aquaculture are important for food security, income generation and are critical to long term sustainability of many countries. Freshwater prawns have been harvested in the streams and creeks in Vanuatu, however due to over-exploitation catches have declined in recent years. To satisfy high demand for this product, Vanuatu government intends to establish economically viable small-scale aquaculture industries. The current project showed that wild Macrobrachium lar in Vanuatu constitute a single population for management purposes and that M. rosenbergii grows much faster than M. lar in simple pond grow-out systems, hence is a better species for culture in Vanuatu.

Ìtàn - oralidades e escritas: um estudo de caso sobre cadernos de hunkó e outras escritas no Ìlè Aṣé Omi Larè Ìyá Sagbá

Ìtàn, termo em yorubá que significa mitos, histórias de òrìṣà. Histórias que têm por tradição, dentro dos terreiros de candomblé, serem repassadas de geração em geração aos iniciados no culto, através da oralidade. O ìtàn estabelece as características pessoais dos òrìṣà e os caminhos percorridos por eles através de enredos que envolvem o sagrado e o humano e acabam por determinar ritos, personalidades e identificações dentro do terreiro de candomblé. Rituais que envolvem tradições e segredos. Os ìtàn justificam, validam a organização dos materiais ritualísticos utilizados em cada situação específica e a execução dos rituais, fazendo relação direta com os arquétipos dos òrìṣà. Como os segredos são mantidos através das gerações? Será que o registro escrito pode ameaçar os segredos? Como perpetuar segredos sem correr os riscos de deformá-los ou mesmo modificá-los? A escrita protege ou fragiliza esses segredos? Essas perguntas movem essa dissertação e suscita outras ligadas diretamente às questões do aprender de crianças e jovens para além dos muros da escola; será que o ìtàn pode ser considerado como um facilitador da aprendizagem e constituinte de redes educativas neste espaço? Pesquisei esses processos a partir dos registros escritos nos cadernos/diários de crianças e adolescentes e seu repasse dentro de um terreiro de candomblé, onde essas construções escritas fazem parte do cotidiano, sendo desdobramento de uma prática pouco comum, nesta formatação específica, nos espaços de religiosidade afro-descendente. O ìtàn é um dos principais instrumentos para o repasse, compreensão, manutenção das tradições do candomblé, tradições essas que possuem o segredo e a oralidade como mola de propulsão; os registros escritos existem, em um número considerável, como forma de guardar ensinamentos ritualísticos aprendidos com os mais velhos e/ou em terreiros de amigos - como os registros de ìtàn e cadernos/diários que encontramos no espaço do terreiro pesquisado

Conserved chromosome segments in Hylobates hoolock revealed by human and H-leucogenys paint probes

A complete comparative chromosome map of the white-browed gibbon (Hylobates hoolock, 2n = 38), white-cheeked gibbon (Hylobates leucogenys, 2n = 52), and human has been established by hybridising H. leucogenys chromosome-specific paints and human 24-colour paints onto H. hoolock metaphase chromosomes. In the 18 H. hoolock autosomes, we identified 62 conserved segments that showed DNA homology to regions of the 25 H. leucogenys autosomes, Numerous interchromosomal rearrangements differentiate the karyotypes of H. leucogenys and H. hoolock. Only H. hoolock chromosome 10 showed homology to one entire autosome of H. leucogenys. The hybridisation of human 24-colour paints not only confirmed most of the chromosome correspondences between human and H. hoolock established previously but also helped to correct five erroneous assignments and revealed three new segments. Our results demonstrate that the karyotypes of the extant gibbons have arisen mainly through extensive translocation events and that the karyotype of H. hoolock more closely resembles the ancestral karyotype of Hylobates, rather than the karyotype of H. leucogenys. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.

黑长臂猿（Hylobates concolor）的配偶制及其与行为、生态和进化的关系

黑长臂猿是猿类中野外行为生态研究最少的一种，因而对其社群结构及配偶体制一直有着很大争议．本文基于近两年在无量山和哀牢山１０个月的野外工作，着重阐述了黑长臂猿的配偶体制，我们认为黑长臂猿是以一夫一妻和一夫多妻（至少是一夫两妻）的形式存在，并与其行为、生态及系统发育相关联．黑长臂猿的系统发育地位、成年雌性的领域性及群体的领域性不强和群体的领域较其它长臂猿类大得多可能是形成一夫多委的原因；而黑长臂猿在中国各分。布区的生境均受到不同程度的破坏，这在一定程度上也影响着其社群结构，特别是狩猎有着更直接的影响，活动范围的限制等，可能是形成一夫一妻的原因．

黑长臂猿(Hylobates concolor)鸣叫行为研究

黑长臂猿通常在上午鸣叫, 多数发生在9:30分以前, 鸣叫起始时间具季节性变化。黑长臂猿平均每两天鸣叫一次, 日鸣叫发生频次在50%左右, 鸣叫的发生也随季节而变化。鸣叫的持续时间无群体的差异, 但群体在不同季节鸣叫时间长短不一, 一个群体的鸣叫并未引起其它群体的鸣叫。

Coexistence of monogamy and polygyny in black-crested gibbon (Hylobates concolor)

All gibbons are monogamous and territorial with the exception of Hylobates concolor. This paper reports the coexistence of monogamy and polygyny in black-crested gibbons. Based on the fact of two adult females and two offspring of the same age category in one group and other reasons, we suppose that the two adult females have bred in a single group, i.e. a polygynous one. The other main reasons are: (1) a large home range makes it possible for more individuals to live in one group; (2) mutual tolerance among two females; and (3) selection pressure favouring polygyny.