贵州省荔波发现百花锦蛇

2010年7月～2012年8月,在贵州省荔波南方喀斯特世界自然遗产地进行脊椎动物物种多样性调查时,分别在板寨、瑶山、翁昂和洞塘采集到游蛇科蛇类标本共5条,经分类鉴定为锦蛇属(Elaphe)的百花锦蛇(E.moellendorffi),为该物种在贵州省内首次发现,增加了其在国内的分布点.     

方花丽斑蛇在湖南省莽山再次发现

正2013年4月20日,在湖南省宜章县莽山国家级自然保护区崖子石片区高山矮林(24°58'603″N,112°58'314″E,海拔1 500 m)林下一处岩石旁采集到1条游蛇科(Colubridae)幼蛇标本。依据形态学特征(赵尔宓2006,李操等2009),该蛇鉴定为方花丽斑蛇(Maculophis bellus),这是该蛇种自1982年在莽山大塘坑首次记录报道(梁启燊等1982)以来第2次在湖南省境内发现,也是在湖南省发现的第2号该蛇标本,该标本现存于莽山自然博物馆。此方花丽斑蛇幼体体重12 g,体全长345 mm,尾长50 mm。头背有镶黑边的黄白色"Y"形斑;体背部紫红色,     

广东天井山林区发现角原矛头蝮

2009年4～7月,在广东天井山林区采集到3条角原矛头蝮(Protobothrops cornutus),这是该蛇在我国野外第二次被发现,天井山是新发现的一个分布点。本次野外新发现进一步证实了角原矛头蝮在我国的自然分布,为深入了解该蛇的形态特征及地理分布格局提供了重要基础资料。     

壶瓶山发现湖南蛇类新纪录二种——双全白环蛇和颈槽蛇

2002年6月至2008年8月,作者对湖南壶瓶山国家级自然保护区两栖爬行动物资源进行了10次实地调查与监测,共采集到蛇类32种.其中双全白环蛇(bycodon fasciatus)和颈槽蛇(Rhabdophisnuchalis)为湖南省蛇类新纪录.     

内蒙古鸟类新纪录——冠鱼狗

<正>2014年8月3日,赤峰市鸟类摄影爱好者赵国君在内蒙古赤峰市克什克腾旗西拉沐沦河上游的上弯子水电站(42°56'57.46″N,117°13'58.75″E)湖岸边树上发现一只黑白花斑鸟种,使用佳能EOS-1DX,佳能800 mm定焦镜头拍摄了照片。笔者随后到现场调查,于8月11日和13日又在上述区域2次发现该鸟,并进行了观察和拍照取证,查阅有关文献(常家传等,1995;颜重威等,1996;马敬能等,2000;郑作新,2002),鉴定为冠鱼狗Megaceryle lugubris。经检索文献和观鸟记录,未见其在内蒙古分布     

广西猫儿山发现云开脊蛇

云开脊蛇（Achalinus yunkaiensis）系2019年描述的新物种,目前仅知其分布于广东西南地区。2014年8月,本文作者在广西桂林猫儿山国家级自然保护区采集到1号脊蛇标本,因故未详细定种,2019年12月经形态学检视和线粒体COI基因序列重建分子系统关系,确定该标本为云开脊蛇,这是广西蛇类新分布记录种。     

广东省蛇类新纪录——菱斑小头蛇

2007年6月23日,在广东省南昆山省级自然保护区采集到一条菱斑小头蛇(Oligodon catenata),为广东省蛇类新纪录。该新分布区的发现说明菱斑小头蛇在我国可能并非间断分布。     

简讯

1975年8月,中国科学院古脊椎动物与古人类研究所科研人员与内蒙古地质局区测一分队在内蒙古四子王旗脑木根公社进行野外地质调查时,发现了一种过去仅在蒙古人民共和国发现过的南方有蹄类化石。这种小     

中国水蛇Enhydris chinensis （Gray）生殖周期与生殖型式的研究

中国水蛇于7月末8月初精子发生开始新的周期性复生,大部分为精母细胞。10—12月以至次年1月初大部分为成熟精子及变态中的精细胞,精子贮于附睾或输精管中过冬。11月至次年5月大部分输卵管中也存有精子。雌水蛇一年一次排卵,卵胎生。5月末至6月初见有蛇胚,孕妊期78—84天,8月中旬至9月中旬产仔蛇,每胎产仔6—21条。     

江西齐云山自然保护区两栖爬行动物资源调查与区系分析

为掌握江西齐云山自然保护区野生动物资源现状,促进自然保护区的有效管理和建设,作者于2007年1月10～19日、5月16～24日、7月26日～8月8日,前后3次对该保护区两柄爬行动物资源进行了实地考察.调查结果显示,齐云山保护区现已记录72种两栖爬行动物,隶属5目18科.其中两栖纲2目7科24种,爬行纲3目11科48种.齐云山保护区动物地理区划属东洋界华中区东部丘陵平原亚区,其区系组成以60种东洋界种类占明显优势,其余12种均为广布种,无古北界物种分布.大眼斜鳞蛇福建亚种(Pseudoxenodon macrops fukienensis)和寒露林蛙(Rana hanluica)为江西省两栖爬行动物新纪录,福建钝头蛇(Pareas stanleyi)为江西省赣南地区爬行动物新纪录.齐云山保护区是海南棱蜥後(Tropidophorus hainanus)和福建华珊瑚蛇(福建丽纹蛇)(Sinomicrurus kettoggi)在江西省的第二个发现地,是海南闪鳞蛇(Xenopeltis hainanensis)在江西省的第三个采集地.通过平均动物区系相似性分析发现,齐云山地理位置独特,是华中区和华南区物种重要的扩散过渡地域.最后对齐云山保护区的保护与管理工作提出了建议.     

Coral snake mimicry: live snakes not avoided by a mammalian predator

The occurrence of coral snake coloration among unrelated venomous and non-venomous New World snake species has often been explained in terms of warning coloration and mimicry. The idea that snake predators would avoid coral snakes in nature seems widely established and is postulated in many discussions on coral snake mimicry. However, the few workers that have tested a potential aposematic function of the conspicuous colour pattern focused exclusively on behaviour of snake predators towards coloured abstract models. Here we report on behaviour of temporarily caged, wild coatis (Nasua narica) when confronted with co-occurring live snakes, among which were two species of venomous coral snakes. Five different types of responses have been observed, ranging from avoidance to predation, yet none of the coatis avoided either of the two coral snake species or other species resembling these. As in earlier studies coatis appeared to avoid coral snake models, our findings show that results from studies with abstract snake models cannot unconditionally serve as evidence for an aposematic function of coral snake coloration.     

Atlantic snake pipefish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Entelurus aequoreus</Emphasis>) extends its northward distribution range to Svalbard (Arctic Ocean)

Ecological forecasts predict the immigration of boreal species into Arctic waters as one consequence of rising sea temperatures. Here, we report the finding of Atlantic snake pipefish (Entelurus aequoreus) off the western coast of Spitsbergen at 79°N in August 2006. This syngnathid fish species, which was presumed to be confined to waters south of Iceland, has dramatically increased in population size in its core distribution area in the northeastern Atlantic since 2002, probably in response to greater reproduction success due to higher water temperatures. We conclude that our finding is an indication of the predicted northward extension of the distribution range of boreal species.     

中国一新纪录种--缅北原矛头蝮(爬行纲,蛇亚目,蝰科)

记述了采自西藏Protobothrops属标本1条,该蛇原报道于缅甸北部,所获标本为中国新纪录种.标本保存在沈阳师范大学化学与生命科学学院标本馆.     

Eggs-Only Diet: Its Implications for the Toxin Profile Changes and Ecology of the Marbled Sea Snake (Aipysurus eydouxii)

Studies so far have correlated the variation in the composition of snake venoms with the target prey population and snakes diet. Here we present the first example of an alternative evolutionary link between venom composition and dietary adaptation of snakes. We describe a dinucleotide deletion in the only three finger toxin gene expressed in the sea snake Aipysurus eydouxii (Marbled Sea Snake) venom and how it may have been the result of a significant change in dietary habits. The deletion leads to a frame shift and truncation with an accompanying loss of neurotoxicity. Due to the remarkable streamlining of sea snake venoms, a mutation of a single toxin can have dramatic effects on the whole venom, in this case likely explaining the 50- to 100-fold decrease in venom toxicity in comparison to that of other species in the same genus. This is a secondary result of the adaptation of A. eydouxii to a new dietary habit — feeding exclusively on fish eggs and, thus, the snake no longer using its venom for prey capture. This was parallel to greatly atrophied venom glands and loss of effective fangs. It is interesting to note that a potent venom was not maintained for use in defense, thus reinforcing that the primary use of snake venom is for prey capture.Nucleotide sequence data reported here have been deposited in the GenBank database under accession number AY559317.Reviewing Editor: Dr. Martin Kreitman     

High-level expression of a soluble snake venom enzyme,gloshedobin, in E. coli in the presence of metal ions

The mature gene of gloshedobin, a snake venom thrombin-like enzyme from the snake, Gloydius shedaoensis, was cloned and expressed in strain E. coli BL21(DE3). Having been induced by IPTG, the recombinant gloshedobin was in both soluble and insoluble forms. To avoid inclusion body formation, expression was optimized at 25 °C. Furthermore, a 50% increase in solubilization of the target protein was obtained by adding 0.1 mM Mg²⁺ to the medium. The purified recombinant gloshedobin gave a 44 kDa band on SDS-PAGE gel.     

五步蛇蛇毒类凝血酶N端的部分氨基酸序列

从五步蛇蛇毒中纯化得到的类凝血酶,在SDS-PAGE及IEF均为一条带,且分子质量约38 ku,等电点约为4.0。测定该酶N端15个氨基酸的序列是VIGGVECDINEHRFL,与其他的蛇毒类凝血酶有高度同源性。     

Introduced Alien or Persecuted Native? Resolving the Origin of the Viperine Snake (Natrix Maura) on Mallorca

The viperine snake (Natrix maura) is an important agent of decline of the threatened midwife toad (Alytes muletensis) of Mallorca. However, there is a paucity of biological data to support the notion that the viperine snake is an introduced species to the island. Here we compare mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences and genomic ISSR-PCR fingerprints from Mallorcan and mainland European viperine snakes. Identical or nearly identical haplotypes and very similar ISSR-PCR profiles provide strong evidence that N. maura arrived only recently to Mallorca. There is no indication of a recent natural colonization of the island by transmarine dispersal. The data therefore support historical information that N. maura was introduced to Mallorca by human agency comparatively recently, and that management measures to reduce the impact of the snake on toad populations are justified.     

Purification and Complete Primary Structure of the First PLA<Subscript>2</Subscript> from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lachesis stenophrys</Emphasis> (the Central American Bushmaster) Snake Venom

The first PLA(2) (LsPA-1) from L. stenophrys snake venom was purified to homogeneity using three chromatographic steps and had its complete primary structure determined. An average molecular mass of 13,870.3 kDa was determined by mass spectrometry and a 3.3-fold increase in the PLA(2) activity was observed for LsPA-1 as compared to the whole venom. Multiple alignment of PLA(2) from Lachesis spp. snakes suggested the existence of two geographical clades for this genus in the New World, which is in accordance with morphological, behavioral and mtDNA data obtained by others. Phospholipases A(2) from Crotalus spp. snake venoms were similarly distributed into two groups. Intergroup analysis indicated that most amino acid substitutions were observed in the amino- and carboxy-terminal regions of the molecules in each clade. Both regions have been suggested to play important roles in determining the biological properties of PLA(2) from snake venoms. The dendogram derived for PLA(2) from Lachesis and Crotalus snakes highlighted the phylogenetic relationships between these two genera in the New World.     

Induced defences in an endangered amphibian in response to an introduced snake predator

Introduced species have contributed significantly to the extinction of endemic species on islands. They also create new selection pressures on their prey that may result in modified life history strategies. Introduced viperine snakes (Natrix maura) have been implicated in the decline of the endemic midwife toad of Mallorca (Alytes muletensis). A comparison of A. muletensis tadpoles in natural pools with and without snakes showed that those populations subject to snake predation possessed longer tails with narrower tail fins but deeper tail muscles. Field and laboratory experiments showed that these changes in tail morphology could be induced by chemical and tactile cues from snakes. Populations of tadpoles that were subject to snake predation also displayed clear bimodal size-frequency distributions, with intermediate-sized tadpoles missing from the pools completely. Tadpoles in pools frequented by snakes developed faster in relation to their body size than those in pools without snakes. Variation in morphology between toad populations may therefore be caused by a combination of size-selective predation and tadpole plasticity. The results of this study indicate that the introduction of alien species can result in selection for induced defences, which may facilitate coexistence between predator and prey under certain conditions.