北京发现越冬黑头剑蛇

2011年9月,在北京市四座楼自然保护区开展野生动物调查时,采集到2号蛇类标本,经鉴定为黑头剑蛇(Sibynophis chinensis),其中1条为幼蛇,属首次在北京发现越冬个体.     

鲁西地区蛇类的分布格局

以山东聊城分布的7种蛇类作为研究对象,探讨了鲁西平原区蛇类的群落结构和分布格局.结果 表明,该区蛇类平均分布密度较高的是白条锦蛇Elaphe dione、赤链蛇Dinodon rufozonatum和虎斑颈槽蛇大陆亚种Rhabdophis tigrina lateralis.多数蛇类倾向于选择湿地周边、边缘富有灌草丛的农田区以及有丰富草被的居民区等为栖息地,该区蛇类的栖息地选择有着显著的不重叠性.     

各地蛇类养殖图片展

当前,我国蛇类养殖已成为新兴的产业,养殖场的数量及规模在不断扩大,同时,蛇类保护和人工繁育也越来越受到政府的重视,这为我国蛇类资源的保护和可持续利用带来新的机遇。     

黑龙江省蛇类物种多样性调查及保护

通过多年的野外调查和采集,共在黑龙江省31个县（市、区）获得蛇类标本592号.结合有关资料记载,证实黑龙江省蛇类隶属2科6属11种,约占我国蛇类总数的5.42%,均属于古北界物种,与国内其他省相比黑龙江省蛇类物种多样性水平较低,种群数量较少.建议加强对蛇类保护生物学的研究及其生境的保护,合理开发利用蛇类资源.     

中国蛇类保护和养殖及展望

蛇类是中国一类重要的野生动物资源,对其利用由来已久,然而随着环境变化和社会发展,致使蛇类野生资源急剧下降,但从另一方面也促进了对蛇类人工驯养繁育的发展和探索。作者总结了中国蛇类资源概况、保护法律法规和措施以及上世纪80年代兴起的蛇类养殖及技术简况。     

江西蛇类多样性及其保护需求

目的为了有效保护江西的蛇类资源,对该地区蛇类的多样性、现状及其保护需求进行了总结。方法根据有关报道和我们调查的野外资料从物种多样性、分布、受胁情况等方面进行分析和比较。结果江西现有蛇类64种,占中国蛇类的31．1％,其中特有种18种;井冈山脊蛇（Achalinus jingganggensi）（Zong and Ma ,1983）是江西特有种,目前仅知分布于井冈山。有16种处于极度濒危、濒危和易危状态,占江西蛇类种数的25％;近危蛇类5种,占江西蛇类的7．8％。江西境内的武夷山是蛇类多样性最丰富的地区,其次是井冈山和庐山等。结论江西有近1／3的蛇类处于受胁状态,主要是由于过度利用和栖息地遭破坏所致。由于相当部分县、市缺乏蛇类分布等信息,建议尽快对江西蛇类资源进行全面调查。同时,提出相应的保护策略和措施。并建议建立特有珍稀蛇类繁育基地。     

湖南省蛇类一新纪录--平鳞钝头蛇

湖南师范大学动物生态研究室1993年8月采于湖南省永顺县的蛇类标本HUNNU9308001,经鉴定为平鳞钝头蛇（Pareas boulengeri）,为湖南省蛇类新记录.     

江西药用蛇类资源及养殖现状调查研究

目的调查江西药用蛇类资源的种类、分布及养殖企业的现状,提出药用蛇类资源保护及利用建议。方法根据江西蛇类资源文献的整理和药材市场的调查,研究江西药用蛇类的种类和分布;通过走访调查以及野生动物管理部门驯养繁殖资料的整理,了解江西养殖药用蛇类企业的养殖现状。结果江西全省分布有蛇类69种,其中31种具有药用价值,养殖较为广泛的有乌梢蛇(Zaocys dhumnades)、银环蛇(Bungarus multicinctus)、尖吻蝮(Deinagkistrodon acutus)、王锦蛇(Elaphe carinata)和滑鼠蛇(Ptyas mucosus)等,药用蛇类养殖企业有38家,养殖的药用蛇类种类达12种。结论江西药用蛇类资源分布广泛,药用蛇类养殖企业驯养繁殖技术滞后,建议加强药用蛇类的野外资源保护、驯养繁殖及综合利用的研究。     

武夷蛇类研究所简介

武夷山市武夷蛇类研究所是福建省唯一专业从事蛇类研究、繁殖、医疗、培训、旅游、蛇类产品开发加工、贸易为一体的科技企业。经过十几年的艰苦创业,现已发展为武夷蛇园、武夷蛇博园、闽苑山庄大酒店、蛇产品销售公司、蛇疗中心、蛇文化交流中心等多家实体机构,固定资产达6000多万元。     

广东象头山国家级自然保护区蛇类多样性及保护研究

目的了解广东象头山国家级自然保护区蛇类多样性现状,探讨保护区蛇类资源的有效保护对策。方法采用访问调查和野外样带调查相结合的方法。结果该保护区现已纪录蛇类有5科45种,占中国已纪录蛇类物种数的22．0％,占广东省已纪录蛇类物种数的46．4％,区系组成以东洋界华中区和华南区共有种为主,占82．2％。保护区有国家Ⅰ级重点保护野生动物蚺双带亚种（蟒蛇）（Python molurus bivittatus）,以及舟山眼镜蛇（Najaatra）、眼镜王蛇（Ophiophagus hannah）、灰鼠蛇（Ptyas korros）和滑鼠蛇（Ptyas mucosus）等15种重要经济蛇类。结论广东象头山国家级自然保护区蛇类物种多样性十分丰富,但长期过度猎捕和栖息地遭破坏导致保护区一些蛇类种群数量明显减少,需加强保护。本文针对保护区蛇类保护问题提出5点建议。     

Species specificity of methyl ketone profiles in the skin lipids of female garter snakes,genus Thamnophis

One of the relatively few vertebrate pheromones to be chemically identified, the female sex pheromone of the red-sided garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) is a series of saturated and monounsaturated methyl ketones contained within female skin lipids. During the breeding season, this pheromone is responsible for eliciting male courtship behaviors and males are able to utilize pheromonal variation to discriminate among females. While the pheromone system of the red-sided garter snake has been the subject of many studies, relatively little is known about the pheromone systems of other garter snakes. Through chemical analyses, we demonstrate that female skin lipids of the red-spotted garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis concinnus), northwestern garter snake (Thamnophis ordinoides), and plains garter snake (Thamnophis radix) contain similar methyl ketones. The methyl ketone profiles of these snakes differ qualitatively from one another and from the methyl ketone profiles of red-sided garter snakes with differences particularly pronounced between sympatric species. Our results provide evidence that the use of methyl ketones in sexual signaling may be ubiquitous for Thamnophis species and suggest that these compounds could play a role in reproductive isolation between species in this genus.     

Snake bite envenomation in Riyadh province of Saudi Arabia over the period (2005–2010)

The present investigation is a retrospective review of snake bites in Riyadh province over the period (2005–2010). A total of 1019 cases of bites admitted to the Ministry of Health medical centers in Riyadh province were analyzed on the basis of age, sex, time of bite and its site on the body, outcome of treatment, antiserum dose and type of snake. Bites occurred throughout the six years with the highest frequency in 2005 and least in 2006 where most of the bite cases were mild and all evolved to cure except four patients who died following the administration of antivenom during 24 h after snake bite. Most of the patients were males (81.7%) and the most attacked age was within the range of 11–30 years (51.5%). All the bites were mainly in the exposed limbs and the most frequently bitten anatomical regions were the lower limbs (427 cases, 41.9%), principally the feet. The study incriminates Cerastes cerastes gasperettii in most of the bites indicating it as the snake of medical importance in Riyadh province. Also, the study indicates low degree of threat in spite of high rate of snake bites as a result of the availability of the medical facilities and the antivenin use in medical centers in Riyadh province.     

湖南省发现青脊蛇

2013年5月,在湖南省怀化市鹤城区黄岩乡野外考察期间采集到1号游蛇科蛇类标本,经鉴定为青脊蛇(Achalinus ater),为湖南省蛇类新纪录种。此记录能为研究青脊蛇的形态变化和地理分布提供基础资料。     

广东省蛇类新纪录-双全白环蛇

2011年9～10月,分别在广东省乳源瑶族自治县南岭国家森林公园和始兴县车八岭国家级自然保护区采集到游蛇科(Colubridae)白环蛇属(Lycodon)标本3号,经鉴定为双全白环蛇(Lfasciatus),为广东省蛇类新纪录.     

Tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides lineatus in Chinese Snakes and Their Adults Recovered from Experimental Animals

Morphological characteristics of Mesocestoides lineatus tetrathyridia collected from Chinese snakes and their adults recovered from experimental animals were studied. The tetrathyridia were detected mainly in the mesentery of 2 snake species, Agkistrodon saxatilis (25%) and Elaphe schrenckii (20%). They were 1.73 by 1.02 mm in average size and had an invaginated scolex with 4 suckers. Adult tapeworms were recovered from 2 hamsters and 1 dog, which were orally infected with 5-10 larvae each. Adults from hamsters were about 32 cm long and those from a dog were about 58 cm long. The scolex was 0.56 mm in average width with 4 suckers of 0.17 by 0.15 mm in average size. Mature proglottids measured 0.29 by 0.91 mm (av.). Ovaries and vitellaria bilobed and located in the posterior portion of proglottids. The cirrus sac was oval-shaped and located median. Testes were follicular, distributed in both lateral fields of proglottids, and 41-52 in number per proglottid. Gravid proglottids were 1.84 by 1.39 mm (av.) with a characteristic paruterine organ. Eggs were 35 by 27 µm in average size with a hexacanth embryo. These morphological characteristics of adult worms were identical with those of M. lineatus reported previously. Therefore, it has been confirmed that the tetrathyridia detected in 2 species of Chinese snakes are the metacestodes of M. lineatus, and 2 snake species, A. saxatilis and E. schrenckii, play the role of intermediate hosts.     

黑带腹链蛇:贵州省蛇类新纪录

2011年7月,在贵州省雷公山国家级自然保护区采集到2号游蛇科蛇类标本,经鉴定确定为黑带腹链蛇(Amphiesma bitaeniata),为贵州省蛇类新纪录种.此新纪录能为研究黑带腹链蛇的形态变化和地理分布提供基础资料.     

Structural and functional properties of Bp-LAAO,a new l-amino acid oxidase isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom

An l-amino acid oxidase (Bp-LAAO) from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom was highly purified using sequential chromatography steps on CM-Sepharose, Phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B, Benzamidine Sepharose and C18 reverse-phase HPLC. Purified Bp-LAAO showed to be a homodimeric acidic glycoprotein with molecular weight around 65 kDa under reducing conditions in SDS-PAGE. The best substrates for Bp-LAAO were l-Met, l-Leu, l-Phe and l-Ile and the enzyme showed a strong reduction of its catalytic activity upon l-Met and l-Phe substrates at extreme temperatures. Bp-LAAO showed leishmanicidal, antitumoral and bactericidal activities dose dependently. Bp-LAAO induced platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma and this activity was inhibited by catalase. Bp-LAAO-cDNA of 1548 bp codified a mature protein with 516 amino acid residues corresponding to a theoretical isoelectric point and molecular weight of 6.3 and 58 kDa, respectively. Additionally, structural and phylogenetic studies identified residues under positive selection and their probable location in Bp-LAAO and other snake venom LAAOs (svLAAOs). Structural and functional investigations of these enzymes can contribute to the advancement of toxinology and to the elaboration of novel therapeutic agents.     

Insights in KIR2.1 channel structure and function by an evolutionary approach; cloning and functional characterization of the first reptilian inward rectifier channel KIR2.1, derived from the California kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae)

Potassium inward rectifier K_IR2.1 channels contribute to the stable resting membrane potential in a variety of muscle and neuronal cell-types. Mutations in the K_IR2.1 gene KCNJ2 have been associated with human disease, such as cardiac arrhythmias and periodic paralysis. Crystal structure and homology modelling of K_IR2.1 channels combined with functional current measurements provided valuable insights in mechanisms underlying channel function. K_IR2.1 channels have been cloned and analyzed from all main vertebrate phyla, except reptilians. To address this lacuna, we set out to clone reptilian K_IR2.1 channels. Using a degenerated primer set we cloned the KCNJ2 coding regions from muscle tissue of turtle, snake, bear, quail and bream, and compared their deduced amino acid sequences with those of K_IR2.1 sequences from 26 different animal species obtained from Genbank. Furthermore, expression constructs were prepared for functional electrophysiological studies of ectopically expressed K_IR2.1 ion channels. In general, KCNJ2 gene evolution followed normal phylogenetic patterns, however turtle K_IR2.1 ion channel sequence is more homologues to avians than to snake. Alignment of all 31 K_IR2.1 sequences showed that all disease causing K_IR2.1 mutations, except V93I, V123G and N318S, are fully conserved. Homology models were built to provide structural insights into species specific amino acid substitutions. Snake K_IR2.1 channels became expressed at the plasmamembrane and produced typical barium sensitive (IC₅₀ ∼6 μM) inward rectifier currents.