版纳鱼螈的境遇

版纳鱼螈IchthyophisbannanicusYang原记为双带鱼螈,是蚓螈目中在我国唯一而仅有一的物种,属于稀有动物。1地理分布自1974年我在防城县的十万大山采得一号标本后,相继在广西的北流、桂平、玉林、梧州、南宁和广东的罗定县获得标本。据现有的资料,该种分布酉至云南省的勐腊,东至广东省的肇庆,北至广西的梧州,南至广酉的防城,该地段属亚热带,地理座标ZI．50－23．5”N、101．SOE,年平均气温约ZI．4OC,垂直分布范围100—600m。2生境与习性鱼奶生活在草木茂盛,不完全干燥的山脚地带;离山区较远的开阔平坦地带没有发现。成体活…     

版纳鱼螈的骨骼系统

以我国特有的珍稀濒危两栖动物版纳鱼螈(Ichthyophis bannanica)为材料,采用传统的脊椎动物骨骼标本制作技术与透明骨骼标本制作技术相结合的方法,对其骨骼系统进行了形态学研究,并与其他无足目和两栖动物相比较,探讨版纳鱼螈的亲缘关系和进化地位。结果表明,版纳鱼螈成体具头骨41枚,椎骨108~115枚,肋骨101~108枚,无四肢骨。头骨、椎骨和肋骨均具有适应于穴居、掘穴和夜行性习性的特征。版纳鱼螈与双带鱼螈(I.glutinosus)的头骨极为相似,却具有比Dermophis mexicanus的头骨更原始的特征。     

版纳鱼螈研究进展

版纳鱼螈是我国特有濒危的两栖物种,国内外关注的学者甚少.本文从版纳鱼螈的发现和命名始,对其分布区与栖息地、形态、习性、内部解剖、染色体、生存状况与保护等方面的近期研究成果进行了整理和回顾,以期为以后的研究者们提供有价值的资料.     

首次发现版纳鱼螈冬眠洞穴

2012年12月至2013年2月对版纳鱼螈(Ichthyophis bannanicus)的冬眠进行初步研究,发现5条版纳鱼螈(包括成体和亚成体)在4个冬眠洞穴内冬眠,其越冬地选择在距离水源不远的溪流岸边或者平缓的山坡,能够自行打洞或者利用其他动物废弃的洞穴进行冬眠。版纳鱼螈主要是以单栖的方式冬眠,身体呈S形或者圆形。     

版纳鱼螈和双带鱼螈核型的比较研究

本文对版纳鱼螈的核型作了观察,并与双带鱼螈进行了比较。两者的核型基本一致,均为2n=42,但版纳鱼螈的NF=62,而双带鱼螈的NF=60;版纳鱼螈的染色体有中部着丝粒、亚中部着丝粒和端部着丝粒三种类型,而双带鱼螈则无亚中部着丝粒的染色体。     

版纳鱼螈的生殖系统解剖

版纳鱼螈(Ichthyophis bannanica)是我国无足目(Apoda)的仅有代表,本研究采用传统的解剖学方法对版纳鱼螈的生殖系统进行观察比较。研究结果表明,雌性生殖系统由卵巢、输卵管、脂肪体和泄殖腔构成;雄性生殖系统由精巢、输精(尿)管、缪氏管、脂肪体、泄殖腔和交配器所组成。卵巢一对,半透明长囊状,内含许多大小不一的球状卵母细胞。精巢一对,分叶状,每小叶包含许多小室,存在小叶融合现象。     

版纳鱼螈外周血细胞观察

以濒危两栖动物版纳鱼螈(Ichthyophis bannanica)为材料,应用瑞氏-姬姆萨混合染色法与血细胞计数法观察并统计了版纳鱼螈各种外周血细胞的形态特征和数量比例.结果表明,版纳鱼螈的外周血液中红细胞数量较多,呈卵圆形、椭圆形、梭形和梨形,平均含量为2.57 ×105个/mm3.白细胞数量较少,多呈近圆形,平均含量为0.72×103个/mm3.白细胞中,淋巴细胞最多,其次为单核细胞、嗜中性粒细胞、嗜碱性粒细胞和嗜酸性粒细胞.血栓细胞数量较少,常数个集合在一起.同时,将此研究结果与鱼类、爬行类和其他两栖类的血细胞比较,进而探讨了版纳鱼螈的进化地位.     

版纳鱼螈的饲养观察

2006年对30条版纳鱼螈Ichthyophis bannanica进行饲养观察,发现版纳鱼螈生长速度缓慢,在非冬眠期体长月增长5.84 mm± 3.0 mm,体重月增长1.31 g± 0.92 g;活动规律受温度影响大,食性单一,具有冬眠和蜕皮的现象.     

版纳鱼螈幼体和成体皮肤的结构

采用光镜和扫描电镜,对我国特有的珍稀濒危两栖动物版纳鱼螈Ichthyophis bannanicus幼体和成体的皮肤进行形态学和组织学观察.版纳鱼螈幼体和成体的皮肤均可分为表皮、真皮疏松层和真皮致密层;皮肤中含有粘液腺和颗粒腺;在不同发育阶段或同一个体的不同部位,其皮肤的各种组成成分在结构和厚度上存在着差异:成体和幼体都是头部的表皮最厚,尾部的最薄;幼体表皮各层细胞分化不明显,几无角化现象,成体表皮的各层细胞分化明显,表层细胞明显角化;成体躯干部皮肤最厚,头部最薄,幼体则是头部皮肤最厚,尾部最薄;幼体和成体的头部皮肤都分布有大量的粘液腺,颗粒腺分布较少;幼体的躯干部皮肤则主要分布着大量颗粒腺,尾部只有颗粒腺,未见粘液腺;成体躯干部和尾部皮肤均分布有大量的颗粒腺和粘液腺.     

版纳鱼螈牙齿的形态及发育

对我国特有的濒危珍稀两栖动物版纳鱼螈(Ichthyophis bannanicus)牙齿的形态及其发育进行了研究.结果表明,版纳鱼螈牙齿发生于口腔上皮的底层细胞.一颗完整的牙齿由齿冠、纤维环和肉茎三部分构成,为同型钉状双尖齿.牙齿在上、下颌均排列成两排,每个齿位着生1～2颗牙齿.齿位数和齿数通常上颌齿多于下颌齿,上颌舌侧齿多于唇侧齿,下颌唇侧齿多于舌侧齿.随着个体的生长发育,齿位数和齿数会在颌后部增加.亚成体和成体有大量换齿或脱齿现象.牙齿从着生稀疏、功能齿和替换齿夹杂着生趋向功能齿密集整齐着生.同时,将此研究结果与其他蚓螈类进行了比较和分析.     

The evolution of the amphibian lateral line system and its bearing on amphibian phylogeny

In modern amphibians that are aquatic the lateral line system is organized, by order, as follows: caecilians have electroreceptive ampullary organs and single rows of mechanoreceptive neuromast organs; generalized anurans have single rows of neuromasts that divide in a transverse plane to form secondary neuromasts or stitches, they do not have ampullary organs; generalized urodeles have ampullary organs, transverse stitches, and double or triple rows of neuromasts. Fossil evidence indicates that early amphibians had both ampullary organs and single rows of neuromasts embedded in bone. With time, receptors became epidermal in all three orders. Modern caecilians have retained the primitive receptor arrangement. I propose that the common ancestor of anurans and urodeles had transverse stitches, and that this character allies these two groups. Subsequent to the anuranurodele split, anurans lost their ampullary organs, perhaps concomitant with developing specializations for herbivory. Urodeles developed orthogonal neuromast couplets und triplets. In modern anurans und urodeles, transverse stitches are correlated with pond dwelling, while ampullary organs are correlated with carnivory, suggesting that the anuran-urodele ancestor(s) was a (were) pond-dwelling carnivore(s).     

中国大鲵侧线器官的研究

本文以光镜和扫描是镜手段研究了中国大鲵幼体，亚成体及成体头部及躯干部表皮中的侧线器官，即电接受壶腹器官，机械接受的表面神经丘和陷器官的分布，形态和发展变化。壶腹器管仅存于幼体头部，变态结束后消失，后两种终生存在，但前者按一定路线和方向排列，后者仅存于头部，陷在表皮中，文章探讨了壶腹器官的原始性，其消失与生活习性以及由水登陆进化的关系；对三种器官的形态及其它有尾类的侧线器官进行了比较。     

Development of the lateral line system in the sea bass

Using light and electron microscopy, a study of the development of the lateral line system of the sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax , from embryo to adult, revealed that the first free neuromasts appeared on the head shortly before hatching and multiplied during the larval stage. They were aligned on the head and trunk in a pattern which corresponded to the location of future canals. The transition to the juvenile stage marked the start of important anatomical changes during which head and trunk canals were formed successively. Neuromasts, with a cupula and consisting of standard sensory cells and supporting cells, were characterized by bidirectional polarity. The exact location of the first neuromast formed in the embryo was identified and its differentiation monitored from primordium to eruption. This neuromast was distinguishable from the others by its radial polarity. Correlations were made between the development of the lateral line system and the behaviour of the sea bass.     

Microanatomy of the digestive system of Supachai's caecilian,Ichthyophis supachaii Taylor, 1960 (Amphibia: Gymnophiona)

The gross anatomy and microanatomy of the digestive system of Ichthyophis supachaii were investigated. The microscopic structures of the digestive system are similar to those in other caecilians. Functional and developing teeth are present in adults. The tongue contains the genioglossus muscle. The digestive tract is elongated and consists of the mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and adventitia/serosa. The oesophagus contains longitudinal folds and lacks oesophageal glands. We report for the first time the caecilian gastric rugae and specific localization of oxynticopeptic cells in the anterior gastric region. The intestinal folds are exclusively present in the anterior intestinal region. The liver comprises 30–40 incomplete hepatic lobes, lying in an imbricate manner. Each lobe is enveloped by haematopoietic tissue that produces and delivers blood cells into sinusoids. Hepatic parenchyma is organized into anastomosing, two‐cell‐thick plates, having sinusoids at the basal domain and bile canaliculi at the apical domain of hepatocytes. Pigment cells are scattered inside sinusoids. The pancreas contains pancreatic acini interspersed with islets of Langerhans. The gallbladder proper is thin and continuous with the cystic duct wall. Neutral and carboxylated acid mucosubstances are secreted along the digestive tract, while sulphated mucosubstances are not produced by the stomach and anterior intestinal regions.     

The development of lateral line placodes: Taking a broader view

The lateral line system of anamniote vertebrates enables the detection of local water movement and weak bioelectric fields. Ancestrally, it comprises neuromasts – small sense organs containing mechanosensory hair cells – distributed in characteristic lines over the head and trunk, flanked on the head by fields of electroreceptive ampullary organs, innervated by afferent neurons projecting respectively to the medial and dorsal octavolateral nuclei in the hindbrain. Given the independent loss of the electrosensory system in multiple lineages, the development and evolution of the mechanosensory and electrosensory components of the lateral line must be dissociable. Nevertheless, the entire system arises from a series of cranial lateral line placodes, which exhibit two modes of sensory organ formation: elongation to form sensory ridges that fragment (with neuromasts differentiating in the center of the ridge, and ampullary organs on the flanks), or migration as collectives of cells, depositing sense organs in their wake. Intensive study of the migrating posterior lateral line placode in zebrafish has yielded a wealth of information concerning the molecular control of migration and neuromast formation in this migrating placode, in this cypriniform teleost species. However, our mechanistic understanding of neuromast and ampullary organ formation by elongating lateral line placodes, and even of other zebrafish lateral line placodes, is sparse or non-existent. Here, we attempt to highlight the diversity of lateral line development and the limits of the current research focus on the zebrafish posterior lateral line placode. We hope this will stimulate a broader approach to this fascinating sensory system.     

Analysis of surface wave direction by the lateral line system of Xenopus: Source localization before and after inactivation of different parts of the lateral line

The turning responses of clawed toads (Xenopus laevis) to surface waves were examined in animals with an intact lateral line or with different combinations of lateral lines reversibly inactivated by CoCl₂. The responses were characterized with respect to response frequency, turning accuracy, turning side, response time, and swim distance. After the inactivation most animals still responded to surface waves but the responses were different from those of animals with an intact lateral line. They also differed according to the combination of inactivated lines. In all experiments the responses for stimuli in some sectors of the surface did not differ from controls. The location of these sectors co-varied with the position of the intact lines, i.e., normal responses were found for frontal stimulus directions when head lines were intact and for caudolateral stimulus directions when trunk lines were intact. Their size was larger when lines on both sides of the body were intact and smaller when only lines on one side were intact. When the number of functional lines was reduced to one or two on one side of the body the turning angles shown within the sector of normal responses were maintained for stimulus directions outside these sectors. These results can be interpreted as indicating that head and trunk lines represent different position values. When only a single line was functional the toads still turned towards the stimulus source more often than by chance.It is hypothesized that Xenopus uses two mechanisms to determine the direction of surface waves. One uses the position values of head and trunk lines; this mechanism is comparable to the place value postulated for individual head neuromasts of surface feeding fish. The other uses the information encoded in the activity pattern that is elicited in one line when the surface wave travels over the line. This second mechanism yields information about stimulus side but not about stimulus angle.     

Intraspecific divergence in the lateral line system in the nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius)

The mechanosensory lateral line system of fishes is an important organ system conveying information crucial to individual fitness. Yet, our knowledge of lateral line diversity is almost exclusively based on interspecific studies, whereas intraspecific variability and possible population divergence have remained largely unexplored. We investigated lateral line system variability in four marine and five pond populations of nine-spined stickleback (Pungitius pungitius). We found significant differences in neuromast number between pond and marine fish. In particular, three of seventeen lateral line regions (viz. caudal peduncle superficial neuromasts; canal neuromasts from the anterior trunk and caudal peduncle) showed strong divergence between habitats. Similar results were obtained with laboratory-reared individuals from a subset of populations, suggesting that the patterns found in nature likely have a genetic basis. Interestingly, we also found habitat-dependent population divergence in neuromast variability, with pond populations showing greater heterogeneity than marine populations, although only in wild-caught fish. A comparison of neutral genetic (F(ST)) and phenotypic (P(ST)) differentiation suggested that natural selection is likely associated with habitat-dependent divergence in neuromast counts. Hence, the results align with the conclusion that the mechanosensory lateral line system divergence among marine and pond nine-spined sticklebacks is adaptive.