Neuroepithelial bodies in the lung of the tree frog,Hyla arborea L.

Summary The endocrine-like cells (ELC), which together with nerve endings form the neuroepithelial bodies, are located on primary and secondary septa in the non-ciliated epithelium of the lung of Hyla arborea. ELC protrude markedly toward the lumen of the lung and are surrounded by pneumocytes, which separate ELC from the lumen by thin cytoplasmic processes. ELC possess a light cytoplasm containing two types of granules: (i) numerous small granules, 50–110 nm in diameter, and (ii) single large granules, 290–860 nm in diameter. Numerous nerve fibers, often forming synaptic junctions, can be observed in contact with ELC.This study was supported by a grant No. 476/II from the Polish Academy of Sciences     

西藏聂拉木地区波留宁棘蛙的记述

有关西藏聂拉木的亚东蛙Rana yadongensisWu的分类问题,曾在《西藏两栖爬行动物》(胡淑琴,1987)已有讨论,文中指出聂拉木的标本与亚东者有“变异”,并言:“Dubois(1979)根据地理分布将分布于亚东的亚东蛙作为布兰福棘蛙Rana(Paa) blanfordii Boulenger之异名;分布于聂拉木的标本可能属于波留宁棘蛙Rana(Paa)polunini Smith.”当时由于缺乏尼泊尔的标本对证,该书暂未采用Dubois上述意见.费梁等(1990)将亚东蛙改隶为亚东棘蛙Paa yadongensis.1994年11月和1996年4月我们与法国学者Dubois教授在互访成都和巴黎期间,先后两次共同核查了亚东、聂拉木和尼泊尔3地的标本.     

Phylogeny and genus-level classification of mantellid frogs (Amphibia, Anura)

We propose a novel classification of frogs in the family Mantellidae, based on published phylogenetic information and on a new analysis of molecular data. Our molecular tree for 53 mantellid species is based on 2419 base pairs of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, tRNAVal and cytochrome b genes, and of the nuclear rhodopsin gene. Because the genus Mantidactylus Boulenger sensu lato is confirmed to be paraphyletic with respect to Mantella Boulenger, and is highly diverse in morphology and reproductive biology, we propose to partition Mantidactylus into seven genera by elevating four subgenera to genus rank (Blommersia Dubois, Guibemantis Dubois, Spinomantis Dubois, and Gephyromantis Methuen) and creating two new genera (Boehmantis gen. n. and Wakea gen. n.). In addition, we create the new subgenera Boophis (Sahona) subgen. n., Gephyromantis (Duboimantis) subgen. n., G. (Vatomantis) subgen. n., and Mantidactylus (Maitsomantis) subgen. n. The following species are transferred to Spinomantis, based on their phylogenetic relationships: S. elegans (Guibé) comb. n. (formerly in Mantidactylus subgenus Guibemantis); S. bertini (Guibé) comb. n. and S. guibei (Blommers-Schlösser) comb. n. (both formerly in Mantidactylus subgenus Blommersia); S. microtis (Guibé) comb. n. (formerly in Boophis Tschudi). Within Boophis, the new B. mandraka species group and B. albipunctatus species group are established. Boophis rhodoscelis (Boulenger) is transferred to the B. microtympanum group. The following five species are revalidated: Mantidactylus bellyi Mocquard and M. bourgati Guibé (not junior synonyms of M. curtus (Boulenger)); M. cowanii (Boulenger) (not syn. M. lugubris (Duméril)); M. delormei Angel (not syn. M. brevipalmatus Ahl); Mantella ebenaui (Boettger) (not syn. M. betsileo (Grandidier)). The new classification accounts for recent progress in the understanding of the phylogeny and natural history of these frogs, but it is still tentative for a number of species. Future modifications may be necessary, especially as concerns species now included in Gephyromantis and Spinomantis.Full article published online at: http://www.senckenberg.de/odes/06-11.htm     

中国角蟾属一新种(两栖纲:锄足蟾科)

采自贵州省水城县凤凰乡的一种大形角蟾,因其外部形态与角蟾属Ｍｅｇｏｐｈｒｙｓ已知种有一些特异之处,尤其是鼓膜显露;上颌内缘无栉齿状突;头后部有由痣粒组成的“Ｖ”形棕褐色斑;背部痣纹呈“＊”形;有犁骨棱;雄性无声囊等特征与大花角蟾Ｍ．ｇｉｇａｎｔｉｃａ明显不同。据此认为该角蟾为一新种,定名水城角蟾Ｍｅｇｏｐｈｒｙｓ ｓｈｕｉｃｈｅｎｇｅｎｓｉｓ Ｔｉａｎ,Ｇｕ ｅｔ Ｓｕｎ,ｓｐ．ｎｏｖ．。     

大巴山区锄足蟾科齿蟾属一新种——南江齿蟾的描述(两栖纲:无尾目)

对大巴山区四川南江的一种齿蟾标本作了深入研究,认为与我国已知齿蟾属     

Amphibians and squamates from the Neogene Siwalik beds of Jammu and Kashmir, India

The Neogene Siwalik deposits of Jammu Province (India) have yielded amphibians and squamates. The collection includes the first amphibians and the first colubroid snakes from the Siwalik Group. Amphibians comprise only anurans: a possible Ranidae and one, or perhaps two, non-ranid frogs Squamates include one lizard,Varanus sp. (Varanidae), whereas snakes are represented by three taxa:Acrochordus dehmi (Acrochordidae), an indeterminate Colubridae, and a snake that is either a Colubridae or an Elapidae.Varanus sp. andA. dehmi have been yielded by the Upper Miocene Ramnagar Member, whereas the anurans and colubroid snakes come from the Upper Pliocene Labli Member. These taxa are indicative of aquatic palaeoenvironment.     

Biological invasions and the acoustic niche: the effect of bullfrog calls on the acoustic signals of white-banded tree frogs

Invasive species are known to affect native species in a variety of ways, but the effect of acoustic invaders has not been examined previously. We simulated an invasion of the acoustic niche by exposing calling native male white-banded tree frogs (Hypsiboas albomarginatus) to recorded invasive American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus) calls. In response, tree frogs immediately shifted calls to significantly higher frequencies. In the post-stimulus period, they continued to use higher frequencies while also decreasing signal duration. Acoustic signals are the primary basis of mate selection in many anurans, suggesting that such changes could negatively affect the reproductive success of native species. The effects of bullfrog vocalizations on acoustic communities are expected to be especially severe due to their broad frequency band, which masks the calls of multiple species simultaneously.     

中国蛙科一新种——版纳大头蛙(两栖纲:无尾目)

经核查和鉴定中国云南等地原定名为大头蛙[Limnonectes kuhlii(=Rana kuhlii Tschudi,1838)]的标本及相关文献资料,并与产地为印度尼西亚的爪哇大头蛙(Limnonectes kuhlii)模式标本的有关描述相对比,两者在其形态、染色体及线粒体基因分化等特征上均有明显区别,因此将云南、广西等地标本的种名改订为新种,即版纳大头蛙(Limnonectes bannaensis,sp.nov.)。其主要鉴别特征是:1)背面较光滑,具少数细肤棱,体后部有小圆疣;2)体背面浅褐色或灰褐色,肤褶上有黑纹;3)蝌蚪尾部具深色斑纹,但尾后半段不呈黑色;4)其染色体组型为2n=22(20m 2st)。而爪哇产大头蛙:1)背面粗糙,体背部、胫部和肛部周围满布圆形疣粒;2)体背面为黑大理石色或为黑色;3)蝌蚪尾部后半段为黑色;4)染色体组型为2n=26,5对大染色体,8对小染色体,除第8对为亚端部着丝粒外,其余均为中部和亚中部着丝粒。     

中国臭蛙属一新种

通过形态学比较和12Sm tDNA序列比对发现,采自福建省武夷山的臭蛙标本与模式标本产地花臭蛙差异显著,鉴定为1新种黄岗臭蛙Odorrana huanggangensis sp.nov.。其主要鉴别特征为:1)雄性个体约为雌性个体长的1/2;2)头长与头宽几相等;3)犁骨齿2短列,约等于两内缘间距宽;4)外侧3指有窄的指侧缘膜,第1、5趾侧缘膜达趾基部;5)股、胫部背面有3～4条宽的褐色横纹,股后部褐色斑大而密集;6)趾间全蹼,各趾之蹼达趾吸盘基部;7)雄性具1对咽侧下外声囊,背面有粉白色雄性线;8)雄性腹面咽胸部、腹部以及前臂内侧和上、下颌缘密布细小白刺;9)雌性腹内成熟卵动物极棕褐色,植物极米黄色,卵径2.6mm左右。对新种发现所揭示的含义进行了探讨。     

Molecular systematics of mantelline frogs from Madagascar and the evolution of their femoral glands

Several genera of frogs from Madagascar, classified in the family Mantellidae, subfamily Mantellinae, possess structures commonly called 'femoral glands' on the ventral side of their shanks. The question arises as to the origin and phylogenetic significance of these glands. A molecular phylogeny based on 3601 nucleotide DNA sequences of three mitochondrial and two nuclear genes of 30 mantellid species provided strong support for monophyly of the included mantellines, all characterized by enlarged femoral gland clusters, as well as for those with gland clusters of coordinated central arrangement of secretion ducts. However, the phylogeny also strongly supported the hypothesis of convergent evolution of structurally similar glands in unrelated frogs ( Indirana , Petropedetes ), and several trends of convergent evolution of gland structure within mantellines. We studied the light microscopic structure of the femoral glands in a representative array of 18 mantellid species. Males of all species of the subfamily Mantellinae were characterized by clusters of distinct single glands. Each was structurally similar to an enlarged granular gland and secreted independently, probably through a single duct. By contrast, the largely semi-aquatic frogs in the genus Mantidactylus had a specialized cluster of glands, in which the secretion ducts led into a macroscopically recognizable central depression. In Boophis opisthodon , a mantellid species of the subfamily Boophinae without externally recognizable femoral glands, we observed a large number of enlarged granular glands of various sizes in the ventral skin of the shank. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that the large and more uniform organs of mantellines are derived granular glands.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 92 , 529–539.     

横断山齿突蟾属一新种(两栖纲:锄足蟾科)

1982年在横断山区考察期间,发现四川木里截族自治县的齿突蟾Scutiger标本在第二性征、趾蹼等特征与已知的各种齿突蟾均不相同,描述为新种木里齿突蟾Scutiger muliensis。     

Postprandial thermophily in the Danube crested newt, Triturus dobrogicus

(1) Preferred temperatures were compared between fed and fasted newts with respect to their locomotor activity (LA) in an aquatic thermal gradient (5–32.5°C). (2) Locations and LA of 17 newts in postabsorptive phase were recorded over 24 h. (3) Nine randomly chosen newts were fed (10% of their body mass) and behaviour of all newts was recorded over the next 24 h. (4) Fasted newts preferred similar water temperatures during periods of both LA and inactivity. (5) Newts preferred 2–3°C higher water temperatures after feeding irrespective of the behavioural state.