Behavioral snake mimicry in breeding tits

Many animals mimic the behavior or the appearance of venomous snakes.When humans or other potential predators place their hand near the nest of tits belonging to the family Paridae(and a few other species),the incubating female performs a hissing display that mimics the inhalation hiss of a viper or another snake.They hiss vigorously while lunging their head forward and shaking their wings and tail,repeating this behavior several times.The structure of the hiss in tits is similar to that of the inhalation hiss of a snake,providing evidence of significant convergence of the mimic toward the model.The behavior of individual females is repeatable among tri als.Individuals that flew away from their nest box only performed the hissing display on 6%of later trials,when present at their box,whereas individuals that did not fly away hissed on 28% of occasions,consistent with great tits Parus major either cautiously flying away or staying put on their nest while actively defending it.Individuals that flew away produced fewer chicks than individuals that stayed and hissed.The hissing display was more common when snakes were more abundant:1)When breeding late during the season;2)when breeding at sites with more snakes;and 3)when breeding in subtropical and tropical China with a higher abundance of snakes than in Denmark with a lower abundance.The frequency of nest predation was higher in sites with no snakes,and the frequency of predation increased with decreasing frequency of hissing display.These findings are consistent with expectations for frequency-dependent selection acting on snake mimicry.     

Cytological study on the genus Syncalathium （Asteraceae-Lactuceae）, an endemic taxon to alpine scree of the Sino-Himalayas

Cytological characters of four species in Syncalathium （Asteraceae： Lactuceae）, a small genus with six identified species endemic to alpine scree of the Sino-Himalayan region, are surveyed in this report. Three species （Syncalathiumpilosum, Syncalathium chrysocephalum, and Syncalathium disciforme） are examined for the first time. Combined with our previous counts, five species have been cytologically investigated from the genus and the results indicated that all species are diploid with the basic somatic chromosome number of x=8. The karyotype asymmetry of Syncalathium souliei is 2A, distinct from the other four species of 1A, and the remaining species are divided into two subgroups with different karyotypes, consistent with their morphological features. The significance of the cytological evolution of Syncalathium is briefly discussed.     

Aggregation and mating success of Capnodis tenebrionis （Coleoptera： Buprestidae）

An understanding of the relative importance of extrinsic and intrinsic factors in determining the potential distribution and mating success of individuals is critical for the successful monitoring and management of pest species. Using a combination of field observations and a caged field experiment, we explored the roles of environmental and individual variation on the formation of mating aggregations and mating success in the buprestid beetle Capnodis tenebrionis （Linnaeus, 1767）, a pest species of stone fruit trees. Our field observations revealed that the formation of aggregations is influenced by a range of environmental factors including temperature, photoperiod, and population density. However, aggregations were not at random and were more likely to occur on the section of the plant with highest incidence of solar radiation and thus higher temperatures. Data from our experiment with caged beetles in the field further indicate that the reproductive behavior of this species varies with temperature. The probability of a successful mating occurring was also positively related to both male and female size. Females of C. tenebrionis mate several times over a 4-h period, but generally not with the same male. Information obtained from these studies is useful to define the most appropriate time for pest control, especially adopting strategies that interfere with reproduction.     

Phylogeography and Cryptic Species Diversity of Paramesotriton caudopunctatus Species Group(Salamandridae: Paramesotriton) in Guizhou,China

The Paramesotriton caudopunctatus species group is mainly distributed in the karst mountain ecosystems of Guizhou, China. Although some species have been included in previous phylogenetic studies, the evolutionary relationships and divergence-time of members of this species group as a whole remain unexplored. In this study, we report the sequencing of one protein coding mitochondrial gene fragment(ND2) and one nuclear gene(POMC), and use a combination of phylogenetic analyses and coalescent simulations to explore the cryptic diversity and evolutionary history of the P. caudopunctatus species group. Phylogenetic relationships revealed that the P. caudopunctatus species group is composed of two major groups, i. e., East Clade and Western-South Clade. The divergence-time and ancestral area estimation suggested that the P. caudopunctatus species group likely originated in the Doupeng Mountains in Guizhou, China at 12.34 Ma(95% HPD: 8.30–14.73), and intraspecific divergence began at about 2.17 Ma(95% HPD: 1.39–2.97). This timing coincides with the orogenesis of the Miaoling Mountains during the Late Miocene to early Pleistocene. The delimitation of species in the P. caudopunctatus species group supports the existence of the currently identified species, and consensus was confirmed across methods for the existence of least to two cryptic species within what has been traditionally considered to be P. caudopunctatus species group. This study is of significance for understanding the species formation, dispersal, and diversity of the tailed amphibians in the karst mountains ecosystem of Guizhou and the role of the Miaoling Mountains as a geographical barrier to species dispersal.     

Synopsis of Leymus Hochst. （Triticeae： Poaceae）

Leymus is a genus in the Triticeae tribe, Poaceae. The taxa of this genus are allopolyploid species which possess the Ns and Xm genomes. According to cytological, cytogenetic and molecular genetic analyses, some species of Hystrix and Elymus ought to be transferred to this genus. A world revision of the genus Leymus is needed. In this paper we summarize experimental results, provide a key to sections, species and varieties, and list all the taxa we recognize in Leymus with their synonyms. This synopsis is a new taxonomic system to be used for the revision of Leymus.     

cDNA sequence analysis of ribosomal protein S13 gene in Plutella xylostella （Lepidoptera： Plutellidae）

Ribosomal protein S 13 gene has been cloned and analyzed in many organisms,but there are few documents relating to insects. In this communication, the full-length cDNA sequence of ribosomal protein S 13 gene in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella(Lepidoptera: Plutellidae), was determined by using PCR amplification technique. The features of the ribosomal protein S 13 gene sequence were analyzed and the deduced amino acids sequence was compared with those from other insects. The results of multi-alignment of the amino acid sequences between the diamondback moth and other insect species revealed that this gene sequence is highly conserved in insects. Based on maximum likelihood method, a phylogenetic tree was constructed from 10 different species using PHYLIP software. It showed that nematode is one separate lineage and the five insect speciesbe long to another lineage, whereas those species higher than insects form the third one. The pattern of this phylogenetic tree evidently represented the evolution of different species.     

Description of a New Species of Amolops Cope, 1865(Amphibia: Ranidae) from Nepal and Nomenclatural Validation of Amolops nepalicus Yang, 1991

A new species, Amolops mahabharatensis sp.nov., is described from Mahabharat range(middle mountain) of Nepal. The new species is a member of the A. marmoratus group and is distinguished from its congeners using morphological and molecular data.The new species is diagnosed by having numerous warts on dorsum and flanks, dorsal body greyish olivebrown/light brown, presence of vomerine teeth series,presence of a pair of subgular vocal sacs in males and tadpole with Ⅲ:5+5/1+1:Ⅱ– labial tooth row. In addition,evidenced by the phylogenetic and morphological analyses in this study, Amolops nepalicus is shown to be a valid species. A molecular phylogenetic analysis based on 16 S ribosomal gene for six members of the A. marmoratus group suggested that the new species is sister to a clade containing A. nepalicus and A. panhai.The uncorrected genetic divergences between the new species and its closest congeners A. nepalicus, A. panhai and A. marmoratus based on 16 S rRNA gene were 10.5%,11.6%, and 8.6% respectively. The new species showed wide distribution in the Mahabharat range of Nepal.     

Sex and season explain spleen weight variation in the Egyptian mongoose

The Egyptia n mon goose (Herpestes ichneumon Linn aeus, 1758) is a medium-sized car nivore that experienced remarkable geographic expansion over the last 3 decades in the Iberian Peninsula. In this study, we investigated the association of species-related and abiotic factors with spleen weight (as a proxy for immunocompete nee) in the species. We assessed the relationship of body con dition, sex, age, seas on, and envir onmental conditi ons with splee n weight established for 508 hunted specimens. Our results indicate that the effects of sex and season outweigh those of all other variables, including body condition. Spleen weight is higher in males than in females, and heavier spleens are more likely to be found in spring, coinciding with the highest period of investment in reproduction due to mating, gestation, birth, and lactation. Coupled with the absence of an effect of body condition, our findi ngs suggest that splee n weight variation in this species is mostly influe need by lifehistory traits linked to reproduction, rather than overall energy availability, winter immunoenhancement, or energy partitioning effects, and prompt further research focusing on this topic.     

Recovering threatened plant species and their habitats: The need for integrated action

As an introduction to the Special Issue on the restoration of threatened plant species and their habitats,this editorial shows how the various papers in the issue address the range of in situ interventions involved in species population management and restoration of their habitat, together with examples of case studies implementing these actions. It stresses the need for integrating these various interventions.It highlights the importance of protected areas in providing a degree of protection for threatened species but also the need to complement this with actions at the species level to ensure the effective conservation and long term persistence of these species. It emphasizes that ecological restoration is a complement to, not a substitute for conservation, and that the balance of effort and allocation of resources between them is a key issue.     

Bacterial Type Ⅰ Glutamine Synthetase of the Rifamycin SV Producing Actinomycete,Amycolatopsis mediterranei U32,is the Only Enzyme Responsible for Glutamine Synthesis under Physiological Conditions

The structural gene for glutamine synthetase,glnA,from Amycolatopsis mediterranei U32 wascloned via screening a genomic library using the analog gene from Streptomyces coelicolor.The clone wasfunctionally verified by complementing for glutamine requirement of an Escherichia coli glnA null mutantunder the control of a lac promoter.Sequence analysis showed an open reading frame encoding a protein of466 amino acid residues.The deduced amino acid sequence bears significant homologies to other bacterialtype Ⅰ glutamine synthetases,specifically,71% and 72% identical to the enzymes of S.coelicolor and Myco-bacterium tuberculosis,respectively.Disruption of this glnA gene in A.mediterranei U32 led to glutamineauxotrophy with no detectable glutamine synthetase activity in vivo.In contrast,the cloned glnA~ gene cancomplement for both phenotypes in trans.It thus suggested that in A.mediterranei U32,the glnA geneencoding glutamine synthetase is uniquely responsible for in vivo glutamine synthesis under our laboratorydefined physiological conditions.     

Study on gene sensor based on primer extension

Based on the fact that the resonant frequency of a piezoelectric crystal is the function of its surface deposit, and that the primer extends after it hybridizes with the template, the primer extension gene sensor technique was developed. The prominent feature of the technique is that fast and sensitive frequency signals are used as the monitoring system of gene hybridization and primer strand extension. Results show that this technique may be used in homologous analysis of nucleic acid, trace DNA detection, and determining the integration of DNA. It may also be used for isolation of target gene, gene mutation analysis, and predicting the location of a gene in its genome.     

Analysis of the essential DNA region for OsEBP-89 promoter in response to methyl jasmonic acid

In rice, the characterization of OsEBP-89 is inducible by various stress- or hormone-stimuli, including ethylene, abscisic acid (ABA), jasmonate acid (JA), drought and cold. Here, we report the investigation of essential DNA region within OsEBP-89 promoter for methyl jasmonic acid (MeJA) induction. PLACE analysis indicates that this promoter sequence contains multiple potential elements in response to various stimuli. First, we fused this promoter with GUS gene and analyzed its expression under MeJA treatment through Agrobacterium infiltration mediating transient expression in tobacco leaves. Our results revealed that this chimeric gene could be inducible by MeJA in tobacco leaves. To further de- termine the crucial sequences responsible for MeJA induction, we generated a series of deletion pro- moters which were fused with GUS reporter gene respectively. The results of transient expression of GUS gene driven by these mutant promoters show that the essential region for MeJA induction is po- sitioned in the region between -1200 and -800 in OsEBP-89 promoter containing a G-box (?1127), which is distinct from the essential region containing ERE (?562) for ACC induction. In all, our finding is helpful in understanding the molecular mechanism of OsEBP-89 expression under different stimuli.     

A hybrid SOM-SVM approach for the zebrafish gene expression analysis

Microarray technology can be employed to quantitatively measure the expression of thousands of genes in a single experiment. It has become one of the main tools for global gene expression analysis in molecular biology research in recent years. The large amount of expression data generated by this technology makes the study of certain complex biological problems possible, and machine learning methods are expected to play a crucial role in the analysis process. In this paper, we present our results from integrating the self-organizing map （SOM） and the support vector machine （SVM） for the analysis of the various functions of zebrafish genes based on their expression. The most distinctive characteristic of our zebrafish gene expression is that the number of samples of different classes is imbalanced. We discuss how SOM can be used as a data-filtering tool to improve the classification performance of the SVM on this data set.     

Male-killer dynamics in the tropical butterfly,Acraea encedana （Lepidoptera： Nymphalidae）

Sex ratio distortion in the tropical butterfly Acraea encedana is caused by infection with a male-killing bacterium of the genus Wolbachia. Previous research on this species has reported extreme female bias, high bacterial prevalences, and full sex role reversal. In this paper, we provide an assessment for the dynamics of the male-killer, based on a survey for sex ratios and Wolbachia prevalences among wild populations of A. encedana in Uganda. The study reveals that Wolbachia infection showed considerable variation over both spatial and temporal scales.     

A DSRPCL-SVM approach to informative gene analysis

Microarray data based tumor diagnosis is a very interesting topic in bioinformatics. One of the key problems is the discovery and analysis of informative genes of a tumor. Although there are many elaborate approaches to this problem, it is still difficult to select a reasonable set of informative genes for tumor diagnosis only with microarray data. In this paper, we classify the genes expressed through microarray data into a number of clusters via the distance sensitive rival penalized competitive learning （DSRPCL） algorithm and then detect the informative gene cluster or set with the help of support vector machine （SVM）. Moreover, the critical or powerful informative genes can be found through further classifications and detections on the obtained informative gene clusters. It is well demonstrated by experiments on the colon, leukemia, and breast cancer datasets that our proposed DSRPCL-SVM approach leads to a reasonable selection of informative genes for tumor diagnosis.     

A New Species of the Genus Tylototriton （Urodela： Salamandridae） from Northeastern Hunan Province,China

We describe a new species from the family Salamandridae from northeastern Hunan Province of China based on morphological and molecular genetic evidences.The new species,Tylototriton liuyangensis,is a member of the T.asperrimus group,and shares a number of similarities with T.wenxianensis and T.broadoridgus.The dorsal surface of the new Tylototriton species is completely black,with nodule-like warts distributed evenly along the lateral margin of dorsal body,and there is no transverse striae between the warts.There are several diagnostic characters of the new species that differ from those of T.wenxianensis and T.broadoridgus as follows：（1）the interorbital space（IOS）is comparatively wide;（2）there is a bony ridge present on the dorsal head surface,running along the upper eyelids;（3）the space between axilla and groin（AGS）is comparatively large,with the mean male AGS approximately equal to 50%of the snout-vent length（SVL）and the mean female AGS being 53%of SVL;and（4）there is a small genital armature on the anterior angle of labial folds present inside the anal fissure of adult males during the breeding season.The result from the molecular phylogenetic analysis of the genus Tylototriton（including the type specimen of the new species）based on the complete DNA sequence of the mitochondrial ND2 gene（1035 bp）indicated that the new species was similar to T.wenxianensis,T.dabienicus,and T.broadoridgus,but formed an independent clade.This result was consistent with the morphological analysis above,supporting that the Liuyang Population represented a distinct species.