Taxonomic notes on Lasioglossum (Lasioglossum) subopacum (Smith) and L. (L.) okinawa Ebmer et Maeta (Hymenoptera, Halictidae) from Asia

Lasioglossum (Lasioglossum) subopacum (Smith) is recorded from the Korean Peninsula for the first time. Lasioglossum (Lasioglossum) okinawa Ebmer et Maeta from Japan is ranked to a subspecies of Lasioglossum (Lasioglossum) subopacum judging from the characteristics of the male. The male of Lasioglossum (Lasioglossum) subopacumokinawa is described for the first time. Some bionomical notes of both subspecies are presented.     

Revision of the pseudo-orbweavers of the genus Fecenia Simon, 1887 (Araneae, Psechridae), with emphasis on their pre-epigyne

The present paper provides a taxonomic revision of the genus Fecenia with emphasis on the characteristics of the pre-epigynes which are integrated for the first time into an identification key. As a result, one species is revalidated, Fecenia protensa Thorell, 1891, stat. n., and two new junior synonyms for Fecenia protensa are recognised: Fecenia sumatrana Kulczyński, 1908, syn. n. and Fecenia nicobarensis (Tikader, 1977), syn. n. New records are reported: Fecenia ochracea (Doleschall, 1859)from Malaysian Borneo, Fecenia macilenta (Simon, 1885) from Sumatra, Indonesia, Fecenia protensa from Thailand and Malaysia, Fecenia travancoria Pocock, 1899 from Sri Lanka and Thailand, and Fecenia cylindrata Thorell, 1895 from Thailand and Laos. Additional information on the biology of Fecenia is provided and the validity of characters for identifying Fecenia species is discussed.     

Discovery of the female of Pyrocoelia prolongata in Taiwan (Coleoptera, Lampyridae)

The female of Pyrocoelia prolongata Jeng & Lai, a diurnal lampyrid species from Taiwan, is described for the first time. A single individual was found in a small, shady, dry streambed at the edge of a mixed forest at 2700 m elevation. The individual glowed in darkness and would move its abdomen up and down when disturbed and as a deterring behavior. A key to the females of the species of Pyrocoelia Gorham in Taiwan is provided. The morphology of photogenic organs of females and the function of bioluminescence of day-active species of Pyrocoelia are discussed.     

The larva of Eustra (Coleoptera, Paussinae, Ozaenini):a facultative associate of ants

Larvae of the ground beetle genus Eustra Schmidt-Goebel are described and illustrated for the first time and some biological notes are reported. One specimen of an unknown Eustra species was collected while excavating a nest of the ant Pachycondyla javana Mayr, in Taiwan, which is the first report of a paussine associated with a member of the ant subfamily Ponerinae. Several larvae and adults of a second species, Eustra chinensis Bänninger, were collected in Shanghai under bark with no association with ants. First instar larvae of the latter species were also reared in the lab. The occurrence of larvae of the genus Eustra both inside and outside ant nests, together with a report of adults collected inside a nest in Taiwan, suggests that members of this genus may be facultative predators or facultative symbionts of ants, an attribute that has never been reported for this genus. The larvae of Eustra show several unique features, including a peculiar bidentate mandibular apex, an extremely long galea, one of two tarsal claws greatly reduced, abdominal setae (including those of terminal disk) elongate and clavate at apex, urogomphi wide and flattened, and inflated sensilla S-I. Larvae were studied by both optical and scanning electron microscopy, their morphological features are compared with those of other described Paussinae larvae, and their potential phylogenetic and functional significance are discussed.     

Genus Microsternus Lewis (1887) from China,with description of a new genus Neosternus from Asia (Coleoptera,Erotylidae, Dacnini)

This work treats species of the genus Microsternus Lewis, 1887 from Asia and North America. A new genus is described: Neosternus (type species Microsternus higonius Lewis, 1887). A new species is described: Microsternus pengzhongi. A new synonym is provided: Microsternus tricolor taiwanicus Nakane (=Microsternus tricolor Lewis). Three species previously placed in Microsternus Lewis, 1887 are transferred to Neosternus resulting in the following three new combinations: Neosternus higonius (Lewis, 1887), Neosternus taiwanus (Chûjô, 1976), and Neosternus hisamatsui (Nakane, 1981).     

Six new species of the spider genus Spiricoelotes species (Araneae,Agelenidae) from caves in Jiangxi,China

Six new species of the spider genus Spiricoelotes Wang, 2002 are described, Spiricoelotes anshiensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Spiricoelotes chufengensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Spiricoelotes nansheensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Spiricoelotes taipingensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀), Spiricoelotes xianheensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♂♀) and Spiricoelotes xiongxinensis Chen & Li, sp. n. (♀). All new species were collected from caves in Jiangxi Province, China.     

1982-2012年中亚地区植被时空变化特征及其与气候变化的相关分析

干旱区植被生态系统对气候变化极为敏感,并且干旱区的植被变化研究对全球碳循环具有重要意义。然而近几十年来,中亚干旱区植被对气候变化的响应机制尚不甚明朗。利用归一化植被指数NDVI数据集和MERRA（Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications）气象数据,采用经验正交函数（EOF,Empirical Orthogonal Function）和最小二乘法等方法系统分析了31a（1982-2012年）来中亚地区NDVI在不同时间尺度的时空变化特征。进一步分析和研究NDVI与气温和降水的相关性,结果表明：1982-2012年,中亚地区年NDVI总体呈现缓慢增长趋势,而1994年以后年NDVI呈现明显下降趋势,尤其在哈萨克斯坦北部草原地区下降趋势尤为突出。这可能是由于过去30年间,中亚地区降水累计量的持续减少造成的。NDVI的季节变化表明春季NDVI增长最为明显,冬季则显著下降。与平原区相比,中亚山区的NDVI值增长幅度最大,并且山区年NDVI与季节NDVI呈现显著增加趋势（P < 0.05）。中亚地区年NDVI与年降水量正相关,而年NDVI与气温变化存在弱负相关。年NDVI和气温的正相关中心在中亚南部地区,负相关中心则出现在哈萨克斯坦的西部和北部地区;NDVI和降水的相关性中心刚好与气温相反。此外,在近30年间的每年6月至9月,中亚地区NDVI与气温存在近一个月的时间延迟现象。本研究为中亚干旱区生态系统变化和中亚地区碳循环的估算提供科学依据。     

The fossil record and biogeography of the Ciehlidae (Actinopterygii: Labroidei)

The family Ciehlidae is a large group of tropical fishes in the order Perciformes, with an estimated number of living species exceeding 1400. The modern distribution of the family Ciehlidae is predominantly in fresh waters of Central and South America, Africa, Madagascar, India and the Middle East, with fossil members known from Africa, Saudi Arabia, the Levant, Europe, South America and Haiti. Many authors have referred to the distribution as being Gondwanan and have postulated that cichlids originated over 130 million years ago, in the Early Cretaceous. However, the suggested evidence for an Early Cretaceous origin of cichlids is equally or more compatible with a much younger age of origin. Based on the biology and distribution of modern and fossil cichlids, it is more probable that they arose less than 65 million years ago, in the Early Tertiary, and crossed marine waters to attain their current distribution.     

现代人起源问题的新争论

现代人在分类学上称为晚期智人。他们是怎样起源的?长期来有两种理论,一种叫直接演化说(Direct evolution hypothesis)或系统说,也叫多地区起源说。这种理论认为现代人是由当地的早期智人以至猿人演化而来的,各人种在很久以前即已分歧,各自平行发展,演化成现代人,但长时期来互相有基因的交流。例如欧洲的白种人是由当地的尼安德特人逐渐演变来的;亚洲的黄种人是由当地的早期智人和猿人演变来的。另一种理论叫入侵论(Invasion hypothesis),也叫迁徙说或代替说,这种理论认为欧洲是典型尼人的家乡, 而解剖结构上的现代人是在欧洲以外地区演化出来, 然后侵人欧洲的尼人区域, 消灭了土著的尼人而形成的;侵人亚洲的也一样, 形成现代的黄种人。这种单一地区起源说过去一般认为亚洲西部是现代人最早形成的地区, 近年来有人提出非洲南部才是现代人最早形成的地区, 然后迁徙到世界各地。     

中国大陆白腹鼠属的分支系统发育研究

运用Hennig的分支系统学原理和方法,对分布于中国大陆的白腹鼠属7个种的部分外部及头骨形态学特征进行性状数据分析,结合应用Paup和Hennig 86两种分支系统学软件对它们之间的系统发育关系进行研究.结果表明:安氏白腹鼠N.andersoni和川西白腹鼠N.excelsior亲缘关系较近,二者聚在一起,组成了Musser(1981)的安氏白腹鼠种组N.andersoni-Division;另外刺毛鼠N.fulvescens和褐尾鼠N.cremoriuenter的亲缘关系最近,二者先聚在一起,再与社鼠N.confucianus聚在一起,形成了安氏白腹鼠种组的姐妹群;而梵鼠N.brahma是上述5种白腹鼠组成类群的姐妹群,灰腹鼠N.eha则与前6种白腹鼠组成类群互为姐妹群.