Emerging infectious diseases and animal social systems

Emerging infectious diseases threaten a wide diversity of animals, and important questions remain concerning disease emergence in socially structured populations. We developed a spatially explicit simulation model to investigate whether—and under what conditions—disease-related mortality can impact rates of pathogen spread in populations of polygynous groups. Specifically, we investigated whether pathogen-mediated dispersal (PMD) can occur when females disperse after the resident male dies from disease, thus carrying infections to new groups. We also examined the effects of incubation period and virulence, host mortality and rates of background dispersal, and we used the model to investigate the spread of the virus responsible for Ebola hemorrhagic fever, which currently is devastating African ape populations. Output was analyzed using regression trees, which enable exploration of hierarchical and non-linear relationships. Analyses revealed that the incidence of disease in single-male (polygynous) groups was significantly greater for those groups containing an average of more than six females, while the total number of infected hosts in the population was most sensitive to the number of females per group. Thus, as expected, PMD occurs in polygynous groups and its effects increase as harem size (the number of females) increases. Simulation output further indicated that population-level effects of Ebola are likely to differ among multi-male–multi-female chimpanzees and polygynous gorillas, with larger overall numbers of chimpanzees infected, but more gorilla groups becoming infected due to increased dispersal when the resident male dies. Collectively, our results highlight the importance of social system on the spread of disease in wild mammals.     

Climate‐driven rampant speciation of the Cape flora

Aim To test whether the radiation of the extremely rich Cape flora is correlated with marine‐driven climate change. Location Middle to Late Miocene in the south‐east Atlantic and the Benguela Upwelling System (BUS) off the west coast of South Africa. Methods We studied the palynology of the thoroughly dated Middle to Late Miocene sediments of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1085 retrieved from the Atlantic off the mouth of the Orange River. Both marine upwelling and terrestrial input are recorded at this site, which allows a direct correlation between changes in the terrestrial flora and the marine BUS in the south‐east Atlantic. Results Pollen types from plants of tropical affinity disappeared, and those from the Cape flora gradually increased, between 10 and 6 Ma. Our data corroborate the inferred dating of the diversification in Aizoaceae c. 8 Ma. Main conclusions Inferred vegetation changes for the Late Miocene south‐western African coast are the disappearance of Podocarpus‐dominated Afromontane forests, and a change in the vegetation of the coastal plain from tropical grassland and thicket to semi‐arid succulent vegetation. These changes are indicative of an increased summer drought, and are in step with the development of the southern BUS. They pre‐date the Pliocene uplift of the East African escarpment, suggesting that this did not play a role in stimulating vegetation change. Some Fynbos elements were present throughout the recorded period (from 11 Ma), suggesting that at least some elements of this vegetation were already in place during the onset of the BUS. This is consistent with a marine‐driven climate change in south‐western Africa triggering substantial radiation in the terrestrial flora, especially in the Aizoaceae.     

江苏泗洪下草湾中中新世脊椎动物群——6.鸟纲

本文记述了近年来在江苏泗洪下草湾组中补采到的6种鸟类,其中包括天岗琵鹭 Platalea tiangangensis sp. nov.和松林庄古石鸡 Palaeoalectoris songlinensis gen. et sp. nov.,前者系琵鹭属迄今最早的记录,后者为雉科鹑族目前已知最早的成员.     

Postcranial adaptation and evolution in lorisidae

With the exception of leaping, lorises and galagos move in many similar ways although frequencies and styles differ. This peculiar locomotor distinction in two closely related subfamilies has profoundly altered their respective postcranial anatomies from their common ancestor. A comparison of postcranial adaptation in extant forms shows that lorises and galagos differ somewhat in forelimb mobility, but are more fundamentally disparate in hindlimb adaptation. Inferences concerning locomotor adaptation in the lorisid fossil record indicate a more generalized locomotor pattern which is more like that of extant cheirogaleids than either living galagos or lorises. Thus, vertical clinging and leaping in galagines and the slow-climbing and suspensory movements of lorisines appear to be evolutionarily recent innovations from a more generalized locomotor past.     

蜜蜂总科化石新种（昆虫纲：膜翅目）

本文记述了膜翅目熊蜂科、木蜂科和蜜蜂科3属3新种,其中熊蜂科熊蜂属1种:鲁熊蜂Bombus luianus sp. nov., 木蜂科木蜂属1种:硅藻木蜂Xylacopa diatoma sp. nov. 和蜜蜂科蜜蜂属1种:长胫蜜蜂Apis longitibia sp. nov.。所有模式标本均采自山东山旺中新统硅藻土页岩中,现保存在山东省博物馆。     

甘肃东乡几种早中新世哺乳动物化石

本文记述了在甘肃东乡椒子沟发现的几种早中新世哺乳动物化石:Gomphotherium sp、Dzungariotheriura orgosense、Rhinocerotidae gen. indet.和Paraentelodon macrognathus sp. nov.,着重讨论了全北区猪齿兽类的系统关系。根据化石的性质判断,东乡椒子沟化石点的地质时代应与欧洲Burdigalian早期,亦即MN_3相当或稍早。笔者将原定为上新世临夏组的第一、二岩性段划出,命名为椒子沟组,其时代为早中新世。     

山西忻州中新世鼠兔科化石

本文记述了山西忻州发现的跑兔属—新种.该种以个体较小, P~2 较简单,无前沟, M~2 后叶无后突, P_3 小,无前内沟与前外沟等特征与属型种 B. forsythmajori 相区别,命名为杨胡跑兔 B. yanghuensis sp. nov..新种在进化水平上较属型种稍原始,但两者显示出较近的系统关系.根据 B. yanghuensis sp. nov. 的进化水平,推断其地质时代可能为中中新世早期,约相当于欧洲 Orleanian 期.     

Dinocrocuta gigantea头骨的发现

本文记述了甘肃和政县晚中新世地层中发现的一个完整的巨鬣狗头骨;讨论了它的分类地位,修正了 Schlosser 1903年建种时的一些鉴定错误.巨鬣狗是鬣狗科中一个十分特化的成员,应代表一个独立的属.根据命名规则,我们采用 N. schmidt-Kittler 1976年所创的 Dinocrocuta. 因此,这个种应订正为 Dinocrocuta gigantea (schlosser, 1903).