Review of the Gekko (Japonigekko) subpalmatus complex (Squamata, Sauria, Gekkonidae), with description of a new species from China

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4951 (2) ◽  
pp. 236-258
Author(s):  
ZHI-TONG LYU ◽  
CHAO-YU LIN ◽  
JIN-LONG REN ◽  
KE JIANG ◽  
YIN-PENG ZHANG ◽  
...  

The gecko species Gekko (Japonigekko) subpalmatus was previously recorded with a relatively wide distribution from eastern, southern, and southeastern China. However, the populations in southern China are currently recognized as another valid species G. (J.) melli. In this study, we conduct a detailed morphological examination and phylogenetic analysis of the populations currently treated as G. (J.) subpalmatus or G. (J.) melli, which are collectively designated as the G. (J.) subpalmatus complex. Our results reveal that the G. (J.) subpalmatus complex comprises three evolutionarily independent taxa. The populations from Zhejiang, eastern China are G. (J.) subpalmatus, those from southern China are G. (J.) melli, while those from the Sichuan Basin, southwestern China represent a cryptic species, Gekko (Japonigekko) cib sp. nov.. Gekko (Japonigekko) cib sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners, by its divergence from other complex members in the CYTB and 16S genes, and a combination of morphological characteristics, especially in hemipenial morphology. Historic records of G. (J.) subpalmatus complex are also reviewed. 

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (18) ◽  
pp. 7033-7052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Zhang ◽  
Haoming Chen ◽  
Rucong Yu

Abstract This paper evaluates the simulations of stratus clouds over eastern China (EC) in the Community Atmosphere Model, version 5 (CAM5), with an emphasis on the impact of changing horizontal resolutions on the performance. CAM5 in all experiments generally satisfactorily simulates the cloud radiative features over EC, including the spatial distributions of the continental shortwave cloud radiative forcing (SWCF) and stratus regimes, the responses of SWCF to the dynamic and thermodynamic ambient environment, and several relations in the environmental fields that are favorable to the stratus formation. Meanwhile, all experiments suffer from similar biases. Models tend to underestimate the stratus amount because of a corresponding underestimate of stratus occurrence frequency, while the stratus amount when present (AWP) is generally higher than that in the observation. Models also simulate similar errors in the environmental fields. The differences between low- and high-resolution experiments are distinct. An increase of resolution enhances the SWCF in southern China, but the skill deteriorates in the Sichuan basin. Correspondingly, the stratus amount increases in southern China from low- to high-resolution experiments, mainly because of more stratus occurrences, which are found to be related to the better represented environmental fields in the high-resolution experiments, especially the dynamic component. Several relations in the ambient environment are also slightly improved in the high-resolution experiments. Meanwhile, the reason for the decrease of stratus AWP within the Sichuan basin, which is mainly responsible for the decreased stratus amounts and weaker SWCF from low- to high-resolution experiments, is also discussed.


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4344 (3) ◽  
pp. 465 ◽  
Author(s):  
BENJAMIN TAPLEY ◽  
TIMOTHY CUTAJAR ◽  
STEPHEN MAHONY ◽  
CHUNG THANH NGUYEN ◽  
VINH QUANG DAU ◽  
...  

The Asian frog genus Megophrys is a diverse group of morphologically conserved, forest-dwelling frogs. The genus harbours highly localised species diversification and new species continue to be described on a regular basis. We examined the taxonomic status of a population of Megophrys frogs from the Hoang Lien Range in northern Vietnam and southern China previously identified as M. kuatunensis (subgenus Panophrys). Preliminary phylogenetic analyses using a fragment of 16S rDNA places the species in question within the Megophrys (subgenus Panophrys) species group, a primarily Chinese radiation within the genus. On the basis of morphological, molecular and bioacoustic data, we conclude that this population does not represent M. kuatunensis, or any known species in the genus. We herein describe this species of Megophrys as new. Known only from Sa Pa District, Lao Cai Province in Vietnam and Jinping County, Yunnan Province in China, the new species is likely to be threatened by ongoing deforestation in the region. We provide an updated species description of M. kuatunensis based on type specimens, and suggest that M. kuatunensis is likely to be restricted to eastern China.  


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (9) ◽  
pp. 5791-5803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue Qiao ◽  
Hao Guo ◽  
Ya Tang ◽  
Pengfei Wang ◽  
Wenye Deng ◽  
...  

Abstract. The Sichuan Basin (SCB) is one of the regions suffering from severe air pollution in China, but fewer studies have been conducted for this region than for the more developed regions in eastern and northern China. In this study, a source-oriented version of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was used to quantify contributions from nine regions to PM2.5 (i.e., particulate matter, PM, with an aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm) and its components in the 18 cities within the SCB in the winter (December  2014 to February 2015) and summer (June to August 2015). In the winter, citywide average PM2.5 concentrations are 45–126 µg m−3, with 21 %–51 % and 39 %–66 % being due to local and nonlocal emissions, respectively. In the summer, 15 %–45 % and 25 %–52 % of citywide average PM2.5 (14–31 µg m−3) are due to local and nonlocal emissions, respectively. Compared to primary PM (PPM), the inter-region transport of secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA), including ammonia, nitrate, and sulfate ions (NH4+, NO3-, and SO42-, respectively), and their gas-phase precursors are greater. The region to the east of SCB (R7, including central and eastern China and others) is the largest contributor outside the SCB, and it can contribute approximately 80 % of PM2.5 in the eastern, northeastern, and southeastern rims of the SCB but only 10 % in other SCB regions in both seasons. Under favorable transport conditions, regional transport of air pollutants from R7 could account for up to 35–100 µg m−3 of PM2.5 in each of the SCB cities in the winter. This study demonstrates that it is important to have joint emission control efforts among cities within the SCB and regions to the east in order to reduce PM2.5 concentrations and prevent high PM2.5 days for the entire basin.


Zootaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4205 (6) ◽  
pp. 549 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZHIYONG YUAN ◽  
YUNKE WU ◽  
JIAJUN ZHOU ◽  
JING CHE

New amphibian species have been constantly discovered throughout southern China, including from areas close to heavily populated cities that remain poorly surveyed for amphibian diversity. We describe a new species of the newt genus Paramesotriton from Fujian, a developed province on the southeastern coast of mainland China. The mitochondrial genealogy suggests that the new species is the sister taxon to Paramesotriton hongkongensis, separated by an uncorrected pairwise distances of 5.8% at the ND2 gene fragment analyzed. In addition to the genetic divergence, the new species can be readily differentiated from its congeners by having: a very rough skin; a continuous, orange, vertebral ridge; few warts on each side of the vertebral ridge; numerous small irregular orange-red or yellow spots on the chin, venter, underside of axillae, flanks, lateral side of the tail, base of limbs and cloaca; a small groove at the base of the vomerine tooth series; relatively long tail, relatively flat cloaca in females; normally developed eyes, and the absence of vestigial gills and gill filaments in adults. 


2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 2443-2460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudi Xia ◽  
Da-Lin Zhang ◽  
Bailin Wang

AbstractThe cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning climatology and its relationship to rainfall over central and eastern China is examined, using data from 32 million CG lightning flashes and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission measurements during a 6-yr period covering 2008–13. Results show substantial spatial and temporal variations of flash density across China. Flash counts are the highest (lowest) in summer (winter) with the lowest (highest) proportion of positive flashes. CG lightning over northern China is more active only in summer, whereas in winter CG lightning is more active only in the Yangtze River basin. The highest CG lightning densities, exceeding 9 flashes per kilometer squared per year and more than 70 CG lightning days per year, are found in the northern Pearl River delta region, followed by the Sichuan basin, the Yangtze River delta, and the southeastern coast of China in that order. Lower-flash-density days occur over mountainous regions as a result of the development of short-lived afternoon storms, while higher-flash-density days, typically associated with nocturnal thunderstorms, appear over the north China plain and Sichuan basin. The highest number of CG lightning flashes is found in August whereas monthly convective rainfall peaks in May or July. Flash rates during the warm season are typically maximized in the afternoon hours in coincidence with a convective rainfall peak except for the Sichuan basin and its surrounding mountainous areas where a single late-night convective rainfall peak dominates. Much less lightning activity corresponds to a late-night to morning rainfall peak over the plains in eastern China because of the increased proportion of stratiform rainfall during that period.


ZooKeys ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1059 ◽  
pp. 35-56
Author(s):  
Zhi-Tong Lyu ◽  
Zhong Huang ◽  
Xiao-Wen Liao ◽  
Li Lin ◽  
Yong Huang ◽  
...  

Nidirana guangxiensissp. nov., a new music frog species, is proposed, based on a series of specimens collected from Mt Daming, Guangxi, southern China. The new species is close to N. yeae, N. daunchina, N. yaoica, and N. chapaensis from southwestern and south-central China and northern Indochina, while the relationships among these species remain unresolved. Nidirana guangxiensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all known congeners by the genetic divergences in the mitochondrial 16S and COI genes, the behavior of nest construction, the advertisement call containing 6–11 rapidly repeated regular notes, and a combination of morphological characteristics. Furthermore, the Nidirana populations recorded in Guangxi are clarified in this work, providing valuable new information on the knowledge of the genus Nidirana.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4664 (3) ◽  
pp. 445-450
Author(s):  
ANTON V. VOLYNKIN ◽  
SI-YAO HUANG ◽  
VLADIMIR V. DUBATOLOV ◽  
YASUNORI KISHIDA

Barsine Walker, 1854 is a large genus of lichen moths (family Erebidae, subfamily Arctiinae, tribe Lithosiini) including about a hundred of valid species and widespread in Oriental tropics, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea and the southern part of the Russian Far East. During the studies of Lithosiini materials recently collected in the Chinese Province of Guangdong, we found one more, yet undescribed Barsine species. It is related to the recently described B. cacharensis Singh & Kirti, 2016 by the male and female genitalia structure, but externally it is more similar to B. defecta Walker, 1854 and B. gratissima (de Joannis, 1930). The species is described below as new. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4623 (2) ◽  
pp. 396-400
Author(s):  
ANTON V. VOLYNKIN ◽  
AIDAS SALDAITIS

The arctiine genus Alphaea Walker, 1855 is distributed in North and North East India, Nepal, southern China and northern Indochina. The genus was recently reviewed by Dubatolov & Kishida (2005). It is subdivided into three subgenera, Alphaea, Flavalphaea Dubatolov & Kishida, 2005 and Nayaca Moore, 1979 and includes 10 valid species. During a lepidopterological expedition to the north-western part of China’s Yunnan Province in May of 2018, an undetermined species of Alphaea was collected. The Chinese specimens have the wing pattern very similar to that of A. (Flavalphaea) khasiana (Rothschild, 1910), but red and black abdomen (that is orange and black in A. khasiana). 


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4247 (4) ◽  
pp. 391 ◽  
Author(s):  
YING-YONG WANG ◽  
QIANG GUO ◽  
ZU-YAO LIU ◽  
ZHI-TONG LYU ◽  
JIAN WANG ◽  
...  

The previous descriptions of Opisthotropis maxwelli Boulenger, 1914 and O. andersonii (Boulenger, 1888) were considered imperfect due to the limited number of specimens. This may in turn cause a problem for accurate species identification. In our study, the species boundaries of these two species were investigated using an integrative approach incorporating morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial Cyt b gene of 26 specimens of nine known Opisthotropis species collected from south-eastern China. Our results surprisingly revealed a new cryptic species, Opisthotropis shenzhenensis sp. nov., from Shenzhen and Dongguan, Guangdong Province, southern China. Further, we re-described O. maxwelli based on several specimens from Fujian and Guangdong, and O. andersonii based on a series of specimens from Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, China. We provide an updated identification key to all described Opisthotropis species from China. 


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