The validity of Pelodiscus parviformis within the genus is still not very clear. In this study, molecular and morphological data were combined to evaluate the validity of P. parviformis. The phylogeny of some species in Pelodiscus was reconstructed by maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses based on five mitochondria DNA fragments(5308 bp of 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, ND4, CO1 and Cyt b). The results of ML, MP and Bayesian analyses suggest that P. parviformis might be paraphyletic to P. sinensis, whereas the partitioned Bayesian analyses support the reciprocal monophyly of P. parviformis and P. sinensis. Considering the advantages of heterogenous characteristics of sequence evolution, we choose the result of partitioned Bayesian analyses. Furthermore, the morphological data lend support the distinct species status of P. parviformis and P. sinensis, such as tubercles on carapace skin, color of plastron skin, dark spots on plastron, basisphenoid characteristics(ratio of the smallest width to the largest width; the smallest width of basisphenoid is restrained by two holes on each side) and the shape of entoplastron. Combining the molecular and morphological data, we inferred that P. parviformis is a valid species. In addition, the results of this study suggest a new record of P. axenaria in Guangxi, China.
Ping YANGYezhong TANGLi DINGXianguang GUOYuezhao WANG
Results of the analysis of taxonomic diversity and representation of different evolutionary lineages of agamid lizards(Reptilia, Sauria, Agamidae) are provided in this article. For comparison with the fauna of China, the following territories were selected: North Eurasia, Iran and different countries of South and Southeast Asia. There are 49 agamid species in China, comprising 12 genera and 4 subfamilies. Annotated check-list and identification keys to genera are provided. Among the 49 species of agamids present in China, the percent of endemic species is relatively high(22 species; 45%). Endemic species refer to 4 genera with the genus Japalura having the most, 10 of 14 species, proceeded by members of Tibetan Plateau lineage of Phrynocephalus, 8 of 12 species, and Calotes with 1 species and Laudakia with 3.
In this study,we intended to construct an ethogram of the toad-headed lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii by classifying and describing its behaviors using the Posture-act-environment(PAE)method.Through direct field observation and video recording,we obtained eight postures,sixty-two acts and ten environments,and thus we formed an ethogram consisting of eighty-three behaviors encoded with PAE.A complete ethogram for a species could provide systematic behavioral information which helps to understand the connections among related behaviors and provides background information for specific behavioral study,hence the present ethogram will be greatly useful for future behavioral studies on P.vlangalii as well as other Phrynocephalus species.
Based on molecular phylogeny of the Chinese white cross-band krait, Bungarus multicinctus, several individuals from southwestern and southern China were found to be nested within putative species B. candidus(Linnaeus, 1758) with high support values. Morphological examination also indicated these specimens were identical to B. candidus. We concluded that the Chinese white cross-band krait, previously identified as B. multicinctus in southwest and south China, should be recognized as B. candidus, a new record in China, and B. m. wanghaoti should be invalid. B. multicinctus is recurrently limited to southern China within China.
