A new species, Feirana kangxianensis sp. nov., is described from the western Qinling Mountains in Gansu, China. Both morphological and molecular data support its validity. The new species is characterized by： （1） p...A new species, Feirana kangxianensis sp. nov., is described from the western Qinling Mountains in Gansu, China. Both morphological and molecular data support its validity. The new species is characterized by： （1） presence of keratinized nuptial spines on the thenar region of the hands in males of the new species, in contrast to F. taihangnica and F. quadranus; （2） of females, the ratios of UEW, INS, NSD and IPTL to SVL ofF. kangxianensis were significantly less than those of F. taihangnica and F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）, while the ratio of IOS to SVL of the new species was significantly larger than that of the latter two species （P 〈 0.05）; and （3） of males, the ratios of INS, NSD, IPTW to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those ofF. taihangnica and F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）, while the ratio of HL to SVL of the former was significantly larger than that of the latter, and the ratio of HW to SVL ofF. kangxianensis was significantly larger than that of F. taihangnica but less than that of F. quadranus, the ratio of OPTL to SVL of F. kangxianensis was significantly less than that of F. taihangnica but larger than that of F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）. The three species of Feirana can be easily identified and significantly differ from each other by the canonical discriminant analyses with high correct classification （〉92%）. Concurrently, based on partial mitochondrial ND2 gene sequences, the result of the molecular phylogenetic analyses of the Feirana indicates that the F. kangxianensis is sister to F. taihangnica.展开更多
Selective pressures favor variation in organ size in response to environmental changes and evolutionary process. In particular, changes in environmental temperature and rainfall at different altitudes often affect foo...Selective pressures favor variation in organ size in response to environmental changes and evolutionary process. In particular, changes in environmental temperature and rainfall at different altitudes often affect food resources, thereby mediating energy intake and allocation. The digestive tract provided a functional relationship between energy intake and allocation, of which gut morphology was associated with diet changes and food quality under different environments. Here we studied altitudinal variation in the digestive tract across four Feirana quadranus populations and tested the hypothesis that relative size of digestive tract should increase with increasing altitude. The results showed that although significant variation in length of the digestive tract was observed in females among populations, altitudinal variation in relative length of digestive tract or gut was non-significant. In addition, the digestive tract length was not correlated with temperature and precipitation across the four populations. Our findings suggest that individuals living in low-temperature and-precipitation populations at high altitudes did not display longer digestive tract than high temperature and precipitation populations at low altitudes, possibly because of small populations or sample sizes.展开更多
The compensation hypothesis predicts that if the left testis is defective e.g.due to developmental stress,the increased right testis serves a compensatory role,and thereby displaying testes asymmetry which can be a re...The compensation hypothesis predicts that if the left testis is defective e.g.due to developmental stress,the increased right testis serves a compensatory role,and thereby displaying testes asymmetry which can be a reliable indicator of male body condition.Here,to test the prediction of the compensation hypothesis,we analyzed difference in size between left testis and right testis and the relationship between testes asymmetry and male body condition in the swelled vent frog(Feirana quadranus).We found that the left testis was larger than right testis,displaying a significant directional asymmetry in testes size.Although testes mass was correlated with body condition,testes asymmetry was not correlated with body condition,which cannot provide evidence that the right testis had a compensatory function.Our findings suggest no evidence for the compensation hypothesis in this species due to lacking the compensatory function in right testis.展开更多
Coexistence mechanisms for species with similar ecological traits and overlapping geographic distributions are basic questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. Specific habitat requirements often limit distributio...Coexistence mechanisms for species with similar ecological traits and overlapping geographic distributions are basic questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. Specific habitat requirements often limit distribution range as well as facilitate partitioning resource utilization in ecological similar species. Understanding niche segregation and differences in microhabitat utilization can contribute to identifying coexistence mechanisms between parapatric species. Feirana quadranus and F. taihangnica are two closely related frog species with parapatric geographic ranges and an elongated contact zone within the Qinling Mountains, which is an important watershed for East Asia. Here, we analysed the difference in microhabitat utilization between the two frog species and explored the key ecological factors that induced their microhabitat differentiation based on quadrats sampled in the contact zone. Our comparison of twenty environmental variables showed that both species used microhabitats with alkalescent warm water and gentle slope conditions. The principal component analysis indicated that climate-related variables, vegetation conditions, and river width were the important factors for microhabitat utilization of these species. These findings contribute to our understanding on the coexistence mechanisms of these two related and parapatric Asian mountain frog species. This study can also be helpful for identifying target habitats to conduct conservation actions and management strategies effectively in the face of environmental changes.展开更多
Understanding how ecological processes affect phenotypic evolution has been and continues to be an important goal of ecology and evolutionary biology. Interspecific competition for resources can be a selective force d...Understanding how ecological processes affect phenotypic evolution has been and continues to be an important goal of ecology and evolutionary biology. Interspecific competition for resources can be a selective force driving phenotypic differentiation that reduces competition among sympatric species (character divergence), enabling closely-related species to coexist. However, although patterns of character divergence are well documented in both empirical and theoretical researches, how local adaptation to abiotic environment affects trait evolution in the face of interspecific competition is less known. Here, we investigate how patterns in morphological traits of 2 parapatric frog species, Feirana quadranus and F. taihangnica, vary among allopatric and sympatric regions using range-wide data derived from extensive field surveys. Feirana quadranus was overall larger than F. taihangnica in body size (i.e., snout-vent length [SVL]), and the difference between SVL of both species in sympatry was larger than that in allopatry. From allopatry to sympatry, the 2 species diverged in foot and hand traits, but converged in eye size and interorbital span, even when we controlled for the effects of geographic gradients. Sympatric divergence in SVL, hand and foot traits is likely acting as a case of evolutionary shift caused by interspecific competition. In contrast, sympatric convergence of eye-related traits may derive at least partly from adaptation to local environments. These results imply the relative roles of interspecific competition and local adaptation in shaping phenotypic diversification. Our findings illustrate how traits evolve in parapatric species pair due to sympatric divergent and convergent evolution. It thus provides insights into understanding underlying evolutionary processes of parapatric species, that is, competition and local adaptation.展开更多
采用急性和亚急性暴露方法,用离子液体溴化1-辛基-3-甲基咪唑对太行隆肛蛙(Feirana taihangni-cus)蝌蚪进行染毒,通过微核实验检测离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪红细胞微核与核异常的诱导率.实验结果发现,离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪的24 h L...采用急性和亚急性暴露方法,用离子液体溴化1-辛基-3-甲基咪唑对太行隆肛蛙(Feirana taihangni-cus)蝌蚪进行染毒,通过微核实验检测离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪红细胞微核与核异常的诱导率.实验结果发现,离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪的24 h LC50为82.1 mg.L-1,表明该离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪具有生物毒性.实验结果还发现,离子液体的亚急性暴露可明显诱导太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪红细胞产生微核并导致核异常.该实验结果说明,离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪可能具有遗传毒性.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(NSFC–31071906,30730029)granted to Jianping JIANGthe Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization of CIB,CAS,the Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province,and the Knowledge Innovation Program of CAS(Y1C2021200,Y1B3021,KSCX2-EW-J-22)
文摘A new species, Feirana kangxianensis sp. nov., is described from the western Qinling Mountains in Gansu, China. Both morphological and molecular data support its validity. The new species is characterized by： （1） presence of keratinized nuptial spines on the thenar region of the hands in males of the new species, in contrast to F. taihangnica and F. quadranus; （2） of females, the ratios of UEW, INS, NSD and IPTL to SVL ofF. kangxianensis were significantly less than those of F. taihangnica and F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）, while the ratio of IOS to SVL of the new species was significantly larger than that of the latter two species （P 〈 0.05）; and （3） of males, the ratios of INS, NSD, IPTW to SVL of the new species were significantly less than those ofF. taihangnica and F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）, while the ratio of HL to SVL of the former was significantly larger than that of the latter, and the ratio of HW to SVL ofF. kangxianensis was significantly larger than that of F. taihangnica but less than that of F. quadranus, the ratio of OPTL to SVL of F. kangxianensis was significantly less than that of F. taihangnica but larger than that of F. quadranus （P 〈 0.05）. The three species of Feirana can be easily identified and significantly differ from each other by the canonical discriminant analyses with high correct classification （〉92%）. Concurrently, based on partial mitochondrial ND2 gene sequences, the result of the molecular phylogenetic analyses of the Feirana indicates that the F. kangxianensis is sister to F. taihangnica.
基金Financial support was provided by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (31772451)the Key Cultivation Foundation of China West Normal University (17A006)+1 种基金Talent Project of China West Normal University (17YC335)the Science and Technology Youth Innovation Team of Sichuan Province (19CXTD0022)
文摘Selective pressures favor variation in organ size in response to environmental changes and evolutionary process. In particular, changes in environmental temperature and rainfall at different altitudes often affect food resources, thereby mediating energy intake and allocation. The digestive tract provided a functional relationship between energy intake and allocation, of which gut morphology was associated with diet changes and food quality under different environments. Here we studied altitudinal variation in the digestive tract across four Feirana quadranus populations and tested the hypothesis that relative size of digestive tract should increase with increasing altitude. The results showed that although significant variation in length of the digestive tract was observed in females among populations, altitudinal variation in relative length of digestive tract or gut was non-significant. In addition, the digestive tract length was not correlated with temperature and precipitation across the four populations. Our findings suggest that individuals living in low-temperature and-precipitation populations at high altitudes did not display longer digestive tract than high temperature and precipitation populations at low altitudes, possibly because of small populations or sample sizes.
基金the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(31471996,31772451,31970393)the Key Cultivation Foundation of China West Normal University(17A006)+1 种基金the Science and Technology Youth Innovation Team of Sichuan Province(19CXTD0022)Talent Project of China West Normal University(17YC335)to provide for financial support。
文摘The compensation hypothesis predicts that if the left testis is defective e.g.due to developmental stress,the increased right testis serves a compensatory role,and thereby displaying testes asymmetry which can be a reliable indicator of male body condition.Here,to test the prediction of the compensation hypothesis,we analyzed difference in size between left testis and right testis and the relationship between testes asymmetry and male body condition in the swelled vent frog(Feirana quadranus).We found that the left testis was larger than right testis,displaying a significant directional asymmetry in testes size.Although testes mass was correlated with body condition,testes asymmetry was not correlated with body condition,which cannot provide evidence that the right testis had a compensatory function.Our findings suggest no evidence for the compensation hypothesis in this species due to lacking the compensatory function in right testis.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31572290, 31770568, and 31770427)Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS (2015304)+2 种基金National Key Research and Development Plan (2016YFC0503303)China Scholarship Council (No. 201706775008)the project from Qinghai Provincial Communication Department (31118022)
文摘Coexistence mechanisms for species with similar ecological traits and overlapping geographic distributions are basic questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. Specific habitat requirements often limit distribution range as well as facilitate partitioning resource utilization in ecological similar species. Understanding niche segregation and differences in microhabitat utilization can contribute to identifying coexistence mechanisms between parapatric species. Feirana quadranus and F. taihangnica are two closely related frog species with parapatric geographic ranges and an elongated contact zone within the Qinling Mountains, which is an important watershed for East Asia. Here, we analysed the difference in microhabitat utilization between the two frog species and explored the key ecological factors that induced their microhabitat differentiation based on quadrats sampled in the contact zone. Our comparison of twenty environmental variables showed that both species used microhabitats with alkalescent warm water and gentle slope conditions. The principal component analysis indicated that climate-related variables, vegetation conditions, and river width were the important factors for microhabitat utilization of these species. These findings contribute to our understanding on the coexistence mechanisms of these two related and parapatric Asian mountain frog species. This study can also be helpful for identifying target habitats to conduct conservation actions and management strategies effectively in the face of environmental changes.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31572290,31770568,and 31270568)National Key Research and Development Plan(2016YFC 0503303).The funding bodies had no role in the design of the study and collection,analysis,and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript.
文摘Understanding how ecological processes affect phenotypic evolution has been and continues to be an important goal of ecology and evolutionary biology. Interspecific competition for resources can be a selective force driving phenotypic differentiation that reduces competition among sympatric species (character divergence), enabling closely-related species to coexist. However, although patterns of character divergence are well documented in both empirical and theoretical researches, how local adaptation to abiotic environment affects trait evolution in the face of interspecific competition is less known. Here, we investigate how patterns in morphological traits of 2 parapatric frog species, Feirana quadranus and F. taihangnica, vary among allopatric and sympatric regions using range-wide data derived from extensive field surveys. Feirana quadranus was overall larger than F. taihangnica in body size (i.e., snout-vent length [SVL]), and the difference between SVL of both species in sympatry was larger than that in allopatry. From allopatry to sympatry, the 2 species diverged in foot and hand traits, but converged in eye size and interorbital span, even when we controlled for the effects of geographic gradients. Sympatric divergence in SVL, hand and foot traits is likely acting as a case of evolutionary shift caused by interspecific competition. In contrast, sympatric convergence of eye-related traits may derive at least partly from adaptation to local environments. These results imply the relative roles of interspecific competition and local adaptation in shaping phenotypic diversification. Our findings illustrate how traits evolve in parapatric species pair due to sympatric divergent and convergent evolution. It thus provides insights into understanding underlying evolutionary processes of parapatric species, that is, competition and local adaptation.
文摘采用急性和亚急性暴露方法,用离子液体溴化1-辛基-3-甲基咪唑对太行隆肛蛙(Feirana taihangni-cus)蝌蚪进行染毒,通过微核实验检测离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪红细胞微核与核异常的诱导率.实验结果发现,离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪的24 h LC50为82.1 mg.L-1,表明该离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪具有生物毒性.实验结果还发现,离子液体的亚急性暴露可明显诱导太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪红细胞产生微核并导致核异常.该实验结果说明,离子液体对太行隆肛蛙蝌蚪可能具有遗传毒性.
