Zoological Research

213-214

Authors: Shu-Qiang Li, Rui-Chang Quan

Taxonomy is the cornerstone of biodiversity conservation-SEABRI reports on biological surveys in Southeast Asia

243-250

Authors: Chatmongkon Suwannapoom, Zhi-Yong Yuan, Ke Jiang, Fang Yan, Wei Gao, Jing Che

We describe a new species, Fejervarya muangkanensis sp. nov., based on a series of specimens collected from Ban Tha Khanun, Thong Pha Phum District, Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand. The new species is easily distinguished from its congeners by morphological and molecular data, and can be diagnosed by the following characters: (1) small size (adult male snout-vent length (SVL) 33.5 mm; female SVL 40.0-40.9 mm); (2) tympanum small, discernible but unclear; (3) poorly developed toe webbing; (4) no lateral line system in adults; (5) characteristic "Fejervaryan" lines present in females; and (6) femoral glands absent. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial 16S rRNA further supports it as a distinct lineage and distinguishes it from its congeners for which sequences are available.

264-280

Authors: Ming-Xia Zhang, Myint Kyaw, Guo-Gang Li, Jiang-Bo Zhao, Xiang-Le Zeng, Kyaw Swa, Rui-Chang Quan

We conducted four bird biodiversity surveys in the Putao area of northern Myanmar from 2015 to 2017. Combined with anecdotal information collected between 2012 and 2015, we recorded 319 bird species, including two species (Arborophila mandellii and Lanius sphenocercus) previously unrecorded in Myanmar. Bulbuls (Pycnonotidae), babblers (Timaliidae), pigeons and doves (Columbidae), and pheasants and partridges (Phasianidae) were the most abundant groups of birds recorded. Species richness below 1 500 m a. s. l. was higher than species richness at higher elevations. Our results suggest that the current protected areas in this region should be expanded to lower elevations to cover critical conservation gaps.

291-299

Authors: Xiao-Yong Chen, William J. Poly, David Catania, Wan-Sheng Jiang

A new species of the sisorid catfish genus Exostoma Blyth, 1860 was collected from two hill-stream tributaries of the Nujiang (Salween River) drainage in Gaoligong Mountain, south-western Yunnan Province, China from 2003 to 2006 and from two tributaries of the Salween River in Cangyuan County, Lingcang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China (in 2007) and in Yongde County, Lingcang Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China (in 2015). Exostoma gaoligongense sp. nov. is the 10th species of the genus and is most similar to E. vinciguerrae in morphology but can be distinguished by pelvic fin reaching anus vs. not reaching; maxillary barbels just reaching or slightly surpassing pectoral-fin origin vs. surpassing pectoral-fin origin or even reaching posterior end of gill membrane; abdominal vertebrae 23-25 vs. 25-27; length of dorsal fin/dorsal to adipose distance 90.3%-287.0% vs. 59.2-85.7. A key to Exostoma spp. is provided.

310-316

Authors: Guo-Gang Li, Ming-Xia Zhang, Kyaw Swa, Kyaw-Win Maung, Rui-Chang Quan

The leaf muntjac (Muntiacus putaoensis) is an endemic deer species found in the east trans-Himalayan region. In recent years, population numbers have decreased due to heavy hunting and habitat loss, and little genetic data exists for this species, thus our knowledge of distribution rangs and population sizes likewise remain limited. We obtained mtDNA genes and the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of M. putaoensis using PCR, followed by direct sequencing. The complete mitogenome sequence was determined as a circular 16 349 bp mitochondrial genome, containing 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and one control region, the gene composition and order of which were similar to most other vertebrates so far reported. Most mitochondrial genes, except for ND6 and eight tRNAs, were encoded on the heavy strand. The overall base composition of the heavy strand was 33.1% A, 29.3% T, 24.2% C, and 13.4% G, with a strong AT bias of 62.4%. There were seven regions of gene overlap totaling 95 bp and 11 intergenic spacer regions totaling 74 bp. Phylogenetic analyses (ML and BI) among the Muntiacus genus based on the sequenced of mitogenome and ND4L-ND4 supported M. putaoensis as a member of Muntiacus, most closely related to M. vuquangensis. However, when analyses based on cyt b included two more muntjacs, M. truongsonensis was most closely related to M. putaoensis rather than M. vuquangensis, and together with M. rooseveltorum, likely forming a M. rooseveltorum complex of the species. This study will help in the exploration of the evolutionary history and taxonomic status of the leaf muntjac, as well as its protection as a genetic resource.