Recognition of Predator Type and Risk Level in Azure-Winged Magpies () Through Visual and Auditory Cues.

Predation events are an important key factor determining the survival and reproduction of prey species. To cope, prey species have evolved various anti-predator strategies, including mechanisms for accurate predator identification and distinguishing predator types and risk levels. Birds rely on visual, auditory, and olfactory cues to perceive and categorize predators.

Distribution pattern and driving factors of mite communities in karst cave ecosystems.

Mites are among the most abundant invertebrates in subsurface ecosystems, and their community assemblages and distributions are often significantly influenced by the diversity of habitat resources. The cave ecosystem encompasses drastic changes in nonbiological factors, such as changes in lighting conditions from bright to extraordinarily dark and habitat gradients of surface plant resources from abundant to scarce or even disappearing, providing an ideal unique environment for evaluating the assembly mechanism of soil animal communities. Nevertheless, there still needs to be a sufficient understanding of the biodiversity patterns and drivers of mite communities across environmental gradients in karst caves.

sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Melandryidae) from Guizhou, southwest China.

Background: The genus Nomura, 1959 (Coleoptera, Melandryidae) currently contains two species, (Hayashi & Katö, 1956) from Japan and Shaanxi, China (Konvička 2015) and Toyoshima, 2001 from North Vietnam. We discovered a new species of the genus from the Mountain Leigong of Guizhou Province, China.

New Information: A new species, , is described from Mountain Leigong, Leishan County, Guizhou Province of southwest China.

Global climate change-driven impacts on the Asian distribution of leafhoppers, with implications for biological and environmental conservation.

Knowing the impacts of global climate change on the habitat suitability distribution of leafhoppers contributes to understanding the feedback of organisms on climate change from a macroecological perspective, and provides important scientific basis for protecting the ecological environment and biodiversity. However, there is limited knowledge on this aspect. Thus, our study aimed to address this gap by analyzing Asian habitat suitability and centroid shifts of based on 19 bioclimatic variables and occurrence records.

Predicting the potential distribution change of the endangered Francois' langur () across its entire range in China under climate change.

The Francois' langur () is a rare primate species indicated as endangered and distributed in karst areas in northern Vietnam and southwestern China. However, research limited to specific nature reserves or sites has hampered holistic conservation management. A comprehensive map of the potential distribution for the Francois' langur is essential to advance conservation efforts and ensure coordinated management across regions.

Four new erythroneurine leafhopper species from karst areas in Southwestern China (Hemiptera, Cicadellidae, Typhlocybinae, Erythroneurini).

Four new erythroneurine leafhopper species, Wang & Song, , Wang & Song, , Wang & Song, , and Wang & Song, from karst areas in Southwestern China, are described and illustrated.

Determinants of taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic beta diversity in breeding birds within urban remnant woodlots: Implications for conservation.

Examining beta diversity of animal assemblages in fragmented habitats, which measures variation in species composition among different fragments, is important for understanding the impact of habitat fragmentation on biodiversity. However, relying solely on taxonomic composition may not provide a comprehensive understanding. Incorporating measures of functional and phylogenetic diversities is essential for elucidating the ecological mechanisms underlying changes in community composition.

Isolation and characterisation of 17 microsatellite DNA loci from RAD reduced-representation genomes for Asian warty newts, genus (Caudata: Salamandridae).

Asian warty newts, genus , are endemic to southern China and northern Vietnam. Despite the achievements in biodiversity, molecular systematics and biogeography of species in this genus, population genetic diversity studies are lacking due to the lack of economical and available genetic markers. In this study, we developed 17 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci from RAD simplified genomic data for the Asian warty newts, genus and successfully completed cross-species amplification tests on 20 samples of four species of .

Mitochondrial genome analysis, phylogeny and divergence time evaluation of (Aves, Strigiformes, Strigidae).

Background Prior research has shown that the European peninsulas were the main sources of colonisation of Northern Europe during the late glacial period. However, the phylogenetic relationship and the divergence time between from Leigong Mountain Nature Reserve, Guizhou Province, China and the Strigiformes from overseas remains unclear. The mitochondrial genome structure of birds is a covalent double-chain loop structure that is highly conserved and, thus, suitable for phylogenetic analysis.

sp. nov., a new species of jumping spiders (Araneae, Salticidae) from Guizhou Province, China.

Background: Simon, 1902 is a relatively large genus of jumping spider family Salticidae and currently contains 42 valid species that are mainly distributed in South East Asia, 11 of which are recorded from China.

New Information: A new spider species of the genus from Guiyang City in southwest China, is described under the name of Yang, Gu & Yu, sp. nov.

Analysis of winter diet in Guizhou golden monkey () using DNA metabarcoding data.

The Guizhou golden monkey () is a critically endangered wildlife species, and understanding its diet composition may be useful for assessing its feeding strategies. DNA metabarcoding was used to determine the dietary diversity of . DNA was extracted from 31 faecal samples and amplified chloroplast and mitochondrial DNA was sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq platform.

Integrated phylogenetic analyses reveal the evolutionary, biogeographic, and diversification history of Asian warty treefrog genus (Anura, Rhacophoridae).

Asian warty treefrogs, genus , are morphologically variable arboreal frogs endemic to Southeast Asia and Southern China. However, integrated systematic studies are lacking, and knowledge of the genus in terms of diversity, origin, and historical diversification remains limited. To address these knowledge gaps, we used three mitochondrial and five nuclear gene fragments to reconstruct the phylogeny, estimate divergence times, and examine the biogeography of the genus.

Why cuckoos remove host eggs: Biting eggs facilitates faster parasitic egg-laying.

Brood parasitism by cuckoos relies on manipulating hosts to raise their offspring and has evolved stunning adaptations to aid in their deception. The fact that cuckoos usually but not always, remove one or two host eggs while laying their eggs has been a longstanding focus of intensive research. However, the benefit of this behavior remains elusive.

A new species of Simon, 1887 from Baiyan Cave in Guizhou Province, China (Araneae, Linyphiidae).

Zhou & Xu, (♂♀) is the first species in the genus to be described from Baiyan Cave in Guizhou Province, China. The new species is similar to Zhu, Chen & Sha, 1987 but differs in structural details of the genital organs, primarily by the presence of a well-developed retrolateral tibial apophysis, a hook-shaped distal end of the radix in the male palp, and the rectangular posterior median plate in the epigyne. The illustration of copulatory organs of (Clerck, 1757) and Zhu, Chen & Sha, 1987 were reproduced here for comparison.

Nectar robbing by bees affects the reproductive fitness of the distylous plant (Linaceae).

Nectar robbing can affect plant reproductive success directly by influencing female and male fitness, and indirectly by affecting pollinator behavior. Flowers have morphological and chemical features that may protect them from nectar robbers. Previous studies on nectar robbing have focused mainly on homotypic plants.

Effects of habitats in typical karst areas of Guizhou on ultrastructural morphology of Typhlocybinae.

Biology and the environment are inextricably linked. Insects are intricately linked to their habitats as part of the ecosystem. In this study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations showed two sensilla chaetica, several sensilla trichodea, and at least one sensilla basiconicum on the antennae of typhlocybine insects.

A new cave-dwelling spider of the genus (Araneae, Nesticidae) from Sichuan, China.

Background: Ballarin & Li, 2016 is a relatively small spider genus of the family Nesticidae, currently including five cave-dwelling species, distributed exclusively in East Asia, four of which are known from China.

New Information: A new troglobitic spider of the genus from the limestone Cave Hanwang Dong, north-eastern Sichuan, China, is described under the name of Yu & Lin, Detailed descriptions, photographs and a distribution map of the new species are provided.

A survey of Simon, 1875 (Araneae, Thomisidae) from Fanjing Mountain Nature Reserve, Guizhou, China.

Background: Simon, 1875 is a relatively large spider genus, currently includes 227 species distributed worldwide. Fanjing Mountain Nature Reserve is one of China's most biodiverse regions. However, can be regarded as being poorly represented in Fanjing Mountain, with only one species having been recorded so far: Yang & Yu, 2022.

Defense behavior of two closely related but geographically distant host species against cuckoo parasitism: A next test for the parallel coevolution.

Interactions between avian brood parasites, such as common cuckoos (), and their hosts are one of the best-studied examples of the coevolutionary arms race. Different stages of this arms race can be seen in different races of common cuckoos and their hosts across their range. However, little is known whether selected populations of two closely related but geographically distant species with probably different coevolutionary histories with the common cuckoo are also at different stages of the arms race.

Description of sp. n. (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae) from Guizhou, China.

Background: The genus Thomson, 1864 is an Asiatic genus. In China, (Pascoe, 1856) is the most common species and it is widely distributed in the southern part of the country. Two species, and Chiang, 1951, are distributed in Guizhou Province of China.

Development of short-target primers for species identification in biological studies of Carnivora.

Noninvasive genetic sampling greatly facilitates studies on the genetics, ecology, and conservation of threatened species. Species identification is often a prerequisite for noninvasive sampling-based biological studies. Due to the low quantity and quality of genomic DNA from noninvasive samples, high-performance short-target PCR primers are necessary for DNA barcoding applications.

Two new species of from China, with first description of the male of Zhong, Cao & Liu, 2017 (Araneae, Sparassidae).

Three species of spider genus Jäger, 1999 are reported from southern China. Two of them are described as new to science: Zhang, Yu & Zhong, and Zhang, Yu & Zhong, , both from Guizhou Province. The male of Zhong, Cao & Liu, 2017 is described for the first time based on new material from the type locality, Wuyishan National Nature Reserve, Fujian Province, China.