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30 May 2026, Volume 46 Issue 3

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ORIGINAL PAPERS

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A taxonomic and phylogenetic study of the genus Rhizomys (Rodentia: Spalacidae) in China

TANG Mingkun, WANG Xuming, LIU Yingxun, LIAO Rui, PENG Buqing, WANG Xin, LIU Shaoying

2026, 46(3):  307-319.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151126

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Species of the family Spalacidae are exclusively subterranean, possessing a suite of phenotypic traits adapted to life in underground burrows, making them an important group for studying adaptive evolution. The genus Rhizomys represents a basal lineage within this family. While recent years have witnessed significant progress in molecular sequencing and adaptive evolution research on this genus, morphological comparisons and phylogenetic relationships among its constituent species and subspecies remain poorly understood due to limited availability of newly acquired specimens, and diagnostic characters still need to be clearly defined. Based on newly collected specimens and museum collections from China, we performed a systematic taxonomic study using morphological and molecular phylogenetic approaches. Our results demonstrate that Rhizomys pruinosus, R. sinensis, and R. sumatrensis can be distinguished by their long dorsal guard hairs with white tips, cheek coloration, and the ratio of tail length to head-body length (mean values: 42.3%, 27.9%, and 34.5%, respectively). The subspecies R. sinensis vestitus is significantly larger than R. s. davidi； it has a greatest skull length exceeding 70 mm, longer pinkish-brown tips on the dorsal fur, and greyish-white cheeks. In contrast, R. s. davidi has a greatest skull length less than 70 mm, greyish-brown dorsal fur with noticeably shorter brown tips. Rhizomys pruinosus senex can be distinguished from R. p. latouchei by its robust teeth and sparser dorsal long guard hairs with a shorter white tip section. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on the cytochrome b gene revealed a closer relationship between R. pruinosus and R. sumatrensis, with R. sinensis representing an early-diverging lineage within the genus. Interspecific genetic distances ranged from 9.3% to 15.9%. At the intraspecific level, the genetic distance was 2.3% between the subspecies R. s. vestitus and R. s. davidi, and 0.4% between R. p. senex and R. p. latouchei, indicating varying degrees of differentiation among subspecies. This study provides foundational data for the systematics of the genus Rhizomys; However, a definitive taxonomic assessment of ^{R. wardi} still awaits more comprehensive sampling.

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Two new species of Myotis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from southwestern China

QIAN Yishun, MOU Xin, LUO Bin, LI Xiaoping, LUO Yunli, LI Song

2026, 46(3):  320-336.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151123

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The genus Myotis is one of the most widely distributed genera of terrestrial vertebrates. It includes 140 recognized species worldwide, 29 of which are recorded in China. Ongoing taxonomic research continues to uncover new species within this group. In this study, we employed classical taxonomic approaches, including comparisons of external morphology and cranial characteristics, complemented by molecular biological methods to analyze bats collected from Shuangbai (n = 9) and Yongde (n = 2) in Yunnan Province. The results show that these specimens belong to Myotis, but do not belong to any of the existing Myotis species that have been described, and have reached the genetic distance of species-level differentiation. Therefore, we describe them as two new species: Myotis shuangbaiensis Li & Qian, sp. nov. and Myotis yongdensis Li & Qian, sp. nov. The diagnostic features of Myotis shuangbaiensis include dorsal fur with black bases and light brown tips, and ventral fur with black bases and grayish-white tips. The plagiopatagium attaches to the base of the first toe on the hindfoot. The upper inner incisor (I²) and upper outer incisor (I³) are similar in size. The crown height of the second lower premolar (P₂) is less than half that of the lower canine. Both the basal area and crown height of the third lower premolar (P₃) are approximately two-thirds those of the second lower premolar (P₂). The diagnostic features of Myotis yongdensis include dark reddish-brown dorsal fur, and ventral fur with brownish-black bases and grayish-white tips. The ventral side of the interfemoral membrane is covered with moderately dense short fur. The plagiopatagium attaches to the base of the metatarsus of the hindfoot. The tragus has a rounded tip. The crown height of the third upper premolar (P³) is approximately half that of the second upper premolar (P²). These findings reveal significant persistent knowledge gaps in Myotis taxonomy and enhance the understanding of biodiversity richness in Southwestern China.

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Metagenomic analysis of intestinal virome in Marmota himalayana in eastern Qinghai's agricultural area

MA Ying, WEI Youwen, JIANG Feng, ZHANG Aiping, GAO Hongmei, LI Jide, WANG Wenlong, ZHANG Penghui, LI Lingwen, GU Xinyue, ZHANG Tongzuo

2026, 46(3):  337-348.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151032

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In recent years, zoonotic diseases have triggered several large-scale outbreaks of infectious diseases, highlighting the critical importance of prevention, detection, and diagnosis of zoonotic infections. The agricultural areas of Qinghai are primarily concentrated in the eastern part of the province, where the habitat of Marmota himalayana partially overlaps with human activity areas. This study employed metagenomic sequencing technology to analyze and compare the composition and diversity of intestinal viruses, and their hosts in Marmota himalayana from six regions in eastern Qinghai's agricultural areas. The results of the study revealed that the predominant viral families were Caudovirales, Fictiviricetes, and Monodnaviria, with viruses at the order level mainly classified into Microvirales and Circovirales. At the family level, the major viral families were Microviridae and Viphaviridae. Most of the annotated viral genes were associated with protein families involved in genetic information processing, signaling, cellular processes, as well as replication and repair functions. Host prediction predominantly identified Escherichia coli from the Enterobacteriaceae family and Brevibacillus laterosporus from the Bacillaceae family as the main hosts. This study reveals the diversity and regional differences of the virome in Marmota himalayana from the eastern agricultural region of Qinghai, suggesting that certain viral families may exhibit geographic limitations and host specificity, providing a crucial foundation for future viral surveillance and pathogenicity research.

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Study on genetic diversity and population size of wild camels in Annanba Reserve, Gansu Province

WU Hao, LIANG Ying, HU Fatao, FU Haili, XU Wucheng, YU Peng

2026, 46(3):  349-357.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151091

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The Annanba Wild Camel National Nature Reserve in Gansu Province is an important habitat for wild camels (Camelus ferus) in China. It is also one of the important areas for the reproduction of wild camels. Due to reasons such as scarcity and living habits, the genetic diversity and population size of wild camels in the Annanba Reserve remain unclear. In this study, 254 samples of fresh feces of wild camels were collected from the Annanba Reserve in 2023-2024. Species identification was performed by morphological observation and mitochondrial Cyt b gene. Six pairs of highly polymorphic microsatellite primers were selected for genetic diversity analysis. The wild camel population was estimated by Capwire using noninvasive marker recapture method. The results showed that the observed heterozygosity of the six microsatellite loci ranged from 0.402 to 0.962, with an average of 0.795; the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.444 to 0.901, with an average of 0.772. 123 different wild camels were identified in this study, 83 were female and 40 were male. The low number of males may be related to sampling caused by adult outliers. The number of wild camels was estimated to be 275 based on the TRIM model, with a 95% confidence interval of 271 to 282. In conclusion, the wild camel population in the Annanba Reserve has a moderate level of genetic diversity and a relatively low degree of inbreeding, which is conducive to the recovery of the population size. There are approximately 275 wild camels distributed in the reserve, which can provide important basis for the protection of the wild camel population and the high-quality construction of the reserve.

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Spatiotemporal niche differentiation of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys and wild boars in Baihe National Nature Reserve

FEI Hanlan, YANG Jianli, LIU Xingyu, LI Lingjing, Zheng Tingting, Li Dayong

2026, 46(3):  358-378.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151121

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Spatiotemporal niche differentiation plays a crucial role in shaping resource utilization and survival strategies of endangered species coexisting with sympatric species. To explore these patterns between golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) in the Baihe National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, we conducted continuous monitoring using 80 infrared camera traps arranged in a 500 m × 500 m grid from June 2022 to May 2023. Over the monitoring period, a total of 25 818 effective camera trap days were recorded, yielding 544 independent and valid photographic detections of Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkeys and 770 detections of wild boars. Our results revealed a high degree of temporal overlap in daily activity (Δ₄ ≥ 0.724), yet significant differences in activity patterns were observed across spring, autumn, and winter (P ≤ 0.011). Seasonal activity intensity on the ground varied markedly: wild boars were more active during summer (16.3% vs. 5.7%, P < 0.001), whereas monkeys exhibited higher activity in winter (20.5% vs. 29.2%, P = 0.001). Spatially, their 95% kernel density ranges showed extensive overlap, nearly encompassing the wild boar's distribution (≥ 88.9%), but overlap within the 50% core areas decreased significantly, reaching the lowest level in winter (23.8%). Golden snub-nosed monkeys generally occupied higher elevations compared to wild boars, except during summer (P < 0.001). Multi-species occupancy models indicated consistently low probabilities of wild boar-exclusive occupancy (≤ 16.44%), higher probabilities of monkey-exclusive occupancy (≥ 26.60%), and substantial co-occupancy across all seasons (≥ 40.85%). The probabilities of wild boar exclusivity and co-occurrence exhibited seasonal variation, influenced by factors such as distance to settlements, elevation, and slope. Collectively, these findings highlight distinct spatiotemporal niche partitioning between golden snub-nosed monkeys and wild boars, which may mitigate interspecific competition and provide critical insights for the conservation management of endangered species in sympatric systems.

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Changes in potential suitable habitat distribution of Cervus elaphus wallichii affected by short-term local highway construction projects

LI Qinfang, WEI Kaili, ZHANG Minghai, Suolangjiancan, ZHOU Liangjun, LIANG Xiaoping, WANG Lin, WANG Binying, YIN Changxiao, ZHANG Weiqi

2026, 46(3):  379-389.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151031

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The construction of roads around towns and villages lies in the mutual infiltration between urban and natural complex systems, often impacting the distribution of wild animals. This study employed the optimized maximum entropy model to predict the potential suitable habitat distribution of Tibetan red deer (Cervus elaphus wallichii) both before and after the construction of a new road in Zengqi Township, Sangri County, Shannan City, Xizang Autonomous Region, during the two lean seasons in 2021 and 2023. The findings reveal that road infrastructure and climate change are the primary environmental factors influencing the suitability of Tibetan red deer's habitat. Following the construction of the new road, the cumulative contribution rates of climate and road infrastructure reached 29. 5% and 47. 6%, respectively. The area with temperatures ranging between -7 ℃ and -9 ℃ to -11 ℃, an altitude of approximately 3 900 m, and proximity to rivers exhibits the highest probability of Tibetan red deer occurrence. The suitable habitats are primarily concentrated along the road to the north of Zengqi Township and in the nearby mountains. After the construction of the new road, the area of suitable habitats expanded by 0.83% compared to pre-construction. The center of suitable habitats shifted eastward overall, yet the potential suitable distribution area remained largely unchanged along the road, indicating no evident avoidance behavior by the Tibetan red deer population. This study demonstrates that short-term highway construction has not significantly impacted the suitable distribution area of Tibetan red deer in Zengqi Township; however, ongoing monitoring for long-term impacts is necessary.

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Species composition, abundance, and nutritional traits of the winter food plant foraged by tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus) in the Hubei Dalaoling National Nature Reserve, China

QI Yixuan, WANG Xiangjun, LI Jingjin, LIN Youxing, PENG Gangzhi, WANG Chuanhua

2026, 46(3):  390-403.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151050

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Winter food availability is critical to the maintenance of wildlife populations that are habituated to high elevations, including high meso-subtropical altitudinal zones. From November 2023 to March 2024, fecal microscopic analysis and field quadrat survey were utilized to analyze the dietary composition and nutritional characteristics of the tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus) during the wintering period. We found that, during the wintering period, the tufted deer fed on 16 plant species belonging to 13 families. Among them, Carex spp. (31. 78%), Tripterospermum discoideum (10.02%), Dryopteris atrata (8. 16%) and Viburnum erosum (8.14%) were identified as the principal forage species for the tufted deer during winter. In the altitudinal gradient range of 1 400-1 700 m, the total supply amount of food source plants for the tufted deer during the wintering period reached 11. 55 g/m². Moreover, the nutrient content was higher than in other altitude gradients, suggesting that this altitude band represents the most optimal foraging zone. In the oak forest, the total reserve of food source plants for the tufted deer during the wintering period amounted to 552. 92 t, and the unit area biomass was 10. 75 g/m², which was substantially higher compared to other forest types. This suggests that oak forest is the most suitable habitat for the tufted deer's residence and foraging activities. The feeding frequency of the tufted deer on food source plants during the wintering period was positively correlated with the contents of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber and crude ash in the plants (with correlation coefficients of 0.74, 0.56, 0.29 and 0.67, respectively), while demonstrating a negative correlation with the tannin content (R = -0.65). These findings can help to understand the feeding characteristics of the tufted deer in China. Our study provides crucial data for the evaluation of habitat quality and management of the tufted deer based on the composition of the food during the overwintering period， which also have important reference value in the field of Cetartiodactyla conservation.

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Investigation into the PAE ethogram, breeding behaviors and activity rhythm of cave-dwelling Hipposideros armiger

LI Jinmei, WU Tao, TANG Enze, LIAO Jinping, ZHANG Gefei, LIU Zhixiao

2026, 46(3):  404-419.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151061

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Karstic cave is a special ecosystem in which cave-dwelling bats play the role of ‘umbrella protection'. Hipposideros armiger is the dominant insectivorous bat in the Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture and the Wuling Mountain region. It plays an indispensable role in maintaining the balance of cave ecosystems. The goal of this study was to establish the behavioral ethogram and to explore ecological characteristics of breeding behaviors and daily activity rhythm of Hipposideros armiger. From April to September 2023, we selected the population of Hipposideros armiger in the Baihu Cave, Jishou City, Xiangxi Prefecture as the research object. Modern monitoring technology system was used to collect behavioral data for analysis. Based on the Posture-Act-Environment (PAE) coding system, the behavior of Hipposideros armiger could be classified into 10 basic types, covering 12 basic postures, 41 movements, 13 environments, and 51 behaviors. Among them, the breeding behaviors included birthing behavior, flight-teaching behavior, cub-licking behavior, cub-carrying behavior, and mother-seeking behavior, which only appeared from June to early August. In the time allocation of all kinds of behaviors, the proportion of resting behavior was always the largest, and the overall trend was first decreasing and then increasing. The proportion of resting behavior was the lowest in the first half of August (27.11%), but reached the highest in June (42.69%) and September (42.52%). Hipposideros armiger predominantly showed resting and breeding behaviors in the cave. Their patterns of cave entry and exit were characterized by two distinct scenarios: ‘remaining outside throughout the night' and ‘emerging at night and returning in the morning'. Over the course of the months and seasons, the time of bat entry into the cave in the early morning exhibited a gradual delay, shifting from 05: 00 in May to 06: 00 in September. Conversely, the time of bat exit from the cave in the evening showed a collective advancement, shifting from 19: 45 in May to 18: 25 in September. In conclusion, the activities of cave entry and exit in H. armiger display a notable monthly regularity, while also exhibiting a degree of plasticity.

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Behavioral characteristics of conflict-causing male Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province

XUE Yilin, DU Hairong, WANG Zheyu, YANG Enze, CHANG Zheng, XU Ganglin, ZHANG Minghai

2026, 46(3):  420-432.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151053

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Abstract：In recent years, as the Asian elephant population has continuously migrated and expanded from within nature reserves, human-elephant conflicts have become increasingly severe. The wildlife authorities in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, have taken proactive intervention measures by establishing dedicated temporary control zones to protect some male Asian elephants that have caused incidents. The aim is to correct the behavior of these elephants in the control zones and eventually release them back into the wild. From February to April 2024, the author used drones, DV video recorders, and single-lens reflex cameras to document the behavior spectrum and PAE coding system of seven male Asian elephants causing incidents in the control zone. This study identified and recorded a total of 9 postures, 59 actions, 11 environmental types, and 43 behaviors in 10 major categories for the seven male Asian elephants. A behavior spectrum and PAE coding system for these elephants were established. The study found that feeding, foraging, and resting behaviors showed highly significant differences and presented obvious diurnal behavioral rhythms. The overall absolute and relative behavioral diversity indices of adult male Asian elephants were higher than those of sub-adults. Temperature had a significant impact on the proportion of most behaviors of sub-adults. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for future research on the release of Asian elephants causing incidents into the natural environment and their behavioral ecology and protection management.

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A case of successful rescue and release of a stranded Chinese white dolphin

ZENG Qianhui, CHENG Lin, WANG Benming, CHI Tengfei, ZHANG Yuke, YONG Liming, WANG Xianyan

2026, 46(3):  433-443.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151033

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The Chinese white dolphin (also known as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin; Sousa chinensis) is a national firstclass protected marine mammal species in China, mainly distributed in estuaries and bays along China' southeast coast. On August 17, 2024, a Chinese white dolphin was found stranded alive on a mudflat of Shijing Town, Nan'an City, Fujian Province. Its health condition was assessed on site to be extremely poor; and it was then transferred to Quanzhou All-Love-Park Aquatic Wildlife Rescue Station. After 39 days of treatment, the dolphin fully recovered and was released into the wild on September 26, 2024. This is the first Chinese white dolphin in China to be rescued, recovered, and released into the wild after being live-stranded. This article provides a detailed description of the entire process of rescue, treatment, and release, to provide reference and guidance for future rescue and rehabilitation of live-stranded Chinese white dolphins and other small cetaceans.

SCIENTIFIC NOTES

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A new record of Hypsugo alaschanicus from Shaanxi and Jiangsu provinces in China

QIN Jiahao, HE Xiangyang, HUANG Zeshuang, ZHU Junyu, YAN Aoran, Shen Tiantian, ZHAO Huabin, ZHANG Libiao

2026, 46(3):  444-452.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151028

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In July 2013 and August 2024, four and nine Hypsugo bats were captured in Shaanxi and Jiangsu provinces, respectively. The morphological characteristics of these bats are small body size and forearm length of 33. 20-38. 00 mm. The coat is dense and thick. The abdominal hair is light brown, and the hair tip is lighter than the base. The back hair is slightly lighter than the abdominal hair, and the base hair is dark brown. The auricle is broad, and the tragus is narrow with well-defined basal lobe. The wing membranes have distinct pale borders. The tail tip extends beyond the margin of the uropatagium. Two specimens from each province were selected for skull measurement and molecular sequencing. The skull is small and slightly convex above the interorbital region. The greatest length of the skull ranges from 13.20 mm to 13.68 mm. The dental formula is 2. 1.2.3/3.1.2.3 = 34. At the molecular level, Cyt b and ^COI sequences of the four specimens were obtained through PCR. Phylogenetic trees were constructed by combining Hypsugo bats mitochondrial gene sequences available in public databases. The results show that these captured bats are well clustered and have a close genetic distance with Hypsugo alaschanicus. Based on morphological characteristics and molecular evidence, the above specimens were identified as H. alaschanicus. This study represents a new bat record in Shaanxi and Jiangsu provinces, China. The specimens are kept in the Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences.

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New bat record in Sichuan Province, China: Murina feae

HUANG Taihan, FU Xiaoxue, LI Jian, WANG Tao, LIU Hao, ZHANG Lian, JIANG Xiawei, LI Xue, LING Zhengwen, ZHANG Zejun, SHI Hongyan

2026, 46(3):  453-462.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151027

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Four small tube-nosed bats (3♂, 1♀) were collected from Qianfoshan National Nature Reserve and Laojunshan National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province during a bat survey conducted from September 2021 to July 2024. The forearm lengths of male and female individuals are (28.52 ± 0.14) mm (28.44-28.68 mm) (n = 3) and 30.43 mm, respectively. The hair base on the back of the body is dark brown, nearly black, with the tips transitioning from beige to dark taupe. The ventral hairs have a black base, with grayish-white tips. The braincase is uplifted, the nasal depression is pronounced, the zygomatic arches are developed, and the sagittal ridge and lambdoid ridge are indistinct. These characteristics are consistent with Murina feae, which was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of COI and Cyt b genes. The four new specimens of M. feae represent a new record of the species for Sichuan Province, China.

INFORMATION

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First camera-trap record of the golden jackal (Canis aureus) in Xinjiang, China

JIANG Xiaoheng, ZHU Linyin, ZHAI Xiaoqi, LIN Xuanlong, MAIMAITITI Alim, WANG Rui, KAMALEJIANG Tlieubierde, Li Sheng, CAI Xinbin

2026, 46(3):  463-464.  DOI: 10.16829/j.slxb.151220

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In September 2025, a medium-sized canine animal was photographed during the camera-trapping survey (totaling 372 camera-days) in Xiata Kyrgyz Township, Zhaosu County, Xinjiang, China. Based on comparisons of morphological characteristics, the species was confirmed as golden jackal (Canis aureus). This detection represents the first documented photographic record of the golden jackal in Xinjiang, filling a distributional gap for the species along the northwestern border region of China.