Evolutionaly Studies of Small Animals in Thailand

1994-1995年间，我们与泰国的研究人员合作，对青蛙、蜥蜴、蛇和甲虫等小型动物的进化进行了为期两年的实地研究。我们在泰国的研究成功地积累了许多有趣的事实，总结如下：1)泰国小水蛙种群在广告呼叫结构上与婆罗洲种群K.P.这一差异表明，泰国种群是从命名的亚种中分离出来的，或者使用了不同的识别信号，应该被视为一个完整的物种，K.interline atus2)泰国南部斑点蜥蜴的核型不同于任何已知的缺失核型，包括以前报道的印度同种种群的核型，表现出较高的二倍体数量(38)和由大到小的染色体逐渐变化。3)首次在泰国发现了孤雌生殖壁虎物种复合体的一个二倍体成员--加氏半指线虫-维特纳姆复合体。4)从泰国南部半岛的低地森林中描述了一新种，其背部仅有散布的棍状刚毛。这一新种命名为Aesalus dharma，与马来西亚的一种低地物种A.yongi非常相似，但可以通过雄性生殖器的不同而与后者区分开来。此外，关于泰国Leptolalax属两个未描述种的论文，Dibamus属一新种Cosymbous Platyurus的滑行行为，以及泰国一些绿光甲虫未成熟期的栖息地和形态正在准备中。

We made a two-years' field study in Thailand between 1994-1995 on evolution of small animals such as frogs, lizards, snakes, and beetles, in collaboration with researchers of Thailand. Our research in Thailand successfull accumulated many interesting facts as is summarized below.1) The Thai population of a microhylid frog, Kalophrynus pleurostigma interlineatus, is distinct from the Bornean population of K.p.pleurostigma in advertisement call structure. This difference suggests that the Thai population is reproductively isolated from, or uses different recognition signals from the nominal subspecies and should be regarded as a full species, K.interlineatus.2) The karyotype of scincid lizard, M.macularia quadrifasciata, from southern Thailand differs from any known scincid karyotypes, including a previously reported karyotypes of conspecific Indian population, in exhibiting a high diploid number (38) and gradual change in size from large to small chromosomes. This suggests that M.macularia may consist of more than one biological species.3) A diploid member of the parthenogenetic gekkonid species complex, Hemidactylus garnotii-vietnamensis complex, was discovered for the first time from Thailand. Significance of the present findings to the origin of the triploid species of this species complex is discussed.4) A new species of the lucanid genus Aesalus whose dorsal surface covered solely with scattered stick-like bristles is described from the lowland forest in southern peninsula of Thailand. This new species, named Aesalus dharma, closely resembles A.yongi, a lowland species of Malaysia, but can be distinguished from the latter by the difference in configuration of male genitalia.Futher, papers dealing with two undescribed species of the genus Leptolalax from Thailand, gliding behavior of the Cosymboyus platyurus, a new species of the genus Dibamus, and habitats and morphologies of immature stages of some lucanid beetle of Thailand are now in preparation.