Uncovering widespread Anthropocene dietary shifts in Chinese large mammalian herbivores.

The Anthropocene's human-dominated habitat expansion endangers global biodiversity. However, large mammalian herbivores experienced few extinctions during the 20th century, hinting at potentially overlooked ecological responses of a group sensitive to global change. Using dental microwear as a proxy, we studied large herbivore dietary niches over a century across mainland China before (1880s-1910s) and after (1970s-1990s) the human population explosion. We uncovered widespread and significant shifts (interspecific microwear differences increased and intraspecific microwear dispersion expanded) within dietary niches linked to geographical areas with rapid industrialization and population growth in eastern China. By contrast, in western China, where human population growth was slower, we found no indications of shifts in herbivore dietary niches. Further regression analysis links the intensity of microwear changes to human land-use expansion. These analyses highlight dietary adjustments of large herbivores as a likely key factor in their adaptation across a century of large-scale human-driven changes.

DNA barcoding and species delimitation of Chaitophorinae (Hemiptera, Aphididae).

Chaitophorinae aphids are widespread across Eurasia and North America, and include some important agricultural and horticultural pests. So, accurate rapid species identification is very important. Here, we used three mitochondrial genes and one endosymbiont gene to calculate and analyze the genetic distances within different datasets. For species delimitation, two distance-based methods were employed, threshold with NJ (neighbor-joining) and ABGD (Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery), and two tree-based approaches, GMYC (General Mixed Yule Coalescent) and PTP (Poisson Tree Process). The genetic interspecific divergence was clearly larger than the intraspecific divergence for four molecular markers. COI and COII genes were found to be more suitable for Chaitophorinae DNA barcoding. For species delimitation, at least one distance-based method combined with one tree-based method would be preferable. Based on the data for Chaitophorus saliniger and Laingia psammae, DNA barcoding may also reveal geographical variation.

Review of the aphid genus Aspidophorodon Verma, 1967 with descriptions of three new species from China (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Aphidinae).

The aphid genus Aspidophorodon Verma, 1967 is reviewed, with descriptions of three new species from China, namely Aspidophorodon (Aspidophorodon) cornuatus Qiao sp. nov., Aspidophorodon (Aspidophorodon) musaicus Qiao sp. nov., and Aspidophorodon (Aspidophorodon) obtusus Qiao sp. nov.. Aspidophorodon sinisalicis Zhang, 1980 and Trichosiphonaphis lijiangensis Zhang, Zhong & Zhang, 1992 are considered as junior synonyms of Aspidophorodon (Aspidophorodon) salicis Miyazaki, 1971, syn. nov.. The Chinese endemic genus Margituberculatus Zhang, Zhong & Zhang, 1992 is proposed as a junior synonym of Aspidophorodon (Eoessigia) David, Rajasingh & Narayanan, 1972, syn. nov., this subgenus is thereby recorded from China for the first time and Margituberculatus longituberculatus Zhang, Zhong & Zhang, 1992 is referred to as Aspidophorodon (Eoessigia) longituberculatus (Zhang, Zhong & Zhang, 1992) comb. nov.. A generic diagnosis and keys to Aspidophorodon species are given. Molecular evidence to support the validity of new species and their subgeneric affiliation is also provided.