Jing'an, Jiangxi, May 19 (Reporter Hu Xiaojun, correspondent Xu Zhongting) The academic journal "Zoological Research" published on the 18th published the article "The discovery of pure wild populations of Chinese giant salamanders brings new opportunities for its effective protection" report: "Combining the evidence of morphological and genetic differentiation, this study describes a new species, Andrias jiangxiensis sp.nov., which is the first pure-bred population of giant salamander with clear genetic identity and stable breeding in the wild in my country."
According to the researchers, starting from the second half of 2020, the scientific research team of the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences will use the tag-recapture method to conduct field monitoring in the Jiulingshan National Nature Reserve in Jing'an County, Jiangxi Province, and record a total of adults. More than 700 individuals including juvenile salamanders, sub-adults and newly hatched salamanders have been observed in the wild for two consecutive years. After reviewing by experts, the scientific research achievement of "discovering purebred populations of Jiangxi giant salamanders in the wild" was obtained.
Genome-level data analysis supports that the Jiangxi giant salamander has significant genetic differentiation and is not contaminated by hybridization of giant salamanders from other provinces.
The giant salamander, commonly known as "Salamander", is a rare and endemic amphibian in China and plays an important role in the protection of global biodiversity resources.
The giant salamander is the largest species of amphibians in the world and its origin can be traced back to the Jurassic period.
Due to its long evolutionary history and extremely high evolutionary uniqueness, this group is listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and is listed as a second-class protected animal in my country.
The survey shows that the Jiangxi giant salamander population is an isolated population with a single point distribution, and the water area of its habitat is only about 36 square kilometers.
According to experts, Jiangxi giant salamander is the first pure-bred population of giant salamander in my country with clear genetic identity and stable breeding in the wild. It is also the first wild population in my country that can record the complete natural life history of giant salamander. provides valuable data.
It is understood that the Jiangxi giant salamander research project was jointly established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Jiangxi Provincial People's Government, and jointly undertaken by the relevant scientific research units of the state and Jiangxi Province, as well as the relevant departments of Jing'an County.
This study provides a reference and demonstration for the formulation and adjustment of conservation plans for species that are threatened with extinction due to human activities (such as human migration, over-exploitation, etc.).