Parartemiopsisshangrilaensis, a new species of fairy shrimp (Branchiopoda, Anostraca) from Yunnan, with a key to the Chirocephalidae of China.

The fairy shrimp genus Parartemiopsis Rogers, 2005 currently contains a single species reported from Russia and Mongolia. In 2013, an unidentified Parartemiopsis population was reported from the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau in China's Yunnan Province, from Patatson National Park in Shangri-La County. Here, we describe the Chinese populations as a new species, Parartemiopsisshangrilaensissp. nov. This new species is distinguished from its congener, P.longicornis (Smirnov, 1930), by the form of the male second antennae and the gonopod. The discovery of P.shangrilaensissp. nov. extends the known distribution of the genus, and more Parartemiopsis species may be found in the future. We present a key to the genera and species of Chirocephalidae in China as an aid to future research.

Streptocephalus diversity in Myanmar, with description of a new species (Branchiopoda, Anostraca).

The diversity of anostracans in Myanmar is poorly known. A series of biodiversity surveys had been conducted in Myanmar, and two species of Streptocephalus were collected in the central dry zone. Streptocephalus sirindhornae Sanoamuang et al., 2000 is reported in Myanmar for the first time, and Streptocephalus shinsawbuaesp. n. is described as new. Streptocephalus shinsawbuaesp. n. belongs to the S. dichotomus group and is similar to S. simplex Bond, 1934 and S. sahyadriensis Rogers & Padhye, 2014, but can be distinguished by the form of the male antennal posterior primary ramus and anterior primary ramus apex and egg ornamentation. Streptocephalus dichotomus has been reported from Myanmar in the past but was not found in this survey.

What is the destiny of a threatened fish, Ptychobarbus chungtienensis, now that non-native weatherfishes have been introduced into Bita Lake, Shangri-La?

Biological invasion is a pervasive negative force of global change, especially in its effects on sensitive freshwater ecosystems. Even protected areas are usually not immune. Ptychobarbus chungtienensis is a threatened freshwater fish now almost confined to Bita Lake, in the Shangri-La region of Yunnan province, China. Its existence is threatened by the introduction of non-native weatherfishes (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and Paramisgurnus dabryanus) by an unusual method known as 'prayer animal release'. Periodic surveys revealed the ratio of invasive weatherfishes to P. chungtienensis has been increasing since the former species was first recorded from the lake in August, 2009. Ptychobarbus chungtienensis shows low genetic diversity in the relict Lake Bita population. Weatherfishes, however, have highly successful survival strategies. The degree of dietary overlap between the species is alarming and perhaps critical if food is found to be a limiting factor.

[Diversity and faunal analysis of crustaceans in Potatso National Park, Shangri-La, China].

Potatso National Park was the first national park in mainland China, preceded by the earlier Bitahai Nature Reserve. Located in the northwest of Yunnan and on the southeast of Qinghai-Tibet plateau, Potatso is a typical low latitude and high elevation wetland nature reserve, with large areas of coniferous forest around alpine lakes and both wetland and water area ecosystems. In August, 2011, we undertook a survey of crustaceans in the park, sampling lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers throughout Potatso. We found a total of 29 species (including varieties) belonging to 24 genera and 11 families. Notable discoveries include Parartemiopsis sp, Arctodiaptomus parvispinus and Simocephalus congener, which are the first examples of these species to be recorded in China. Likewise, Gammarus bitaensis is a unique crustacean found only in Potatso National Park and Thermocyclops dumonti and Gammarus paucispinus are both endemic species to northwestern Yunnan. The overall faunal characteristics of crustaceans in the park also revealed several things about Potatso: (1) Cosmopolitan and Palaearctic elements reach 48.27% and 37.93%, clearly showing the Palaearctic element as the dominant fauna; (2) most of the crustacean, such as Arctodiaptomus parvispinus and Gammarus, are typical alpine types, confirming that Potatso has feature typical of alpine and plateau fauna; and (3) the proportion of endemic and rare crustacean species in Potatso National Park is approximately 10%, suggesting that the Potatso National Park in particular and the northwest of Yunnan in general have a unique geological and evolutionary history.

[Effect of grass carp introduction of the extinction of Ottelia acuminata in Dianchi Lake].

Ottelia acuminata was a dominant macrophyte in Dianchi Lake prior up through the 1970s, when it was thought to have gone extinct in 1976. Various theories have been proposed as to its extinction, with a particular focus on pollution-driven factors. By comparing the historical records on pollution and fish yields of Dianchi Lake from the 1950s to early 2000, we found that the extinction of O. acuminata from Dianchi Lake occurred earlier than the documented spread of pollution. The surveyed data also demonstrate that the extinction of O. acuminata was likely caused primarily by the massive introduction of grass carp, from1958 to 1973. Future reclamation of lake bays and pollution may yield some impact on the restoration of the O. acuminata population even after the decline of grass carp population.