Marmota himalayana is an endemic species of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and an important part of its ecosystem, which plays a significant role in maintaining the ecological balance of the natural foci of plague. The distribution of marmots is influenced by environmental factors such as climate, soil, and vegetation, thereby determining the distribution and changes of natural plague foci and the risk of associated plague epizootics. In other words, the distribution of geographical landscape elements and the main host animals of plague play a decisive role in the distribution area of natural plague foci. Ecological research on M. himalayana has been widely reported. This paper reviews the research status in China and globally from the aspects of ecological, burrow, and habitat characteristics of M. himalayana, with the aim to improve the understanding of M. himalayana ecology and promote the application of ecology in plague prevention and control.

Objective To investigate the species composition,host selection,and distribution of ectoparasitic fleas on small mammals in Haidong,Qinghai Province,China based on plague foci surveillance data,and to identify the species of some common fleas and difficult-to-identify fleas by molecular method to find a way that can improve the accuracy of flea species identification and classification. Methods Flea species was identified by traditional morphological classification and molecular identification based on of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit Ⅰ (COⅠ) gene. Results A total of 61 species (subspecies) of ectoparasitic fleas were found and recorded in Haidong,belonging to 28 genera,5 families,and 4 superfamilies. The partial fragments (about 658 bp) of the COⅠ gene were sequenced for 99 fleas of 20 species under 13 genera and 4 families. The intraspecific and interspecific genetic distances were 0.2%-2.9% and 3.3%-22.9%, respectively. The interspecific distance was significantly greater than the intraspecific distance. Conclusion The flea species formed single lineages with support values greater than 99% in the phylogenetic tree,indicating that the combination of COⅠgene characterization and traditional morphological classification can accurately identify flea species in Haidong.

Objective To study the distribution pattern of rodents in Qinghai province, China. Methods The data on 45 species of rodents, belonging to 9 families and 2 orders, were retrieved. The Ward's method was used for cluster analysis of rodents in each physical geographical unit of Qinghai. Results The rodents in Qinghai were clustered into two groups. The rodents from Qiangtang Plateau and Guoluo Yushu Plateau were clustered into a new group at a distance coefficient of 0.13, and the rodents from mountains north to Qinghai Lake, mountainous unit of Huangnan, Huangshui Valley, Qaidam Basin, and Qilian Mountains in Qinghai were clustered into a new group at a distance coefficient of 0.21. Conclusion The clustering results show interrelation between rodents and environment in different geographical units.

Objective To clarify the interspecific phylogenetic relationship among the species of genus Anopheles subgenus Anopheles in China. Methods The phylogenetic relationship among 22 species (molecular forms) of subgenus Anopheles collected from China was reconstructed based on ribosomal DNA second internal transcribed spacer (rDNA-ITS2) sequences using neighbour joining, maximum parsimony, minimum evolution and maximum likelihood methods. Results The length range of rDNA-ITS2 was 340-1754 bp; the intraspecific genetic distances (p distance) were below 0.004, and the range of pairwise genetic distances among Anopheles mosquitoes was 0.009-0.420 (mean 0.224). All the reconstructed phylogeny trees showed that there were three clades, i.e., An. hyrcanus group, An. barbirostris group and An. lindesayi with An. maculipennis group and that the group clades were paraphyletic. There were four major clusters in An. hyrcanus group, and the interspecific relationship in each cluster was the same as the morphological taxonomy. However, the cluster positions of spLL1 and spLL2 were unstable. Conclusion The molecular phylogenetic tree reconstructed in this study objectively shows the interspecific phylogenetic relationship among the groups and species of genus Anopheles subgenus Anopheles in China. The rDNA-ITS2 sequences have sufficient contribution to the reconstruction of phylogeny of Anopheles species.

Objective To study the spatial niches of rodents in Geermu area of Qinghai province, China. Methods The rodent communities in four habitats in Geermu area were studied using Shannon-Wiener niche breadth index and Pianka's niche overlap index. Results Of the 12 species of captured rodents, Ochotona curzoniae had the highest niche breadth (0.5486), followed by Pitymys leucurus (0.4930) and P. irene (0.4591); Phodopus roborovskii, Eolagurus luteus, Rattus norvegicus, Microtus oeconomus, Mus musculus, Dipus sagitta and Euchoreutes naso had the lowest niche breadths, with an approximate value of 0. Among the 12 species of rodents, the highest niche overlap was 1, and the lowest niche overlap was 0. Conclusion There are small differences in niche breadth between the species of rodents among the dominant species or non-dominant ones, respectively in Geermu area. The rodent species with a total niche overlap show similarities in biological characteristics and ecological adaptability, while those without niche overlap are different in the use of natural resources, demonstrating no competition in resource utilization.

Objective To update the information on the species of ectoparasitic fleas on small mammals in Gonghe county, Qinghai province, China. Methods Small mammals were captured by night trapping method, and ectoparasitic fleas were collected from them. The slide specimens of fleas were made, and these fleas were classified and identified based on morphological characteristics. Results A total of 785 ectoparasitic fleas (13 species, 8 genera, 3 families) were collected from small mammals in Gonghe county. Conclusion Neopsylla bidentatiformis (Wagner, 1883) is a new record in Qinghai province.

Objective To clarify the members of Anopheles hyrcanus group in some regions of China. Methods The members of An. hyrcanus group were identified by morphology, and the sibling species of An. hyrcanus group were determined by PCR and molecular identification. The molecular identification was based on the analysis of rDNA-ITS2 and rDNA-28S-D3 sequences. Results A total of 1259 Anopheles samples were collected from 20 sites in 12 provinces of China. The molecular identification results showed that 1237 of the samples belonged to An. hyrcanus group, and the remaining 22 belonged to 3 other species of Anopheles. The members of An. hyrcanus group were An. sinensis, An. lesteri, An. yatsushiroensis, An. kweiyangensis, An. junlianensis, An. kleini, An. belenrae, and 3 unidentified species (LL1, LL2, and LL3). The population density of An. sinensis was the highest in most collection sites. Conclusion The An. hyrcanus group is complex. It is important to identify the members of this group and their distribution by comprehensive analysis.

Foundation of China(No. 31060279)and the National Key Technology R & D Program(No. 2008BAI56B02) Abstract: DNA barcode is a diagnostic technique in which short DNA sequences can be used for species identification. In this article, the background knowledge and principles of DNA barcode were reviewed simply. Also illustrated application research on classification, identification and genetic diversity in species and some existed problems of DNA barcode.

Objective To investigate the faunal characteristics of rodent community in Haidong area of Qinghai province. Methods The night trap method was used to determine the quantity of rodent populations at different habitats in this area as the basis for ecological analysis. Results A total of 427 rodents were captured in Haidong area, which belonged to 15 species, 6 families and 2 orders, including 82 rodents of 7 species in mixed conifer forests with a capture rate of 3.90%; 112 rodents of 6 species in forest edge scrubs with a capture rate of 4.53%; 77 rodents of 7 species in alpine shrubs with a capture rate of 3.35%; 95 rodents of 7 species in alpine grasslands with a capture rate of 2.94%; and 61 rodents of 9 species in residential farmlands with a capture rate of 2.60%. The highest biomass (35.95) of rodent community was observed in alpine grasslands, followed by that in forest edge scrubs (34.70) and lowest in alpine shrubs (21.59). The fatness of Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus peaked in residential farmlands at 5.18 and 4.05, respectively; the fatness of Cricetulus longicaudatus peaked in alpine grasslands at 3.80; and the fatness of Apodemus peninsulae peaked in forest edge scrubs at 2.97. The biomass and fatness of one species varied and diversified in characteristics at different habitats. Conclusion The faunal composition of rodent populations is complicated in Haidong area of Qinghai province. Upcoming anti-rodent work should be focused on reducing the density of predominant species and preventing the occurrence of rodent infestation.

The DNA barcode technology enables rapid, accurate detection and identification of species through the use of short standardized DNA fragments. This paper reviews the major research methods, advancing progress and current difficulties and controversies of DNA barcodes, the possibility of global adoption of this technology and the highlights in the DNA barcode research at the present, and analyzes the prospect of domestic application of this technology.

Objective The effects of the mosquito repellents of different formulas were evaluated to identify the optimum formula. Methods Both the laboratory (GB/17322.10-1998) and on?site repellent effects of the agents were measured. Results   Among the twenty tested formulas, ten demonstrated the effective protection rates of greater than 80% against laboratory?reared Aedes albopictus with an average repellent duration of above 10 h. Three groups of different formulas were tested in two separate on?site tests, resulting in the average effective protection durations of 4.8, 4.5 and 4.8 h, respectively. Conclusion The on?site test results, which were not as good as the laboratory ones, might be due to loss of repellents through rubbing or skin absorption given heavier sweat and more intense activities in summer. Since different formulas were used in the laboratory and on?site tests, further tests are required to confirm the repellent effects of the formulas under the same circumstances.

Objective Nosopsyllus laeviceps ellobii (Wagner) were reared at different temperatures and relative humidities to determine the biological characteristics, providing basic evidence for the prevention and control of flea. Methods Adults and larvae were separately raised and observed under constant temperature and humidity. Results The growth of fleas ceased at the first larval stage under a relative humidity of (35±3)% and a temperature of (20.5±1)℃ or (22.5±1)℃, and the third stage under a relative humidity of (95±3)% and a temperature of (20.5±1)℃. At (22.5±1)℃, egg?to?adult development was achieved with nevertheless low survival rate. The mean survival time of new eclosed fleas was 11.68 days under starvation conditions, less than 15.07 d (22.5±1)℃, suggesting a sub?optimal temperature of (22.5±1)℃ and an optimum humidity of (75±3)%. Conclusion N. laeviceps ellobii is characterized by short metamorphic period, long adult life and strong reproductive capacity.

【Abstract】 Objective To observe the toxicity of different insecticides to fleas and to screen out new and high effective insecticides. Methods The residual spraying was used in the field, and the bottle film method in the laboratory. Results The mortality rate of Xenopsylla cheopis was 100% after 24 h treatment with the concentration of 0.0025% for 10% Gongbaihai SC and 0.005% for 8% Dagongda WP. Jiapu insecticides could knock down the fleas within 0.5-3 min, followed by Gongbaihai and Dagongda within 5-7 min. The knocking time of Wanling produced by Dupont was the longest with the value of 10-20 min.  For death time, the fleas were all dead within 5 min after treatment, 30-40 min for Gongbaihai and Dagongda, and 1-1.5 h for Wanling of Dupont. Conclusion Dagongda and Gongbaihai can be used for the control of fleas in plague foci.