The Breeding Migrationg Of Red Knobby Newts, Tylototriton Shanjing In Ailao Mountains, Yunnan Xinpin

The breeding migration between the terrestrial and aquatic habitats is animportant part of many amphibian breeding activity. Understanding of the breedingmigration activity in amphibian populations can help us to understand how animalsadapt to the specific local environmental conditions, at the same time can providevaluable information for the protection of the species. The Red Knobby Newt is theYunnan plateau region of typical urodele, and it has been listed as National Grade Ⅱprotected species in China. Although there were some research about the Speciemorphology, geographical istribution, classfication status, breeding behavior,oviposition behavior and early embryonic development of the Red Knobby Newt, theresearch of how to breeding migration and migratory characteristics in Yunnanparticular plateau region was still little known. Studying the breeding migration ofRed Knobby Newt for understanding its movement regulation in spatial and temporalhas great significance, as well as clarifying the factors which influence the populationregulation and making protection measures for amphibians.In order to unveil the Red Knobby Newt basic situation of breeding migration,and understand how it adapt to the specific environmental conditions of plateauregion in Yunnan. In this research, it about the population of the Red KnobbyNewts,which inhabit in Ailao Mountains, Yunnan Province. We researched thebreeding migratory patterns of the Red Knobby Newt by recapture of toe-cuting andfence-trap through April to August in2012and2013. The main aim of the study wasto clarify the breeding activity regulation of the Red Knobby Newt,which includingmigration time, diurnal rhythm, differences of male and female in breeding migration,individual morphology before and after migration, direction of movements and clarifythe impact of environmental factors on breeding migration activities, also provide abasal exemplification for protecting the species and other urodeles amphibian.The results of the research as follows:1. The breeding season of the Red Knobby Newt from May2until August3in year2013, and the total breeding migration activity periods lasted for94days.2. The sex ratio (female∶male) was obviously female-biased, suggesting thatthe Red Knobby Newt which take breeding migration are mainly female.3. There is no significance difference between males and females staying in thebreeding habitat. More than half of female Red Knobby Newt staying in the spawingsite within a period of rainfall.4. The observation showed that most Red Knobby Newt do breeding migrationoften at night.5. Climate factors influencing migrations of the Red Knobby Newt, the resultsshow that rainfall is the key factor to promote Red Knobby Newt started to breedingmigration.6. There is no significantly difference in morphological of female Red KnobbyNewt, but the weight were significantly different before and after the breedingmigration. We think the weight loss is probably due to oviposition.7. Breeding habitat environment determines the direction of breeding migration.Majority Red Knobby Newt preference in their direction of departure which wascorrelated with the direction from which they arrived, and the migration routes relatedto whether have canopy cover. Red Knobby Newt preference selecting areas withrelatively greater vegetation canopy cover and wetter substrates during movement.In conclusion, through resesrch the breeding migration of Red Knobby Newts inAilao Mountains, Yunnan Province, the results showing that the breeding habitat forRed Knobby Newts mating and oviposition are separate. The individual of movementto the water area are mainly female, and the migration is female spawing migration.Indeed, the rain rhythm decide the migration rhythm of Red Knobby Newt. As one ofthe Caudate amphibians animals, studying breeding migratory activity pattern andbreeding migratory direction of the Red Knobby Newt to protect this species andother urodeles amphibiana have important research value.