Liang-Kong Lin

• Tunghai University

The Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra chinensis) on Kinmen Island, Taiwan, has fortunately survived because of little human disturbance for a long period, along with a highly productive artificial aquatic environment. According to surveys based on droppings and infrared camera footage in 2018, otter activity in the southwest area of Kinmen Island was sig...

The masked palm civet (Paguma larvata) in Japan is considered as an alien species; however, the details on introduction routes to Japan and the expansion history are still unclear. In the present study, to further solve these questions, we analyzed the mitochondrial DNA control region (523 base-pairs) of 226 individuals from Japan and Taiwan, and i...

Simple Summary Micromys minutus is a small rodent species that has a wide range of vertical distribution in Taiwan. By comparing the gene expression profile of the skeletal muscle tissues taken from individuals native to the high-altitude environment and those transferred to the low-altitude captive site, the Tnfrsf12a gene was demonstrated to have...

Shifts of functional traits are important because phenotypic responses of species to environmental changes caused by natural and anthropogenic disturbances are fundamental in determining the risk of population extinction. This study tested the effect of forest thinning on the body shape and male genital size of an endemic ground beetle species Cara...

Many peninsulas in the temperate zone played an important role as refugia of various flora and fauna, and the southern Korean Peninsula also served as a refugium for many small mammals in East Asia during the Pleistocene. The Asian lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura shantungensis, is a widely distributed species in East Asia, and is an appropria...

For the majority of Rhinolophus species a karyotype consisting of either 58 or 62 chromosomes was reported. The members of the R. trifoliatus clade are therefore distinguished from other rhinolophids by low diploid chromosome numbers (2n) and a high rate of chromosomal changes. Recently, based on cytogenetic characters, a cryptic species, R. luctoi...

Taiwan Island is thought to have formed around 6.0 million years ago, but, the formation of a ‘proto-Taiwan’ began around 9.0 million years ago. During the late Miocene, the proto-Taiwan is thought to have been a part of the Asian mainland. During the Pleistocene, Taiwan Island was again occasionally connected with the Asian mainland. Several mamma...

Shrews in the genus Chodsigoa are among the least known mammals in China. We sequenced one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes for 47 specimens. Using museum collections and sequences from GenBank, we integrated molecular and morphometric approaches to delimit species boundaries and estimate the phylogenetic relationships. Several species were not...

We analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome for 26 individuals of the endemic Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) and 20 individuals of its continental sister species, the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica). These species diverged an estimated 1.19 Mya, in the Early Pleistocene. Mustela itatsi comprised two haplotype clades that diverged an estimate...

Background Niviventer is a genus of white-bellied rats that are among the most common rodents in the Indo-Sundaic region. The taxonomy of the genus has undergone extensive revisions and remains controversial. The current phylogeny is unresolved and was developed primarily on the basis of mitochondrial genes. Identification is extremely difficult, a...

The Ryukyu wild boar (Sus scrofa riukiuanus) is an endemic, morphologically defined subspecies of the Eurasian wild boar (S. scrofa) found on five islands of the Ryukyu Archipelago (a group of small islands stretching from mainland Japan to Taiwan). Two hypothetical scenarios have been proposed regarding the origin of the current Ryukyu wild boar p...

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes encode proteins that play a critical role in vertebrate immune system and are highly polymorphic. To further understand the molecular evolution of the MHC genes, we compared MHC class II DRB genes between the Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi), a species endemic to Japan, and the Siberian weasel (Mustela s...

Green House Gas (GHG) emission has become a critical issue for firms to achieve sustainability. This paper focuses on improving enterprises allocate resource on greening more efficiently and proposes a hybrid MCDM model combining Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) to recognize the crucial...

In taxonomic accounts, three species of Myotis have been traditionally reported to occur on the island of Taiwan: Watase’s bat (M. formosus watasei Kishida), the Formosan broad-muzzled bat (M. muricola latirostris Kishida) and the Formosan mouse-eared bat (M. adversus taiwanensis Linde). The discovery in 1997 of an unknown taxon not fitting to the...

Recent studies of an increasing number of hominin fossils highlight regional and chronological diversities of archaic Homo in the Pleistocene of eastern Asia. However, such a realization is still based on limited geographical occurrences mainly from Indonesia, China and Russian Altai. Here we describe a newly discovered archaic Homo mandible from T...

During 1997-2012 we conducted a nationwide camera-trapping survey and assessed the availability of prey and habitat for the clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa in Taiwan. We surveyed 1,249 camera-trap sites over 113,636 camera-trap days, from the seashore to an altitude of 3,796 m and covering various types of vegetation. No clouded leopards were pho...

Sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (1140 bp) and nuclear Rag 2 (1148 bp) genes were used to assess the evolutionary history of the cosmopolitan genus Myotis, based on a worldwide sampling of over 88 named species plus 7 lineages with uncertain taxonomic status. Phylogenetic reconstructions of this comprehensive taxon sampling show that mos...

Chrysopteron Jentink, 1910 is 1 of the 7 subgenera of Myotis Kaup, 1829 recognized by Tate that traditionally comprises Asian and African species characterized by conspicuously parti-colored wing membranes. Definition of Myotis subgenera has long challenged taxonomists and prior to the present study the systematic status of numerous forms within Ch...

Two specimens of fossil juvenile gray whale from the sea bottom between Taiwan and the Penghu Islands are Quaternary in age, and probably early Holocene, no older than 11–12 ka. Both specimens preserve the posterior portion of the skull from the occipital condyles to the broken frontals; the earbones are missing. A key diagnostic feature of eschric...

The chromosomes of the Perny's long-nosed squirrel Dremomys pernyi owstoni that is endemic subspecies to Taiwan were examined with conventional and Ag-NOR staining and G- and C-banding technique. The diploid chromosome number (2.) and fundamental autosomal arm number (FN) of this squirrel were 38 and 68, respectively. The karyotype consisted of 7 p...

Banded karyotypes of two related subspecies of Petaurista alborufus castaneus from southern China and Petaurista alborufus lena from Taiwan are presented and compared. Both subspecies had 2n=38 with a fundamental number of FN=72, and shared the gross chromosomal similarity and G-band homology.However, the size of their X chromosomes, C-band pattern...

The six species and three subspecies in the genus Chimarrogale (Soricomorpha: Soricidae) are commonly referred to as Asiatic water shrews. The Chimarrogale are the most widely distributed group of Nectogaline shrews, extending throughout the Oriental region and Japan. Because of the limited numbers of specimens available for study, the phylogenetic...

Sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (1140 bp) and nuclear Rag 2 (1148 bp) genes were used to assess the evolutionary history of the cosmopolitan bat genus Myotis, based on a worldwide sampling of over 88 named species plus 7 species with uncertain nomenclature. Phylogenetic reconstructions of this comprehensive taxon sampling show that most...

This study reviews the status of known fossil cetaceans and reported fossil cetacean-bearing localities in Taiwan, including published and formerly un-reported specimens and localities from field investigations, national and private collections. There are 15 known localities of cetacean fossils, spanning Late Pleistocene (~0.01 Ma) to Late Miocene...

We compared craniodental morphology among 5 populations of the Siberian weasel Mustela sibirica including 2 insular ones (Tsushima and Taiwan). Skulls of the insular individuals tended to be smaller than those of continental ones. Shape differences were also detected but not so pronounced. Considering these results, the Taiwan population should be...

The chromosomes of the hairy-footed flying squirrel Belomys pearsonii from Taiwan were analyzed with conventional and Ag-NOR staining and G- and C-banding technique. The diploid chromosome number (2n) and fundamental autosomal arm number (FN) were 38 and 72, respectively. The karyotype consisted of six pairs of metacentrics (nos. 1–6), twelve pairs...

Chromosomes of the Formosan striped squirrel Tamiops maritimus formosanus were analyzed with conventional and silver staining and G- and Cbanding technique. The diploid chromosome number (2n) and fundamental autosomal arm number (FN) were 38 and 68, respectively. Karyotype consisted of seven pairs of metacentrics (nos. 1–7), nine pairs of submetace...

Changes in habitat and resource availability have induced bats to develop strategies for reproductive delay, including the processes of insemination, embryo implantation, and fetal development. Hipposideros terasensis used the strategy of delayed embryonic development. Bats mated in autumn. Fertilized eggs implanted during the blastula stage, but r...

To investigate the process of the population divergence of mammalian species endemic to continental islands, we studied the phylogeography of the Japanese weasel, Mustela itatsi, compared with its closely related continental species, the Siberian weasel M. sibirica, using mitochondrial DNA control region sequences. Mustela itatsi is endemic to the...

The masked palm civet Paguma larvata (Carnivora: Viverridae) in Japan has been phylogeographically considered an introduced species from Taiwan. To reveal the population structures and relationships among the P. larvata populations in Japan, seven compound microsatellite loci were isolated from the genome and genotyped for 287 individuals collected...

Based on 203 specimens belonging to the Rhinolophus "pusillus group" (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Rhinolophidae), univariate and multivariate morphometric analyses using 19 characters were performed to assess the confused species taxonomy. The results indicated that R. pusillus (including calidus, parcus, and szechuanus) in the continental region and Hai...

Many studies indicated that small mammals are important reservoirs for Bartonella species. Using molecular methods, several studies have documented that bats could harbor Bartonella. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship of Bartonella spp. identified in bats and small mammals living in the same ecological environment. During May...

The Taiwan vole Microtus kikuchii is considered socially monogamous based on indirect information of captive behaviors and home-range ecology. Genetic components of its mating system were not previously examined. We tested the hypotheses that M. kikuchii is both socially and genetically monogamous by combining field information of home ranges with...

Studies examining the effects of forest management on biodiversity in Asia are scarce and conducted mostly in temperate areas. In this study, the effects of the management on the biodiversity of a subtropical plantation forest were assessed by comparing the composition of spiders in Chamaecyparis formosensis plantations located in central Taiwan th...

Current classification of the genus Tamiops is mainly based on pelage color pattern that is prone to seasonal variation or convergent adaptation to environmental selection. The arrangement of four species, Tamiops mcclellandii, Tamiops rodolphii, Tamiops swinhoei and Tamiops maritimus, is regarded as tentative due to difficulty in delineating speci...

Phylogenetic relationships among species of the family Mustelidae were examined using the combined nucleotide sequences of the three mitochondrial genetic loci (cytochrome b (MT-CYB; 1140 bp), NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (MT-ND2; 1044 bp), and displacement loop (MT-DLOOP; 540 bp)), with special emphasis on the phylogenetic history of four Taiwanes...

To test the association between Pleistocene forest dynamics relative to elevation and the population dynamics of arboreal small mammals, we examined the phylogeographical predictions for the genetic structure of the red and white giant flying squirrel (Petaurista alborufus lena) and the Indian giant flying squirrel (P. philippensis grandis) using c...

The genus Myotis (family Vespertilionidae, order Chiroptera) constitutes an attractive model to understand mammalian evolution: a worldwide distribution and high specific richness (more than 100 species which makes it the second mammalian genus in terms of diversity). Because mouse-eared bats show recurrent ecomorphological convergences, it is esse...

A combined approach using molecular and morphological data has revealed that the taxon Myotis taiwanensis, which until now has been usually considered as a subspecies of Myotis adversus, should be reinstated as a full species, as originally described by Ärnbäck-Christie-Linde (1908) from Takao, Anping, Tainan, Formosa (= southern Taiwan). In our ge...

A new subspecies of the least weasel, Mustela nivalis (Mammalia, Carnivora) was described from the central mountains of Taiwan. The external and skull morphology, and conventional, G-banded and C-banded karyotypes of the present subspecies were compared with those of other subspecies. This new subspecies is distinct from the other subspecies by rel...

The source areas of the Japanese populations of the masked palm civet Paguma larvata (Viverridae, Carnivora), an alien species in Japan, have not been identified. In the present study, to reveal their origins and genetic features, we determined the full mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b sequences (1,140 base-pairs) of a total of 206 individuals of P....

Nectogaline shrews are a major component of the small mammalian fauna of Europe and Asia, and are notable for their diverse ecology, including utilization of aquatic habitats. So far, molecular phylogenetic analyses including nectogaline species have been unable to infer a well-resolved, well-supported phylogeny, thus limiting the power of comparat...

Karyotypes and chromosomal data are presented for eight bat species representing two families (Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae) from Hainan Island, China. The species investigated were Rhinolophus lepidus (2n = 62, FN = 60), R. pusillus (2n = 62, FN = 60), R. affinis (2n = 62, FN = 60), R. sinicus (2n = 36, FN = 60), Myotis horsfieldi (2n = 44,...

Conventional and G-banded karyotypes of Crocidura attenuata Milne-Edwards, 1872 from Guangdong, southern China, are reported. The diploid chromosome number (2n) varied from 35 to 38 among specimens, while the fundamental arm number (FN) consistently was 54. Of the autosomes, 14 pairs including four meta- or submetacentric, three subtelocentric, and...

Reproductive patterns of female house shrew (Suncus murinus) inhabiting central Taiwan were studied from September 1990 to February 1992 with animals collected monthly. The annual average body weight was 37.4 g for adults (N=198), and 23.2 g for juveniles (N=18), respectively. The reproductive females (pregnant and lactating) were found all the yea...

Petauristinae (flying squirrels) consists of 44 extant species in 14 recent genera, and their phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy are unsettled questions. We analyzed partial mitochondrial cyto-chrome b gene sequences (1,068 base pairs) to investigate the phylogenetic relationships among six flying squirrel genera (Belomys, Hylopetes, Petaurist...

Phylogenetic relationships among the East Asian species of the genus Crocidura (Mammalia, Insectivora, Soricidae) were inferred from the partial sequences (402 base pairs) of the mitochondrial cyto-chrome b gene. Six species of Crocidura and one representative of another insectivoran genus Suncus were examined. In the neighbor joining tree, four di...

Landscape connectivity is important in designing corridor and reserve networks. Combining genetic distances among individuals with least-cost path (LCP) modelling helps to correlate indirect measures of gene flow with landscape connectivity. Applicability of LCP modelling, however, is reduced if knowledge on dispersal pathways or routes is lacking....

Eight microsatellite loci were isolated from an enriched genomic library of the great leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros armiger. The polymorphism of these loci was tested on a population of 48 individuals from Anhui Province, China. All loci revealed the polymorphism ranging from three to 12 alleles. The observed heterozygosity values were from 0.213 to...

The karyotypes of three rat species from Hainan Island, China, were examined. Niviventer fulvescens (Gray, 1847) had 2n=46 and FN=64, similar to the karyotypes reported for N. fulvescens from Southeast Asia, while Niviventer lotipes () had 2n=52 and FN=66, which is distinct from the known karyotypes of other Niviventer species. Niviventer lotipes w...

To investigate genetic diversity and phylogeography of the Asian leopard cat (Felis bengalensis), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences were determined for 39 individuals from various areas. Sequences combining the complete cytochrome b gene (1,140 bp) with the partial control region (646-810 bp) were classified into 24 haplotypes: 21 types from 21 a...

A new species of Barbastella is described, originally discovered in 2001 in Beijing, northern China. The description of the new species is based on both morphological and molecular data. The morphology of the skull and ears of the new bat is more similar to that of the Egyptian barbastelle (B. leucomelas) and B. barbastellus distributed in Europe t...

Concentrations of 17 trace elements were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in Formosan squirrels (Callosciurus erythraeus) of Taiwan and Japan to document trace element pollution in Taiwan. High concentrations of elements used to produce semiconductors - Ga, As, Cd, In and Tl - were found in animals captured in Mi...

We investigated genetic variation in mitochondrial cytochrome b within the long-tailed rice field mouse, Mus caroli Bonhote, 1902, across its entire geographic range in Southeast and East Asia with a view to: 1) assessing the pattern and causality of phylogeographic structure in a terrestrial small mammal from continental Southeast Asia; and 2) dis...

To examine the origin of Callosciurus erythraeus introduced to Japan, we compared mitochondrial DNA control region sequences of eight haplotypes from Japan with those of 42 haplotypes from Taiwan. There were two distinct phylogroups in Japan. Six haplotypes from Japan were included in the Taiwan population, suggesting that they could have been intr...

We surveyed the central mountains and southeastern region of Taiwan and collected 11 specimens of a new species of mole, genus Mogera. The specimens were characterized by a small body size, dark fur, a protruding snout, and a long tail; these characteristics are distinct from those of the Taiwanese lowland mole, M. insularis (Swinhoe, 1862). A phyl...

Recent studies have shown that species in the genus Myotis have evolved a number of convergent morphological traits, many of which are more related to their mode of food procurement than to their phylogeny. Surprisingly, the biogeographic origins of these species are a much better predictor of phylogenetic relationships, than their morphology. In p...

We examined the intra-individual variation in resting frequency of the constant-frequency component of the second harmonic of the pulse (F rest) over 4 years in a laboratory colony of the Taiwanese leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros terasensis). Patterns of change in F rest were observed when individuals were added to or removed from the colony so that w...

To test the Pleistocene interglacial refugia hypothesis with a high-elevation mammal, we studied the phylogeography of the mole-shrew (Anourosorex yamashinai) using partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences (737 bases). This shrew is endemic to Taiwan. It is mainly distributed in the highlands from 1000 to 2500 m in elevation. We examined 1...

Molecular phylogeny of soricid shrews (Soricidae, Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) based on 1140 bp mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cytb) sequences was inferred by the maximum likelihood (ML) method. All 13 genera of extant Soricinae and two genera of Crocidurinae were included in the analyses. Anourosorex was phylogenetically distant from the main groupin...

We investigated karyotypes, mitochondrial cytochromeb gene sequences, and cranial morphometries of the water shrewsChimarrogale himalayica (Gray, 1842) andC. platycephala (Temminck, 1842) (Insectivora, Soricidae). Karyotypes ofC. himalayica from Taiwan andC. platycephala are 2n=52 and FNa=100. Autosomes consisted of 21 large-to-small metacentric or...

To. test for isolation by mountain ranges in small arboreal mammals, phylogeography of Pallas's squirrel .Callosciurus erythraeus) was investigated using complete mitochondrial control region sequences (1,079–1,081 bases). This common species is distributed in the low and middle elevations of Taiwan, Republic of China. We examined 71 specimens from...

Echolating bats who are capable of instantaneously recognizing the physical attributes of their environment have a developed biosonar system that has important technological application. The attended angle of a flying bat is the angle of the direction of attention relative to the flight path, indicates the directionality of the echolocation pulse....

Biosonar behavior was examined in Taiwanese leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideros terasensis; CF-FM bats) during flight. Echolocation sounds were recorded using a telemetry microphone mounted on the bat's head. Flight speed and three-dimensional trajectory of the bat were reconstructed from images taken with a dual high-speed video camera system. Bats were...

We examined sequence variation in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1140 bp, n = 73) and control region (842–851 bp, n = 74) in the Eurasian harvest mouse (Micromys minutus (Pallas, 1771)), with samples drawn from across its range, from Western Europe to Japan. Phylogeographic analyses revealed region-specific haplotype groupings combined with o...

Geographic variation in skulls of the Polynesian rat, Rattus exulans (Peale, 1848) (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae) was examined based on 18 morphometric characters of 374 specimens collected from the Southeast and East Asia including the continent north of the Isthmus of Kra, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, Sumatera, Jawa, Philippines, Sulawesi, Flores,...

The weight ratios of the four forelimb muscles (M. supraspinatus, M. infraspinatus, M. teres major, and M. subscapularis) were compared among the three species of Insectivora, the musk shrew as a terrestrial species, the mole shrew as a fosso-terrestrial species and the lesser Japanese mole as a completely fossorial species, to statistically clarif...

The genus Myotis includes the largest number of species in the family Vespertilionidae (Chiroptera), and its members are distributed throughout most of the world. To re-evaluate the phylogenetic position of East Asian Myotis species with respect to Myotis species worldwide, we analyzed mitochondrial gene sequences of NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 an...

The genus Myotis includes the largest number of species in the family Vespertilionidae (Chiroptera), and its members are distributed throughout most of the world. To re-evaluate the phylogenetic position of East Asian Myotis species with respect to Myotis species worldwide, we analyzed mitochondrial gene sequences of NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 an...

This study investigated geographic variation in the Asian lesser white-toothed shrew, Crocidura shantungensis Miller, 1901, among a number of localities in East Asia, including the Korean Peninsula, Tsushima Island, Cheju Island, and Taiwan, using univariate and multivariate analyses of cranial morphometric characters. Sexual differences were found...

258-267. We performed univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses of 4 external and 17 cranial morphome- tric characters in the Ryukyu mouse, Mus caroli Bonhote, 1902 (Mammalia: Rodentia: Muridae), using 177 specimens collected from Okinawajima in the central Ryukyus and from Taiwan. There were clear morphologi- cal differences between populat...

The chromosomes of the house bat Pipistrellus abramus from Taiwan were examined by conventional staining and by GTG-, and CBG-banding techniques. The diploid chromosome number (2n) and the fundamental autosomal arm number (FN) were 26 and 44, respectively. In the G-banded karyotype, large GTG-negative regions were detected in the pericentromeric re...

The family Vespertilionidae comprises the largest number of species in the order Chiroptera, and its members are distributed over most of the world. We collected sequences of the mitochondrial NDI (NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1) gene from 38 species as well as 20 sequences of exon28 of the vWF (von Willebrand Factor) gene and analyzed phylogenetic r...