Title = Two Sub-species of Giant Pandas Identified: Sichuan, Qinling
summary=
A research team lead by Professor Fang Shengguo of the life Science
Institute ofZhejiang University and the Giant Panda Protection and
Management group under China's Administration of National Forestry has
published an article in the U.S. Mammal Zoology Magazine[1]
identifying two new sub species of Giant Panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca):
a Sichuan subspecies and a Qinling subspecies. The Qinling subspecies
were genetically isolated from the Sichuan subspecies over 10,000
years ago (other sources re****t 12,000 years and another 50,000
years). The Sichuan subspecies experienced faster evolution and are
more genetically different from the Giant Panda's ancestors than the
Qinling subspecies. The Sichuan Giant Panda sub species skull is long
ane more bear-like. The Qinling Giant Panda sub species skull is
rounder and has a smaller cat-like skeleton with large molars. The
Qinling Giant Panda sub species has dark brown spot on their skin
around the chest and has brown hair around their belly/chest. The
Sichuan Giant Panda sub species has a black colorated skin around the
chest with white fur around their belly/chest. A survey of the giant
pandas in china found that there are 273 Qinling type Giant Pandas in
China. Yong Yange, director of the Giant Panda Research Center and
Senior engineer in the Foping National Nature Protection Zone in
Shaanxi Province, said that the artificial breeding of the Qinling
subspecies has not been as successful as the Sichuan subspecies at
Wolong. Chen Jianwei, deputy director of the National Administration
Office of Im****t and Ex****t of Endangered Speices says that there are
currently proposals focused on saving the Giant Panda Qinling
subspecies. One of the proposals would be to eliminate the designated
wildlife corridor project between Qinling and Minshan to prevent the
interbreeding of the Qinling and Sichuan subspecies. The Qinling Giant
Panda subspecies is classified as A.m. qinlingensis. The Sichuan Giant
Panda subspecies is classified as A.m melanoleuca.
source=
Giant Panda has new sub-species. China People's Daily Online. Jan. 13
2006.
http://english.people.com.cn/200601/13/eng20060113_235170.html
http://english.newssc.org/system/2006/01/13/000033786.shtml
Giant Panda Subspecies Needs Urgent Protection.
Xinhua News Agency February 17, 2005
http://www.china.org.cn/english/2005/Feb/120535.htm
http://www.china.org.cn/english/2005/Feb/120535.htm
Giant Pandas Get Genetic ID Cards
CIIC 03/01/2001
http://www.china.org.cn/english/2001/Mar/8307.htm
[1]
Genetic Differentiation and subspecies development of the giant panda
as revealed by DNA fingerprinting
Qiu-Hong Wan, Sheng-Guo Fang, Hua Wu, Tsutomu Fujihara
Electrophoresis. Volume 24 Issue 9 pages 1353-1359. Published online 28
April 2003 Wiley-Vch Verlag GmbH & Co KGaA Weinheim
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/104528608/ABSTRACT?CRETRY=1&SRETRY=0
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