<p id="p00015"><strong>Aims:</strong> To collate and report new vertebrate species discovered in China in 2021.</p><p id="p00020"><strong>Methods:</strong> This paper summarized the basic information of new vertebrates published in literature in 2021, including 83 papers and one website (http://www.birdreport.cn/).</p><p id="p00025"><strong>Results:</strong> In 2021, 95 vertebrate species were newly discovered in China, including 80 new species and 15 national new record species. Among them, there were 15 new species of fish, 28 new species of amphibian, 31 new species and 10 national new record species of reptiles, 1 new species and 3 national new record species of bird, 5 new species and 2 national new record species of mammal. Among them, cold-blooded vertebrates accounted for 88%, suggesting that they are the focus of future taxonomic research of vertebrates; most of amphibians and reptiles are Anuran and Squamata, having 27 and 40 species, accounted 96% and 98% of the total new species of them, respectively. All newly added mammals belong to small types. The distribution of these new vertebrates involves 30 provincial regions, including 33 species in Yunnan, 11 species in Sichuan, 10 species in Guangxi, 7 species in Xizang and Guangdong, 6 species in Taiwan, totally accounting for 70.5% of the total new vertebrates. Only 5 or fewer species were discovered in other provincial regions. A total of 84 species (accounting for 88%) have been supported from molecular systematics, suggesting that the application of molecular systematics technology is still an important method for the classification of taxa. Most of the species of new vertebrates discovered in China in 2021 were published by Chinese scholars, except for the 3 new national record species of birds, the rest were officially published in English journals, of which 3 journals in China have published 21 new species and 2 new records.</p><p id="p00030"><strong>Conclusion:</strong> This work provides comprehensive basic information for the classification and protection of vertebrates in China, also indicates that taxonomic studies, particularly the cold-blooded vertebrates, should be the continuous focus of biodiversity research in China. An integrative taxonomic approach, including molecular genetic data, should be more important in future studies.</p>

China’s key protected species lists include the List of State Key Protected Wild Animals (LSKPWA), the List of Terrestrial Wildlife with Important Ecological, Scientific and Social Values, and the lists of local key protected wild animals. After the amendment and implementation of the Wild Animal Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China in 2017, the revision of the LSKPWA is on the agenda. In order to revise the list of the state key protected species, the relationship between these lists should be delineated to reflect the priority of protection and to facilitate administration and to divide the responsibility of protection between the central and local governments. It is recommended to determine the level of key protected wildlife species according to their attributes of endangerment, endemism, rareness, preciousness and management requirement. By adopting the Principle of Clump Listing, related species or the higher taxa such as a whole genus even a whole family should be included in the lists of protected species as far as possible. It is also practical to list a subspecies or a population as a management unit on the species protection list. In addition, to reflect the new provisions of the amended Wild Animal Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China, it is necessary to distinguish domesticated and wild populations, those populations which have been artificially successfully bred with mature technology and stable production traits should be exempted from the listing. Thus, using the Principle of Splitting Listing to solve the real problems in conservation. In addition, taxonomic changes should be closely tracked and species list should be updated in time. It is also necessary to formulate criteria for protection levels, to develop guidelines for species recovery plan after their listing and to design amendment procedure for the list. It is important to formulate populations and habitats recovery plan for each key protected species. Through periodic evaluation of the listed species, the listed species are upgraded, downgraded, deleted or maintain its status for the needs of dynamic management of rare and endangered wild animals.

Both the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species and country red lists of endangered species assess the risk of extinction of species, the former being a global assessment whereas the latter provides regional assessments. The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species alerts the world to the status of endangered species, and also serves as a database of global biodiversity. Country red lists, on the other hand, ascertain the status of species in particular countries, filling knowledge gaps in the former. The two lists are thus complementary to each other. However, insufficient attention has been paid to date to country red lists of endangered species. Country-level red lists should be given greater attention for at least the following reasons: (1) a sovereign country is the main authority for taking conservation action in regard to wildlife species within its boundaries based on the level of endangerment (conservation status) of the species; (2) for endemic species in a country, the country red list status constitutes its global status; (3) for species whose ranges cross national borders, the country’s red list status reflects the survival status of the species in the country; (4) combined with the IUCN global red list, the country red list provides a basis from which to consider the establishment of transnational protected areas, the protection of important habitats for migratory species, and the protection of international migration corridors; (5) the category of “Regional Extinction” is unique to country/regional red lists of endangered species, providing an indication of the danger of extinction of the species at the country level; and (6) country red lists of endangered species can provide updated information on the inventory, classification, distribution and status of species in the country. Yet, the importance of country red lists is often overlooked under many different circumstances. Following onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic, however, people’s outlook in China has been changing in regard to the relationship between humans and wildlife. Consequently, China will be amending national laws on wildlife protection, epidemic prevention, and the List of State Key Protected Wild Animal Species, in order to better prevent and control emerging zoonoses. The status of wildlife species included in the country red list of endangered species should be one of the defining elements for identifying and updating species on the List of State Key Protected Wild Animal Species in China. Thus, it is critical to recognize the significance of the country red list of endangered species at this special moment in time.

IUCN濒危物种红色名录与国家濒危物种红色名录都是物种灭绝风险的测度, 前者是全球性评估, 后者则是国别研究。IUCN濒危物种红色名录预警了全球物种的濒危状况, 为全球生物多样性研究提供了大数据; 国别红色名录确定了各国物种受威胁状况, 填补了前者的知识空缺, 两份名录互为补充。目前对国家濒危物种红色名录重视不够。基于如下原因, 应当重视国别濒危物种红色名录的意义: (1)国家是濒危物种保护的行为主体, 物种在一个国家的生存状况是确定其保护级别、开展濒危物种保育的依据; (2)对于仅分布于一个国家的特有物种来说, 其国别濒危物种红色名录等级即是其全球濒危等级; (3)对于跨国境分布的物种来说, 国别濒危物种红色名录等级则确定了该物种在本国的生存状况; (4)结合IUCN濒危物种红色名录, 国别濒危物种红色名录为建立跨国保护地、保护迁徙物种的栖息地与跨国迁徙洄游通道提供依据; (5)国别濒危物种红色名录所特有的“区域灭绝”等级, 反映了一个物种边缘种群在该国的区域灭绝, 恢复“区域灭绝”物种是该物种原分布国重引入保育工作的重点; (6)国别濒危物种红色名录提供了该国物种编目、分类、分布和生存状况的最新信息。然而, 国别濒危物种红色名录的重要性在许多情况下被忽视了。目前正值全球新冠肺炎大流行, 人们正在重新审视人与野生动物的关系。我国将修订有关野生动物保护与防疫法法律以及《国家重点保护野生动物名录》, 防控新的人与野生动物共患疾病再次暴发。对于确定国家重点保护野生动物物种名录来言, 物种受威胁程度是物种列为国家重点保护物种的特征之一。重视国别红色名录有特别的意义。

We updated the checklists of extant, native amphibians and reptiles of China based on the previously published checklist of reptiles in 2015, the online checklist of amphibians on the database AmphibiaChina, newly published data as of December 2019, and previously uncollected literature prior to 2015. In total, the amphibian fauna of China consists of 515 species in 62 genera, 13 families, and three orders (Anura: 431 species in 47 genera and nine families; Caudata: 82 species in 14 genera and four families; Gymnophiona: one species in one genus and one family), while the reptilian fauna of China consists of 511 species in 135 genera, 35 families, and three orders (Crocodylia: one species in one genus and one family; Testudines: 34 species in 18 genera and six families; Squamata 466 species in 116 genera and 28 families [Serpentes: 256 species in 73 genera, 18 families; Lacertilia: 211 species in 43 genera and 10 families]). Specifically, for amphibians between 2015 and 2019, one family was recorded from China for the first time, two new genera were described, a genus was resurrected, a genus was recorded from China for the first time, 74 new, valid species were either described or resurrected, 18 recognized species were recorded from China for the first time, and six genera and eight species were considered as junior synonyms. For reptiles between 2015 and 2019, five subfamilies were elevated to the full family status, one new subfamily and a new genus were described, three genera were resurrected, three recognized genera were recorded from China for the first time, 35 new species were described, two species were resurrected from synonyms, six subspecies were elevated to the full species status, 10 recognized species were recorded from China for the first time, four genera and four species were considered as junior synonyms, and distribution records of one genus and four recognized species were removed from China. Furthermore, by reviewing literature before 2015, we make additional changes on the previous reptile checklist, including adding new records of three genera, elevating three subspecies to full species status, adding new records of three recognized species, synonymizing three genera and two species as junior synonyms, and removing the distribution record of a single recognized species from China. Lastly, we revise the Chinese common names of some reptilian groups with recomandations to maintain the stability of the Chinese common names. The number of new species and new national records for amphibians and reptiles between 2015 and 2019 in China accounts for 17.1% and 10.2% of the total number of species in each group, respectively. Because new species are described at considerable speed and given the constant changes in the taxonomy of China’s herpetofuna, it is crucial to update the checklists regularly and discuss the existing taxonomic problems, so that such information reflects the most current state of knowledge and are available for taxonomic researchers and conservation biologists alike.

本文在2015年发表的爬行动物名录及同年《中国两栖类信息系统》发布的两栖动物名录的基础上, 通过整理新发表的分类学研究及先前名录遗漏的部分早期文献, 更新了截至2019年底中国现生本土两栖、爬行动物物种名录。2015-2019年间, 中国两栖动物新记录1科, 新描述2属, 恢复1属有效性, 新记录1属, 新描述或恢复有效种74种, 新增国家纪录18种; 另6属、8种的有效性未得到近年研究证据支持(在此视为次定同物异名而未做收录, 后同)。同期, 中国爬行动物新恢复5科, 新描述1亚科, 新描述1属, 恢复3属有效性, 新记录3属, 新描述、恢复或提升有效种43个, 新增国家纪录10种; 另有5属、4种的有效性未得到近年研究证据支持, 并移除1属、4种在我国的分布纪录。此外, 通过整理2015年前文献, 爬行动物增补3属, 提升3亚种至种级地位, 增补国家新纪录3种, 另有3属、2种的有效性未得到近年研究证据支持, 同时移除1种在我国的分布纪录。综上, 截至2019年底, 我国共记录现生本土两栖动物3目13科62属515种(蚓螈目1科1属1种, 有尾目3科14属82种, 无尾目9科47属431种), 爬行动物3目35科135属511种(鳄形目1科1属1种, 龟鳖目6科18属34种, 有鳞目蛇亚目18科73属265种、蜥蜴亚目10科43属211种)。此外, 本文还对先前名录中部分爬行动物的中文名提出了修改建议, 建议恢复部分物种的惯用中文名。2015-2019年, 新物种及新纪录已知物种数量占现两栖、爬行动物物种总数的17.1%和10.2%。近年来, 我国发表的两栖、爬行动物新物种和已知物种的新纪录数量持续增加, 分类体系也在研究中不断完善, 建议今后及时地进行阶段性总结, 同时对存在的问题提出讨论, 以推动中国两栖、爬行动物分类学研究工作的进一步开展。

Aim: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN Red List) has become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global extinction risk status of animal, fungus and plant species, a critical indicator of the health of biodiversity and a powerful tool to catalyse action for biodiversity conservation and policy decision. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively introduce the development and application of the IUCN Red List, to promote Chinese species assessment and wide application in China. Review Results: (1) The history of the IUCN Red List. During the phase of Red Data Book of Endangered Species, it was largely dependent on individual experts’ personal judgement to make decisions on threatened categories. From 1991, the criteria gradually became quantified and unified for all taxon groups. Since IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1 published in 2001, the categories and criteria has been kept stable and become widely applied around the world. Until now, more than 140,000 species (among them, 10,846 species are distributed in China) have been evaluated at the global level, over 55,000 species evaluated at China country level, and over 100 countries/regions have developed their regional/national Red List. (2) Global criteria and assessment. The category system covers all species in the world, among which, three categories regarded as “threatened”, i.e., Critical Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU), must be evaluated by the five set of criteria. The current global level assessment work is mainly completed by the IUCN Species Survival Committee (SSC) and its partners, and there are strict requirements for the assessment. (3) National and regional criteria and applications. Compared with the global application, the category and criteria are applicable to regional applications, only the assessment results should be adjusted if the species population communicates with neighboring regions (or countries). (4) Assessment status of China Red List. The first comprehensive assessment began in 2000 for 10,211 species, and the China Red List of Species was published in 2004. The second comprehensive assessment began in 2008, and the official release began in 2013. By the end of 2021, over 55,000 species assessments were completed, including all terrestrial vertebrates and higher plants, some marine fishes, invertebrates, and large fungi. Yunnan Province has issued the first provincial red list. (5) Application of the Red List. The application of Red List continues to grow rapidly, both globally and in China. The Red List Index is used to measure biodiversity changes over time. The Red List is also applied for decision-making on species conservation priorities and key priority conservation areas, implementation of international conventions, formulating (revising) key protected species list of countries (regions) and protected area management and effective allocation of resources and public awareness raising.(6) Major discussions on Red List application. Since the publication of the Categories and Criteria, major discussions are on the methodology of obtaining data. While a few experts believe that some criteria are flawed and need to be improved, and some others calls for maintaining a long-term relative stable of criteria for comparisons over time.(7) Recommendations on sustainable mechanism and application in China. We recommend to establish China Red List Committee, develop a professional website for China Red List, build capacity of Red List assessors, establish mechanism for receiving and reviewing assessment reports, and strengthen international cooperation to promote application and development of global and China Red List.

IUCN受威胁物种红色名录已经成为世界上最全面的关于全球动物、真菌和植物物种灭绝风险状况的信息来源, 是生物多样性健康的关键指标, 是促进生物多样性保护和决策的有力工具。本文全面介绍IUCN受威胁物种红色名录(简称IUCN红色名录)的发展以及应用状况, 积极推动其在中国的物种评估和广泛应用。总结了IUCN红色名录从依赖于评估专家的主观意志决定物种濒危等级的濒危物种红皮书(Red Data Book)到IUCN受威胁物种等级和标准(3.1版)的客观量化和所有门类使用统一标准的过程。该等级体系可囊括全球所有物种, 其中“受威胁”的3个等级——极危(CR)、濒危(EN)或易危(VU)需使用5个标准进行量化评估, 对评估规范有非常严格的要求。该等级和标准体系不仅适用于全球层面, 同样也适用于地区层面物种评估, 只是在具体物种种群如果和周边其他地区(国家)存在种群交流情况时, 评估结果要进行调整。迄今为止, 全球层面使用该等级体系和标准评估了14万多种(其中在中国有分布的物种10,846种), 100多个国家和地方制定了地区/国家层面的红色名录, 中国红色名录评估了5.5万多种。IUCN红色名录已广泛应用于评估生物多样性变化速度; 为保护规划提供决策信息; 支持履行国际公约、修订国家/地区重点保护物种名录和自然保护地管理等; 指导资源有效合理分配和宣传教育等。广泛应用过程中, 讨论主要集中在获取数据的方法改进上; 另外, 一方面有专家认为标准存在缺陷需要完善, 另一方面有呼吁维持标准的长期相对稳定, 以便进行跨时间、跨区域、跨物种门类的比较。本文提出来了中国红色名录的持续机制和应用建议, 包括建立中国红色名录委员会、建立中国红色名录专业网站、发展评估专家队伍、建立中国红色名录评估更新机制, 以及加强国际协作、促进全球和中国红色名录的应用和发展。