一项新的研究显示，实际上有两种不同的小熊猫

一项新的研究显示，实际上有两种不同的小熊猫

Red pandas just became twice as cute. A new genetic analysis has revealed that the red panda is not one, but two separate species.

小熊猫变得比以前可爱了一倍。一项新的基因分析显示，小熊猫不是一个物种，而是两个不同的物种。

Scientists recently took a deep dive into the genomes of these bushy-tailed critters and confirmed that individuals can be clearly categorized into two distinct species: the Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens) and the Chinese red panda (Ailurus styani).

科学家们最近对这些长着浓密尾巴的生物的基因组进行了深入研究，并证实了个体可以明确地分为两种不同的物种:喜马拉雅小熊猫和中国小熊猫。

It’s long been speculated that red pandas might be two separate species, but this was only based on how they look and where they live. This new research, reported in the journal Science Advances, is the first time it's been proven using hard genetic analysis.

长期以来，人们推测小熊猫可能是两个不同的物种，但这只是基于它们的长相和生活地点。这项发表在《科学进展》杂志上的新研究，是首次用硬基因分析来证明它。

Red pandas have reddish-brown fur, with a long shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to their short front legs. Despite their name and appetite for bamboo, they’re not closely related to the giant panda. They are a distant relative of raccoons, although they are not too closely related to any living animal, and are the only living species of the genus Ailurus and the family Ailuridae.

小熊猫有红棕色的皮毛，长而蓬松的尾巴，由于前腿短，走路摇摇摆摆。尽管它们的名字和对竹子的喜爱，但它们与大熊猫并没有密切的关系。它们是浣熊的远亲，虽然它们与任何现存的动物没有太密切的关系，而且是唯一活着的Ailurus属和Ailuridae物种。

The Chinese red panda (seen in photos A and C) and the Himalayan red panda (photos B and D). Yibo Hu et al/Chinese Academy of Sciences/Science Advances 2020

Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed DNA taken from blood, muscle, and skin samples of 65 red pandas from seven different wild populations across Asia. Within this cohort, the DNA revealed “substantial genetic divergence between the two species.” In addition, they found three genetic populations within the Chinese red panda species.

中国科学院的研究人员分析了来自亚洲7个不同野生种群的65只小熊猫的血液、肌肉和皮肤样本的DNA。在这个队列中，DNA显示了“两个物种之间的巨大遗传差异”。此外，他们还发现了中国小熊猫的三个遗传种群。

The two species are divided by the Yalu Zangbu River. Chinese red pandas could be found north of the river in northern Myanmar, southeastern Tibet, and two southwestern provinces in China, while Himalayan red pandas were found south of the river in Nepal, India, Bhutan, and southern Tibet.

这两个物种以鸭绿江为界。中国的小熊猫分布在河流以北的缅甸北部、西藏东南部和中国的西南两省，而喜马拉雅山脉的小熊猫分布在河流以南的尼泊尔、印度、不丹和西藏南部。

“The Himalayan red panda has more white on the face, while the face coat color of the Chinese red panda is redder with less white on it. The tail rings of the Chinese red panda are more distinct than those of the Himalayan red panda, with the dark rings being more dark red and the pale rings being more whitish,” study author Yibo Hu, a conservation biologist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told Reuters.

“喜玛拉雅小熊猫的脸更白，而中国小熊猫的脸毛颜色更红，白的更少。中国科学院的保护生物学家、该研究的作者胡一波告诉路透社，“中国小熊猫的尾环比喜玛拉雅小熊猫的尾环更明显，深色的尾环更红，浅色的尾环更白。”

Unfortunately, both species are in danger. The IUCN Red List (which still lists red pandas as one species) states they are endangered and their numbers are decreasing. Their main threats are industrial activity, infrastructure development, and the destruction of habitat.

不幸的是，这两个物种都处于危险之中。国际自然保护联盟的红色名录(仍然将小熊猫列为一个物种)指出，它们濒临灭绝，数量正在减少。它们的主要威胁是工业活动、基础设施发展和生境的破坏。

This new knowledge could have some big implications for their conservation. Along with introducing species-specific conservation plans, the researchers argue that conservationists should avoid interbreeding the two species in captivity.

这一新发现可能会对它们的保护产生重大影响。除了引进物种特有的保护计划外，研究人员还认为，自然资源保护主义者应该避免在圈养的情况下让这两个物种杂交。