The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify wild yeasts from soil in Busan, wildflowers in Okcheongun, and strawberries in Jeju, Republic of Korea. Among the isolated strains, three were unrecorded in the Republic of Korea. To identify wild yeast strains, pairwise sequence comparisons of D1/D2 region of the 26S rRNA gene sequence were done using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). The cell morphologies were observed by phase contrast microscope and assimilation test are done using API 20C AUX kit. All strains were assigned to the phylum Basidiomycota. The two unrecorded yeast strains, BS-6 and PFL-3, belong to the genus Hannaella (family Bulleribasidiaceae, order Tremellales, class Tremellomycetes). Strain PST-43 belongs to the genus Papiliotrema (family Rhynchogastremataceae, order Tremellales, class Tremellomycetes). All three strains had oval shaped and polar budding cells. This research showed the morphological and biochemical properties of the three unreported yeast species in Korea.

Ulleung Island, characterized by its distinctive geological traits, has a unique array of fauna and flora. Although numerous studies have been conducted on insect fauna of this island. Mycetophilidae has never been investigated. Therefore, we conducted field investigations at three sampling locations on Ulleung Island from 2022 to 2024, utilizing sweeping and Malaise traps. As a result, we document seven species across six genera, including two previously recorded species (Boletina nitida and Monoclona laosilvatica) and five new country records (Allodia fuliginosa, Allodia laccariae, Clastobasis serrulate, Mycomya tridens, and Mycetophila assimilis) from Ulleung Island. Diagnosis, photographs of morphological characters, and habitat information are provided.

During a comprehensive investigation of indigenous prokaryotic species in Korea, a total of 31 bacterial strains assigned to the phylum Actinomycetota were isolated from diverse environmental habitats, including soil, mud, wetland, tidal field, and seawater. Based on their high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities(>98.7%) and the formation of robust phylogenetic clades with the closest type species, each strain was assigned to an independent and predefined bacterial species. Because there have been no publications or official reports regarding 31 isolates in Korea, these 31 species of 12 families within seven orders of the phylum Actinomycetota are reported as unrecorded species in Korea. In addition, Gram reaction, colony and cell morphology, basic biochemical characteristics, isolation source, and strain IDs are also described in the species description section.

Thalamoporella californica (Levinsen, 1909) is an invasive bryozoan species first found on ropes at the Tongyeong Yacht Marina in 2020. It was subsequently found in Geojedo Island (Beopdong-ri and Gujora Harbor), Tongyeong Yacht Marina, Hansando Island in the South Sea, and Yangpo Yacht Marina in the East Sea. This suggests that the distribution of T. californica has gradually expanded from its initial detection in Korean waters. We also analyzed the DNA barcode region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of T. californica. The intra-specific COI sequence variation of T. californica collected from three different localities in this study ranged from 0.002 to 0.014. T. californica and T. lioticha were separated by a genetic distance of 0.328-0.338. The present study provides COI sequences that can be utilized in molecular research on T. californica and the genus Thalamoporella and basic information to eDNA-based methods for quick identification of marine invasive species.

This study describes 33 previously unrecorded bacterial species strains isolated from specialized halophilic and contaminated environments in Korea. The bacterial strains were isolated from unique ecological niches, including solar saltern, mudflats, and contaminated soils from highly polluted sites such as landfills and parking lots. These habitats harbor diverse microbial communities, offering insights into bacterial adaptation and distribution. The findings contribute to the understanding of microbial diversity in extreme and anthropogenically impacted environments. Based on high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (>98.7%) and the formation of a robust phylogenetic clade with the closest species, each strain was determined to belong to a predefined bacterial species. There is no official report that these 33 species belonged to 4 phyla, 7 classes, 17 orders, 19 families, and 27 genera, which were assigned to Muricauda, Kaistella, Hymenobacter and Flavobacterium of the phylum Bacteroidota; Streptomyces, Rhodococcus, Rathayibacter, Nocardioides, Cryobacterium, Arthrobacter and Aeromicrobium of the phylum Actinomycetota; Thioclava, Sulfitobacter, Spiribacter, Simplicispira, Shewanella, Roseovarius, Qipengyuania, Pseudomonas, Maritalea, Marinobacter, Halomonas, Devosia, Chromohalobacter and Brevundimonas of the phylum Pseudomonadota; Virgibacillus and Alkalihalobacillus of the phylum Bacillota. Gram-staining results, colony and cell morphologies, basic biochemical characteristics, isolation sources, and strain IDs are also described in the species description section.

The purpose of this study is to isolate and identify wild yeasts from Batillaria cumingii, Batillaria multiformis and soil samples collected in Mokpo-si and Shinan-gun, Republic of Korea. Out of the fourteen strains identified, ten had been previously reported, whereas four strains were unreported in the Republic of Korea. Identification of wild yeast strains was performed through pairwise sequence comparisons of the D1/D2 region of the 26S rRNA gene using the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) (Fell et al., 2000). Cell morphology was examined using a phase contrast microscope, and assimilation tests were conducted with the API 20C AUX kit. Of the four unreported yeast strains, D-7 and 11-2 belong to the genus Nakaseomyces (family: Saccharomycetaceae, order: Saccharomycetales, class: Saccharomycetes) and the genus Kazachstania (family: Saccharomycetaceae, order: Saccharomycetales, class: Saccharomycetes), respectively. Meanwhile, K-9 and K-22 belong to the genus Crinitomyces (family: Trichomonascaceae, order: Dipodascales, class: Dipodascomycetes). The 26S rRNA gene sequences of strains D-7, K-9, K-22, and 11-2 have been deposited in GenBank under the accession numbers PV244027, PV244028, PV244029, and PV243995, respectively. All strains had oval-shaped and multilateral budding cells. This research elucidated the morphological and biochemical properties of these three previously unreported yeast species in Korea.

This study presented the first record of two marine diatom parasites, Lagenisma coscinodisci (Oomycetes) and Paulsenella kornmannii(Dinophyceae), in Korea. Plankton samples were collected from Yongho Harbor, Busan, in March 2022, and diatoms infected by these parasites, Coscinodiscus wailesii by L. coscinodisci and Eucampia zodiacus by P. kornmannii, were isolated for morphological and molecular analyses. Both parasites exhibited developmental characteristics consistent with previous descriptions. The 18S rRNA gene sequences of L. coscinodisci (1,430 bp) and P. kornmannii (1,331 bp) were successfully obtained, with the latter being reported for the first time. Phylogenetic analysis placed L. coscinodisci within Oomycetes, clustering with Thraustotheca clavata, while P. kornmannii was positioned within Dinophyceae, closely related to P. vonstoschii. This study provides new insights into the biodiversity of parasitic protists in Korean waters and contributes the first molecular data for P. kornmannii.

Tanzania is one of the most butterfly-diverse countries in Africa, hosting numerous endemic species due to its diverse habitats and climatic conditions. Despite the presence of high biomass within key national parks, such as Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro, and Manyara, studies on butterfly diversity in northern Tanzania remain fragmented and insufficient. To address this gap, we conducted a butterfly diversity survey in the Arusha region of northern Tanzania in 2024, collecting various butterfly species through field sampling. Additionally, specimens from northern Tanzania, housed at the Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute (TAWIRI), were cataloged and photographed. As a result, we identified and recorded 82 species, belonging to 49 genera, 14 subfamilies, and five families in Arusha region. This study is the first in a series of publications specifically summarizing butterfly diversity in northern Tanzania, providing structured baseline data on the previously unorganized butterfly diversity in the Arusha region. Furthermore, it includes ecological information and photographic data for all examined species, along with detailed collection site information from the surveyed regions.

The heterocytous cyanobacterium Dolichospermum mucosum was observed in Cheongpyeong Lake, located in the mid-to-downstream region of the North Han River. This species is morphologically characterized by irregularly and circularly coiled trichomes, which are consistently surrounded by a transparent mucilaginous envelope at a distance of 19.8±11.3 ㎛. Akinetes were solitary, nearly spherical, and positioned at a distance from the heterocysts, with a width-to-length ratio of 1.1±0.2. In phylogenetic analyses based on the 16S rRNA and rbcLX genes, this strain clustered within the same clade as previously reported D. mucosum. However, in the phylogenetic analysis, it grouped mostly closely with D. smithii, which exhibited the highest nucleotide sequence similarity. Structural variations in Box-B and V3 helices enabled clear differentiation between D. mucosum and D. smithii. Based on these morphological and phylogenetic characteristics, the Dolichospermum strain was identified as D. mucosum, marking its first recorded occurrence in the Republic of Korea.

The Lepidopteran family Geometridae is one of the most diverse and widely studied taxa in Korea, encompassing over 726 species. In this study, we report two species for the first time in Korea: Problepsis albidior Warren, 1899, belonging to the subfamily Sterrhinae, shows a whitish wing with a large medial eye spot encircled by ochreous and blackish scales. From its close relative, the male genitalia can be distinguished by the relatively rounded ceras on the eighth sternite, the strongly dentate inner margin of the tegumen, and two minute cornuti on the vesica. Proomphe lobata Warren, 1896, from the subfamily Larentiinae, features a light brown forewing with dark ochreous costal area, a pointed apex, a toothed distal margin, and a yellowish hindwing. The male genitalia are characterized by a strongly tapering uncus, a well-developed transtilla and anellus lobe, and a slender valva with a long, club-shaped harpe. A simple antrum, a long ductus bursae, and an ovate corpus bursae without a signum identify the female genitalia. Diagnoses, redescription, along with photographs of adults and their genitalia, are provided.