• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.278-281
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• 2015

An 8-year-old male red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Species Restoration Technology Institute of Korea National Park Service (KNPS), revealed nodular growths in its ventro-cervical region. The fox was introduced from Young-Yang Gun in 2012 to KNPS for re-introduction of the red fox. It has been cared in captive facility and showed the mass in August 2013 that was sent to Wildlife Medical Center. For the diagnosis of underlying disease and cervical mass, radiographical and sonographical examinations, complete blood count, serum chemistry analysis, peripheral blood smear examination and surgical removal of the mass were performed. The mass was fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and processed routinely for haematoxylin and eosin (HE) stain. Based on hematological and serum chemical examination, the fox showed mild leukocytosis, thrombopenia, increase of creatine kinase MB (CKMB) and uric acid. However, it was considered as no clinical relevance since the fox showed no related clinical signs. Macroscopically, the mass was round shape, whitish and well-demarcated. Microscopically, it was diagnosed as a lipoma consisting of mature adipose tissue. Lipoma is a common benign tumor in most domestic animals, however it has never been reported in the red fox. The present case report provides comprehensive diagnosis of a subcutaneous lipoma in a red fox.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.565-577
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to understand the factors influencing the decline and the patterns of changes in Abies nephrolepis populations on Mt. Seorak. We installed permanent quadrats in the areas of the Gwittagicheongbong (peak), Gwanmoneungseon (ridge), and the Seorak Falls and have monitored the community structure, population dynamics, radial growth, and vitality in the quadrats since 2009. Excluding the Seorak Falls, the three research sites showed a three-layer structure in which the low-tree layer forms the canopy. Major tree species were Khingan fir, Korean arborvitae, Mongolian oak, Erman's birch, and Korean maple. The significance of Khingan fir in Seorak Falls decreased from 45.3% in 2009 to 36.8% in 2018. The number of shoots ($DBH{\geq}5cm$) was highest at 1,800 individuals/ha and 1,700 individuals/ha at the Gwittagicheongbong 2 and the Gwanmoneungseon, respectively. The mortality rates over the past 10 years were very high, at 38.3% and 35.3%, respectively, in the Gwittagicheongbong 1 and Seorak Falls. The most stable inverse J-shaped distribution in the Gwittagicheongbong 1 area was shown in the size-frequency distribution of the Khingan fir populations. The average annual ring growth of the Khingan fir was 0.96 ~ 1.73 mm/year, and the ring growth tended to decrease in the areas of Gwittagicheongbong 1, Gwanmoneungseon, and Seorak Falls, where the vitality was low. If the monitoring process continues, it will be possible to obtain basic data for the conservation and management of subalpine vegetation.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2021

Distribution aspects and extinction threat evaluation of the endangered species, Rhynchocypris semotilus were investigated in Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea, June 2020. Among the 12 sampling sites investigated during the study period, samples of R. semotilus were collected 268 individuals at 6 sites. The streams inhabited of R. semotilus were Songhyeoncheon (3 stations), Gojindong (2 stations) and Osodong (1 station). The main habitats of R. semotilus were uppermost and upper stream (Aa type) with 3~15 m water flow width, 0.3~1.3 m depth and high ratio boulder and cobble bottoms. The estimated age of the R. semotilus (June) based on their total length distribution indicated that 0-, 1-, 2-, 3- and more than 4-year-old were 6~27 mm, 38~59 mm, 60~75 mm, 78~93 mm and 96~125 mm, respectively, and their has matured reproductive organs over two years old. R. semotilus investigation results of the threat of extinction showed no tendency to decrease in population size, but estimated to be less than 1,000 mature individuals, with a small range of extend of occurrence (39.668 km²), area of occupancy (16 km²), and number of disconnected locations (3 locations). Therefore, R. semotilus is now considered vulnerable (VU D2) based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.232-238
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• 2020

The objective of the present study was to investigate fish farm and growth performances of Chinese muddy loach (Misgurnus mizolepis) under indoor and outdoor aquaculture conditions for the domestic loach aquaculture industry. The investigation was conducted from August 2017 to October 2019 at one indoor farm (D-site) and two outdoor farms (P1-site and P2-site). Results showed that WG (weight gain), DWG (daily weight gain), and SWG (specific weight gain) based on growth measurements were 175.27±36.2%, 7.98±3.3%, and 0.94±0.2% at D-site, 320±34%, 4.07±0.6%, and 0.55±0.1% at P1-site, and 295.9±53%, 4.15±0.5%, and 0.62±0.1% at P2-site, respectively. WG was higher in outdoor farms (P1-site and P2-site), while DWG and SWG were higher in the indoor farm (D-site). Such differences of the present study might be due to differences in growth, water quality, plant and sale frequency depending on aquaculture types. In particular, outdoor farms takes more than a year to have sales whereas indoor farms can have sales three times in a year.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.168-177
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• 2019

This study was conducted to examine the impact of various environmental factors on the feeding behavior of black-faced spoonbills Platalea minor known to use rice fields during the breeding season. We surveyed the rice fields three times a month from April to June 2017 and from April to June 2018. We counted the number of black-faced spoonbills and measured the environmental factors such as the water depth, paddy type by cultivation stage, and biomass of potential prey that are expected to affect black-faced spoonbills. We also filmed the feeding behavior of black-faced spoonbills to examine differences in feeding behavior by environmental factors. The survey showed that the number of black-faced spoonbills reached its peak from late April to late May which was the breeding period. Among a total of 308 black-faced spoonbills observed, 86.4% (n=266) were observed feeding on rice paddies, 90.6% (n=279) were adults, and none was observed on dry paddies. The biomass of rice paddy increased significantly since May when fish started hatching, and there was a significant difference in the amount of biomass between the rice paddies where black-faced spoonbills were observed and other rice paddies. The analysis of the feeding behavior of black-faced spoonbills showed that the feeding efficiency and feeding success rate of black-faced spoonbills increased significantly when the amount of biomass soared and that the number of steps of black-faced spoonbills per minute increased greatly after rice planting was completed. The number of bill sweeping was not related to the feeding efficiency, feeding success rate, and paddy type by cultivation stage.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.217-225
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• 2021

The family Platycephalidae is a taxonomic group of economically important demersal flathead fishes that predominantly occupy tropical or temperate estuaries and coastal environments of the Indo-Pacific oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. In this study, we for the first time analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the flathead Platycephalus cultellatus Richardson, 1846 from Vietnam by Next Generation Sequencing method. Its mitogenome was 16,641 bp in total length, comprising 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNA genes. The gene composition and order of the mitogenome were identical to those of typical vertebrates. The phylogenetic trees were reconstructed based on the concatenated nucleotide sequence matrix of 13 PCGs and the partial sequence of a DNA barcoding marker, cox1 in order to determine its molecular phylogenetic position among the order Scorpaeniformes. The phylogenetic result revealed that P. cultellatus formed a monophyletic group with species belonging to the same family and consistently clustered with one nominal species, P. indicus, and two Platycephalus sp. specimens. Besides, the cox1 tree confirmed the taxonomic validity of our specimen by forming a monophyletic clade with its conspecific specimens. The mitogenome of P. cultellatus analyzed in this study will contribute valuable information for further study on taxonomy and phylogeny of flatheads.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2021

Spawning behavior of the endangered Korean fish, Microphysogobio koreensis, was investigated in the Seomjingang (river), Imsil-gun, South Korea, during the spawning season, April to May 2012. The mating system of M. koreensis, a broadcast spawner, was a primitive spawning mode, and involved one male and one female, unlike group spawning fishes. Spawning behavior of M. koreensis in the wild were observed in eight patterns as resting, male chase, body beating, parallel swim, female withdrawal, male competition, spawning and not guard while spawning behavior in the glass tank were verified in six patterns as resting, male chase, body beating, parallel swim, spawning and not guard. In particular, a behavioral attempt of the pre-spawning stage showed more frequently in the wild than in the glass tank. We assume that difference of spawning behavior might be implication on behavioral restrictions in small and narrow indoor glass tank.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.294-304
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• 2022

This study carried out from March 2021 to October 2021 in the upper part (St. 1) and middle part (St. 2) section of Yongsu stream, a branch of the Geum river, using PIT telemetry to understand the movement patterns and habitat characteristics of Odontobutis interrupta, a Korean endemic species. O. interrupta collection was used kick net (5×5 mm) and fish trap (5×5 mm). After collecting fish, PIT tag insertion was performed immediately in the site. Reader (HPR Plus Reader, biomark, USA) and portable Antenna (BP Plus Portable Antenna, biomark, USA) were used for detection of fish to monitoring the tagged O. interrupta. As a result of PIT telemetry applied to 70 individuals, mean movement distance was 36.5 (SE, ±6.6) m. There was a significant difference between total length and movement distance (P≤0.05). O. interrupta was mainly identified in average water depth, 36.2±1.9 cm, average water velocity, 0.03±0.07 m s^-1 and average distance from watershed, 4.4±0.3 m. Extent of rock used for habitat was varied from 32 to 4,000 cm². There was no statistical difference between the area of the first selected rock and the area of the after selected rock (P>0.05). but there was significant difference between total length and the area of the rock except for detection before 24 hours (P<0.01). Therefore, to restore the habitat, it is considered necessary to create various substrate structures by providing various habitat environments (water depth, flow rate, stone, etc.) for each individual size.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2020

This study was carried out to compare the Snout-vent length (SVL) and the biomass for the endangered species II, narrow-mouthed toad (Kaloula borealis), at the three different latitude sites (Seoul, Nonsan, Busan) in Korea. For the narrow-mouthed toad study, pitfall traps and inducement traps were used to catch the species, and environmental factors (temperature, precipitation, humidity) were compared by region. As a result of this study, each of the male narrow-mouthed toads' SVL and biomass in Busan was 41.6±0.39mm, and 11.3±0.17g, which showed that it was the biggest and heaviest among the three regions. For Seoul and Nonsan, each of the SVL of the female narrow-mouthed toad was 36.6±2.03mm, 36.6±1.76mm, and the biomass was 8.1±0.55g, 8.2±0.91g, which showed that there was no significant difference between Seoul and Nonsan. Each of the female narrow-mouthed frogs' SVL and biomass in Busan was 44.7±0.35mm, 13.1±0.18g, which was also biggest but showed no significant difference in biomass by region. Concluding, this showed that the female narrow-mouthed toad in Busan is larger and heavier than those of other regions. We hope this study will be a standard for the future amphibian research with comparing the SVL and biomass for the endangered species II, narrow-mouthed toad. It is expected that if this kind of study keeps for long, it will be a basis for understanding changes in biomass of amphibian species due to climate change.