• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.151-162
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• 2023

This study investigated the characteristics of fish communities and inhabiting status of the endangered species, Rhodeus pseudosericeus, in the Geumdang Stream in Korea from March to October 2021. A total of 1,698 fish in 5 families and 25 species were collected from 7 survey stations during the survey period. The dominant species was Zacco platypus (relative abundance, 46.5%), and the subdominant species was Squalidus gracilis majimae (16.7%), followed by Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (12.0%), Z. koreanus (5.7%), Pungtungia herzi (3.2%), R. pseudosericeus (2.0%), R. notatus (1.9%), and Acheilognathus rhombeus (1.8%). Nine Korean endemic species (36.0%) were collected, including R. pseudosericeus, R. uyekii, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus wakiyae, Microphysogobio yaluensis, S. gracilis majimae, Z. koreanus, Cobitis nalbanti, Iksookimia koreensis, and Odontobutis interrupta. An exotic species, Micropterus salmoides, designated as an invasive alien species (IAS), was collected downstream. The investigation of the habitat patterns of the endangered species (class II), Rhodeus pseudosericeus, showed a habitat range of about 6 to 7 km in the middle of Geumdang Stream (RP-1 to RP-4), and this species inhabited the edge with water depths of 0.3 through 1.0 m with slow water flow and many aquatic plants. According to the community analysis results, the overall dominance and evenness indexes were low, while diversity and richness indexes were high, and the cluster structure was largely divided into upstream and middle-downstream areas. The river health (fish assessment index) evaluated using fish was assessed as good (3 stations), normal (3 stations), and bad (1 station), and water quality was evaluated as good both upstream and downstream. Compared to previous studies, the number of species was relatively similar, and among the species that appeared in the past, 13 species did not appear in this survey, while 6 species appeared for the first time in this survey. Disturbance factors included river construction, many weirs, and the appearance of the ecosystem-disturbing species, M. salmoides. Since Geumdang Strem has high conservation value because it is home to many species in the Acheilognathinae subfamily, including the endangered species R. pseudosericeus, continuous attention and systematic conservation measures are required.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.229-246
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• 2023

The bitterling (Cyprinidae, Acheilongnathinae) is a temperate freshwater fish with a unique spawning symbiosis with host mussels. Female bitterlings use their extended ovipositors to lay eggs on the gills of mussels through the mussel's exhalant siphon. In the present study, in April of 2020, we investigated spawning frequencies and patterns of three bitterling fish species in host mussel species in the Nakdong River basin (Hoecheon). During field surveys, a total of four bitterling and three mussel species were found. We observed bitterling's spawning eggs/larvae in the three mussel species: Anodonta arcaeformis(proportion spawned: 45.5%), Corbicula fluminea(12.1%), and Nodularia douglasiae (45.2%). The number of bitterlings' eggs/larvae per mussel ranged from 1 to 58. Using our developed genetic markers, we identified the eggs/larvae of each bitterling species in each mussel species (except for A. macropterus): A. arcaeformis (spawned by Acheilognathus yamatsutae), C. fluminea (A. yamatsutae and Tanakia latimarginata), and N. douglasiae (A. yamatsutae, Rhodeus uyekii, and T. latimarginata). Approximately 57.6% of N. douglasiae mussel individuals had eggs/larvae of more than one bitterling species, suggesting that interspecific competition for occupying spawning grounds is intense. This is the first report on bitterling's spawning events in the Asian clam C. fluminea from Korea; however, it should be ascertained whether bitterling's embryo undergoes successful development inside the small mussel and leaves as a free-swimming juvenile. In addition, the importance of its conservation as a new host mussel species for bitterling fishes needs to be studied further.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.151-159
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• 2012

Cross and reciprocal hybrids from intrageneric crosses between Rhodeus uyekii and R. notatus were analyzed morphometrically using truss and classical dimensions, erythrocyte size using blood smears, and cytogenetically using flowcytometry, then compared with the parental species. Although the morphometric assessment based on body proportions indicated that the hybrids were generally intermediate between the maternal and paternal species, the morphometric characters of cross and reciprocal hybrids included at least 14 paternal-like and 7 maternal-like, and 13 paternal-like and 5 maternal-like characters, respectively (P<0.05). The pigmentation of the hybrids was intermediate in some respects, and resembled that of the parental species. The DNA content of the cross and reciprocal hybrids, based on flow cytometry analysis, was significantly different from the parental species. The characterization of morphometric traits and the cytogenetic analysis of hybrids of R. uyekii and R. notatus used in this study may be useful for distinguishing genotypes in commercial Acheilognathinae aquaculture.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2020

This study investigated spawning characteristics of Hangang bitterling, Rhodeus pseudosericeus inside the host mussel, Unio douglasiae sinuolatus at the Heukcheon Stream in Korea from April to June 2017. 327 mussels were collected, among them, 34 (14.1%) were spawned mussels of R. pseudosericeus with glochidia. The mean number of R. pseudosericeus embryos with or without glochidia by the mussel gill position was 5.0±3.58 (range, 1~8) vs. 2.8±2.13 (1~9) in the left outer demibranch, 1.5±0.96 (1~3) vs. 1.7±0.82 (1~3) in the left inner demibranch, 1.4±0.51 (1~2) vs. 2.1±1.85 (1~6) in the right inner demibranch, and 6.4±4.82 (1~20) vs. 3.0±1.86 (1~6) in the right outer demibranch. The frequency of R. pseudosericeus embryos with or without glochidia by the mussel gill position was 82.6% vs. 73.4% in the left outer demibranch, 17.4% vs. 9.4% in the left inner demibranch, 26.1% vs. 15.6% in the right inner demibranch, and 58.7% vs. 67.2% in the right outer demibranch. The mean number of R. pseudosericeus embryos with or without glochidia was 8.5±6.43 (1~23) vs. 4.5±3.38 (1~14). The number and frequency of R. pseudosericeus embryos were higher in the mussel with glochidia and the outer demibranchs than those without glochidia and with inner demibranchs.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.128-138
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• 1998

Comparative studies on the morphological characters of the circumorbital bone were made in order to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of the family Cyprinidae. In this paper, forty four species from Korea and three species of Gobiobotia and Saurogobio dabryi from China were studied. Pungtungia herzi, Pseudopungtungia nigra and Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpus were similar in morphological structure on points of the first infraorbital elongated. In Hemibarbus, the base portion of the opened sensor canal was transformed into a lateral plate in the infraorbital. Microphysogobio was characteristic in that the infraorbital series were large, and had close relationship with Pseudogobio esocinus and Saurogobio dabryi. Gobiobotia were reduced to a bony canal with dermal bone. Culter brevicauda had a short supraorbital. Cyprininae were characterized by larger fourth and fifth infraorbitals. Leuciscinae were divided into two groups: Moroco and Zacco. The former includes Phoxinus phoxinus, Moroco oxycephalus and Moroco kumgangensis, and the latter includes Zacco platypus, Zacco temmincki and Opsariichthys bidens. Moroco group was distinguished from Zacco group in points of having a short supraorbital and a elongated the first infraorbital.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2008

Internal and external reproductive parameters of the striped bitterling, Acheilognathus yamatsutae were compared. Internal reproductive parameters was used gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI) and gonadal development stage. External reproductive parameters was used ovipositor in female and pearl organ, dorsal and caudal fin nuptial color in male. The GSI and HSI of the female and male showed highest in February. Gonadal development was observed mainly ripe and spawning/spent stage in February to May. The ovipositor length index (OLI) of the female showed highest in March to April. Pearl organ number and expression rate of the male showed highest in February to May. Dorsal fin nuptial color expression rate and index (NCI-DF) showed highest in February to May. Caudal fin nuptial color expression rate and index(NCI-CF) showed highest in February to April. The study suggested same change of internal and external reproductive parameters in female and male.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.100-106
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• 2018

The distribution aspect and extinction threat evaluation of the endangered species, Rhodeus pseudosericeus were investigated from 2012 to 2017 in Korea for the subject of this study. The number of appearance sites in the past literature of available and identified R. pseudosericeus was 26. During the study period, the samples of R. pseudosericeus were collected in 44 sites (Hangang River 35 sites, Sapgyocheon Stream 4 sites, Daecheoncheon Stream 5 sites) among the noted 214 sampling stations investigated. Among these, the newly appearance streams were Ilricheon Stream, Samsancheon Stream, Bangyecheon Stream and Hanpocheon Stream in the Hangang River. In addition, the habitats and populations in the upper Seomgang River (Hoengseong Dam), lower Heukcheon Stream, Muhancheon Stream and Daecheoncheon Stream decreased due to dam construction, river work, water pollution, and the spread of the exotic species Micropterus salmoides. The main habitat of R. pseudosericeus was the middle-upper stream of clean water with slow water velocity, sand-pebble bottoms and lots of aquatic plants. Given this evidence as noted for the 30.2% reduction in occupancy within 10 years, due to the qualitative decline of habitat, the overfishing risk of ornamental fish and the spread of M. salmoides, in this case R. pseudosericeus is considered to be Vulnerable (VU A2cde) based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.83-88
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• 2014

An endemic Korean bitterling, Acheilognathus signifer, known as using freshwater mussels for its spawning activity, much prefers Lamprotula leai in Dalcheon stream (Goesan population) and Unio douglasiae sinuolatus in Gadaecheon (Danyang population) stream, Korea. The spawning pattern between two mussels and one bitterling was carried out in two populations from April to June, 2011 and 2013. L. leai in the Goesan population was bigger shell length and have more eggs, larvae or both with A. signifer than those of U. d. sinuolatus in the Danyang population. Also, A. signifer in the Goesan population appeared to have a longer ovipositor and lay ripen eggs more than those of A. signifer in the Danyang population. Glochidium, a larval stage, of some L. leai in the Goesan population was incubated in all the demibranch, whereas for all of U. d. sinuolatus in the Danyang population was found in the outer demibranch only. For L. leai in the Goesan population, the eggs, larvae or both of A. signifer were much more in the non-breeding mussels (giving no glochidium) than the breeding mussels having the glochidium. For U. d. sinuolatus in the Danyang population, in contrast, the non-breeding mussels have fewer eggs, larvae or both less than the breeding one.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.45-56
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• 2021

A male, presumed to be an intergeneric hybrid between Tanakia lanceolata and Rhodeus pseudosericeus, was collected in the Boryeong Daecheoncheon Stream flowing into the Yellow Sea in the Republic of Korea. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed to discriminate the definite origin of the estimated natural hybrid. As a result of the morphological analysis, the color of the dorsal and anal fin rays edges of the natural hybrid individual, the upper and lower body colors followed the morphological characteristics of T. lanceolata, and that blue longitudinal stripe in the center of the caudal peduncle, the incomplete lateral line, and the barbels absent followed the morphological characteristics of R. pseudosericeus. In addition, as a result of the cytochrome b (cytb) gene analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the natural hybrid showed a nucleotide sequence similarity of 99.82 to 100% with T. lanceolata, and the maternal species was identified as T. lanceolata. As a result of the recombination activating gene 1 (rag1) gene analysis of nuclear DNA (nDNA), the natural hybrid showed double peaks pattern reflecting both the single nucleotide polymorphism sites (38 bp) between T. lanceolata and R. pseudosericeus, and the paternal species was identified as R. pseudosericeus. Therefore, a natural hybrid estimated male of Acheilognathinae analyzed in this study was found to be an intergeneric hybrid between a female T. lanceolata and a male R. pseudosericeus.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.726-734
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• 2019

To understand the relationship between water velocity in a fishway and fish morphology, the fineness ratio of fish, expressed as the standard length to the body depth, was measured. The fineness ratios of fish groups belonging to Cyprinidae, Acheilognathinae, Centropomidae, and Centrachidae were relatively low. The FRs of other groups, excluding eel-shaped types of fish, were over 4.5, indicating streamlined structures. The fineness ratios of Korean fish were classified into three different types: type I was Bitterling-Carp group that favored a slow-flowing pool habitat(FRs ranged from 2.1 to 3.3), type II was the Chub group representing streamlined types (FRs FRs ranged from 3.7 to 5.2), and type III was the Smelt-Barbel fish group that preferred riffle-run habitats with high velocity (FRs is over 5.2). Fish abundance analysis of fish using the fishway during the experimental periods showed a relatively high abundance of both type II and III compared to type I. The FRs of the fish passing through fishway(velocity 0.5-1.0 m s^-1) ranged from 4.5 to 5.0, indicating that the fish using the fishway were mainly the streamlined type. As one of the standard fishways in Korea, the flow rate of the ice harbor type ranged from 0.2 to 2.6 m s^-1. The FR values of the fish groups using the fishway ranged from 4.3 to 5.0. In contrast, the flow rate measured in an artificial channel type of fishway (same as a natural type of fishway) ranged from 0.1 to 1.9 m s^-1 and the FR values for the fish groups using a natural type of fishway ranged from 3.3 to 5.3. The low FR values in natural fish are considered to be due to differences in the flow rates between the two types of fishways.