• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.189-191
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• 2009

Four feral cats and a raccoon dog purchased from a local collector on Aphaedo Island, Shinan-gun, where human Gymnophalloides seoi infections are known to be prevalent, were examined for their intestinal helminth parasites. From 2 of 4 cats, a total of 310 adult G. seoi specimens were recovered, Other helminths detected in cats included Heterophyes nocens (1,527 specimens), Pygidiopsis summa (131), Stictodora fuscata (4), Acanthotrema felis (2), Spirometra erinacei (15), toxocarids (4), and a hookworm (1). A raccoon dog was found to be infected with a species of echinostome (55), hook-worms (7), toxocarids (3), P. summa (3), and S. erinacei (1). No G. seoi was found in the raccoon dog. The results indicate that feral cats and raccoon dogs on Aphaedo are natural definitive hosts for intestinal trematodes and cestodes, including G. seoi, H. nocens, and S. erinacei, It has been first confirmed that cats, a mammalian species other than humans, play the role of a natural definitive host for G. seoi on Aphaedo Island.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.329-336
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• 2012

In September 2009, a perfectly preserved fossil of a dinosaur egg nest was discovered in the Cretaceous formations of the Aphaedo area in Shinan, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. In order to estimate the age of dinosaur eggshells and the depositional age of the Cretaceous sediments in Aphaedo area, a whole-rock K-Ar dating was carried out on volcanic pebbles showing a sedimentary structure contemporaneous with the Aphaedo strata, acidic tuffs overlaying the strata conformably, and acidic dike rocks intrude to both of them. Volcanic rocks observed in the strata are 3-20 cm in diameter as pebbles found in lenticular conglomerate and pebble bearing mudstone strata. K-Ar whole-rock dating was performed on six different volcanic pebbles which show a sedimentary structure contemporaneous with the dinosaur egg nest contained in the strata, and all samples show Late Cretaceous ages: Cenomanian ($97.6{\pm}1.9$Ma), Coniacian ($87.6{\pm}1.7$ Ma), Santonian ($84.5{\pm}1.7$Ma) or Campanian ($82.5{\pm}1.6$, $77.3{\pm}1.5$, $75.7{\pm}1.5$ Ma). The K-Ar whole-rock age of acidic tuffs overlaying the Cretaceous formation conformably was estimated to be Campanian ($79.2{\pm}1.6$ or $77.3{\pm}1.5$Ma), when the dating was carried out under the same conditions. The acidic dike intruding both Cretaceous formation and acidic tuff showed a K-Ar whole-rock age of $70.9{\pm}1.4$Ma (Campanian). Therefore, the depositional age of the Cretaceous formation in the Aphaedo area and the time when dinosaurs lived in the study area are considered to be 77-83 Ma. Such results indicate that the ages of dinosaur eggshells from Aphaedo area can be correlated with the ages of the Seonso Formation (81Ma) with dinosaur egg nest fossils and the Uhangri Formation (79-81Ma) with dinosaur, pterosaur and web-footed bird tracks.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.65-99
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• 2018

We investigated vascular plants of Aphaedo Island in Shinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, Korea. By referring to voucher specimens collected over the course of 28 days from May of 2011 to March of 2016, a total of 451 taxa were identified and grouped into 102 families, 294 genera, 413 species, 6 subspecies, 30 varieties, and 2 forms, of which 9 taxa were classified as endangered or rare, including Albizia kalkora, Salomonia oblongifolia, and Centranthera cochinchinensis var. lutea. A total of 59 taxa were identified as regional indicator plants. Six taxa were endemic to Korea, including Hepatica insularis, Indigofera koreana, and Lespedeza maritima. Three taxa (Rumex acetosella, Aster pilosus, and Hypochaeris radicata) among 52 naturalized taxa were ecosystem-disturbing plants as designated by the Ministry of the Environment. The results of preceding floristic research before and after the inauguration of the Aphaedaegyo (bridge) were used to analyze changes in the number of naturalized species on Aphaedo Island.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.163-170
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• 1998

An epidemiological survey was performed to know the infection status of oysters with Gwmnophclloides seoi metacercariae in 7 islands of the West Sea known as the habitat of paleartic oystercatchers . Hcemntopus ostralegus osculans, in Korea. The surveyed areas were Aphaedo (Shinan-gun. Chollanam-do) Jangiado, Sonyudo and Munyodo (Okdo-myon, Kunsan-shi, Chollabuk-do), Yubudo (Changhang-up, Sochon-gun Chungchongnam-do), and Polumdo and Chumoondo (Sodo-myon, Kangwha-gup, Inchon ski). The oysters collected from Aphaedo, the known endemic focus, were examined monthly from August 1995 to October 1996 for observation of any seasonal variation of the metacercarial density. The average metacercarial burden was 761-2,077 by month, but the seasonal variation of the metacercarial density was not obvious. A total of 54 metacercariae was detected in 63 oysters collected from Yubudo. Out of 30 oysters from Sonyudo, 25 (83.3%) were infected with 1-66 metacercariae (12.6 in average). All of 50 oysters (100%) from Munyodo were infected with 3-162 metacercariae (53.5 in average), Only 4 metacercariae were detected in 100 oysters from Chumoondo. However, no metacercariae were found in 55 oysters from .Tangjado and 50 oysters from Polumdo. From the above results, it was confirmed that G. seoi is still highly prevalent in oysters from Aphaedo, and several islands of the West Sea known as the habitats of paleartic oystercatchers are new endemic areas of this fluke.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2009

We investigated the moth diversity on an island of southern sea of Korea. We collected moths at three sites on the island of Bogildo, Wando-gun, Jeonnam using a 22-watt ultraviolet light trap from May to October, 2008, and identified a total of 272 species and 948 individuals in 13 families. Species of Noctuidae was the most abundant, with 107 species and 318 individuals, followed by Geometridae (62 species and 147 individuals) and Pyralidae (53 species and 269 individuals). The graph of the estimated species richness in Chao 1 (432.25$\pm$37.39) did not reach an asymptote, which suggests that more moth species could be identified on the island through further sampling. An arctiid moth, Miltochrista striata, was the most abundant species captured in this study. Monthly changes in moth species richness and abundance formed M-shaped curves, with peaks in early summer (June) and late summer (August). Cluster analysis of seven sites on three islands (Aphaedo Island, Sinan-gun, Oenarodo Island, Goheung-gun and Bogildo Island) divided the sites into two groups. Distances among sites and habitat types may play an important role in determining the similarities of moth faunas among sites.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.85-118
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• 2001

Studies on Gymnophalloides seoi (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) and human infections are briefly reviewed. This minute intestinal fluke was first discovered from a Korean woman suffering from acute pancreatitis and gastrointestinal troubles. It was described as a new species by Lee, Chai and Hong in 1993. The southwestern coastal village where the patient resided was found to be a highly endemic area, and additional endemic areas have been identified. The parasite is very small, 0.33-0.50 mm long and 0.23-0.33 mm wide. and characterized by the presence of a ventral pit. The first intermediate host remains unknown, but the second intermediate host has been found to be the oyster Crassostrea gigas. Man and the Palearctic oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus have been shown to be natural definitive hosts , and wading birds including the Dentish plover Charadrius alexandrinus are highly susceptible to experimental infection. Gerbils, hamsters, cats, and several strains of mice were also susceptible laboratory hosts. In experimentally infected mice, the parasites inhabit the small intestine, pinching and sucking the root of villi with their large oral suckers, but they did not invade beyond the mucosa in immunocompetent mice. However, they were found to invade the submucosa in immunosuppressed mice. Human G. seoi infections have been found in at least 25 localities; 23 islands on the Yellow Sea or the South Sea, and 2 western coastal villages. The highest Prevalence was found in a village on Aphaedo. Shinan-fun (49% e99 Positive rate) : other areas showed 0.8-25.3% prevalence. Infected people complained of variable degrees of gastrointestinal troubles and indigestion. The infection can be diagnosed by recovery of eggs in the feces; however, an expert is needed to identify the eggs. Praziquantel, 10mg/kg in single dose, is effective for treatment of human infections. Eating raw oysters in endemic areas should be avoided.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2015

This study aims to establish the age of the Cretaceous Togeum Formation in Gurye that reported the discovery of dinosaur eggshells and bones. This study also investigates to determine the period of the dinosaurs' dominance in the region. K-Ar ages are measured on the whole volcanic rocks in the lower - and upper parts of the formation. The six samples dated are volcanic pebbles deposited in the Geumjeongri Conglomerate that is distributed underneath the Togeum Formation, and the ages dated as Aptian ($118.3{\pm}2.3Ma$) or Albian ($103.6{\pm}2.0$, $102.5{\pm}2.0$, $99.9{\pm}1.9Ma$), which all correspond to the Early Cretaceous. In addition, the ages of andesites and porphyritic andesites overlying the Togeum Formation are dated in a similar way. The result is that the ages are apparently corresponding to the Campanian ($83.9{\pm}1.6$, $74.2{\pm}1.5$Ma) of the Late Cretaceous. Field evidence and the age results indicate that the formation of the Togeum and the activities of dinosaurs dated back between 84 and 100Ma. It suggests that the Togeum Formation be somewhat older than the Boseong Seonso Formation (81Ma) which contains egg shells, the Haenam Uhangni Formation (79-81 Ma) that has dinosaur, pterosaur and webbed bird footprints, and also older than the theropod egg nests (77-83Ma) found in the Aphaedo area.