• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.43-55
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• 1995

Based on the reproductive cycle of Rhodeus uyekii, the reproductive control mechanism was examined under the several combinations of photoperiod and temperature regimes at different phases of their reproductive cycle. In early spring, the gonads developed rapidly under the warm temperature condition(above $8^{\circ}C$), regardless of the photoperiod. In late spring or early summer, gonads intensely regressed under the high temperature condition(above $24^{\circ}C$), regardless of the photoperiod. Thus, it is concluded that the spawning period of R. uyekii is initiated by the rising of water temperature in spring and is terminated by the high temperature in early summer. In autumn, the gonadal recrudescence occurs under the conditions of artificial long daylength with warm temperature(15L/9D, $12^{\circ}C{\sim}20^{\circ}C$), whereas the gonads remain in the existing condition under the short daylength. Therefore, in autumn the gonadal recrudescence is prevented by the short daylength although the temperature is still in favorable condition. In bitterling, the responsiveness of the gonads to photoperiod varies clearly with seasons, which was declined during the winter but increased during the autumn. The critical photoperiod for maturation ranges 12~13 hours of light per day. The results indicate that the proper ranges of temperature and photoperiod for gonadal maturation of this species are from $8^{\circ}C$ to $8^{\circ}C$ and from 13L to 15L, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2006

During spawning season of female in a Korean oily bitterling, Acheilognathus koreensis, the ventral region near the base of the pectoral fin becomes to be protruded outward of body and enlarged. This ventral process consists of both organs as rectum (vent) and inner ovipositor. The rectum consists of mucosa, lamina propria-submucosa, muscularis, and squamous epithelial layer (peritoneum=serosa) surrounding them. The mucosa contains numerous mucous cells meaning acid mucopolysaccharides in nature. The inner ovipositor is similar to that of the rectum, but the mucosa have no mucous cell, unlike that of the rectum. Whereas, the outer ovipositor has a straight and long tube which are not connected with the ventral process any more. The outer ovipositor was similar to the structure of the inner ovipositor in the ventral process. However, the outer ovipositor has no muscularis, and consists of three layers: mucosa, lamina propria-submucoa, and squamous epithelia. The outer ovipositor without the muscularis seems serves as a tube that eggs discharged from the outer ovipositor allow to send inside mussel, unlike that of the inner ovipositor performing rhythmic contractions of the layers of the muscularies for propelling to the matured oocytes to the outer ovipositor.

• 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 Environmental Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.352-358
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• 2018

This study aimed to develop a species identification method for the egg and fry of the three Korean bitterling fishes (Pisces: Acheilognathinae), including Acheilognathus signifer, Acheilognathus yamatsutae and Rhodeus uyekii based on the PCR-based Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) markers. We conducted a field survey on the Deokchicheon River from the North Han River basin, where the three Acheilognathinae species co-occur, and also analyzed the existing sequence dataset available from the GenBank. We found coexistence of the three species at the study site. The egg and fry were obtained from the host mussels (Unio douglasiae sinuolatus) by hand from May to June 2015 and in May 2017. To develop PCR-based RFLP markers for species identification of the three Acheilognathinae fish species, restriction enzymes pinpointing species-specific single nucleotide variation (SNV) sites in mitochondrial DNA COI (cytochrome oxidase I) and cyt b (cytochrome b) genes were determined. Genomic DNA was extracted from the egg and fry and RFLP experiments were carried out using restriction enzymes Apal I, Stu I and EcoR V for A. signifer, A. yamatsutae and R. uyekii, respectively. Consequently, unambiguous discrimination of the three species was possible, as could be seen in DNA band patterns from gel electrophoresis. Our developed PCR-based RFLP markers will be useful for the determination of the three species for the young and would assist in studying the spawning patterns and reproductive ecology of Acheilognathinae fishes. Furthermore, we believe the obtained information will be of importance for future maintenance, management and conservation of these natural and endangered species.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.163-166
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• 2008

The spermatozoal ultrastructure of Acheilognathus yamatsutae was studied using transmission electron microscopy. The mature spermatozoa are similar to those of other cyprinids as follows: a spherical nucleus with a shallow nuclear fossa, a short midpiece containing mitochondria and a long flagellum. However, there are some differences from other cyprinids in the orientation and position of the centrioles, the number of mitochondria, and the structure of vesicles. The position of the proximal centriole was of two types: one located on the side of nucleus decline, the other situated on the opposite side.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2013

Factors influencing spawning or respawning conditions of the bitterling, Acheilognathus signifer were investigated in the aquariums. Inducing the female spawning was more sensitive to the mussel than the male. The ovipositor of the female was periodically elongated and reduced from 4 to 6 days with the presence of mussel. During of the elongated state of the ovipositor was 1 to 2 days. As the result of natural spawning in the aquariums, it takes 1 to 3 days (mean 1.6) to spawn. The most important factor to respawn spawned females again was the mussel. It takes 11 to 53 days (mean 29.5) from extraction to reextraction of females which have elongated ovipositor. The egg numbers of reextraction were 2 to 41 (mean 19). This experiments showed the tendency the more standard length of females grows, the more the number of extracted eggs increases.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2009

Korean bitterling Acanthorhodeus gracilis Regan, 1908 is very similar to Acheilognathus chankaensis (Dybowski, 1872) having 12~14 dorsal fin rays, 10~11 anal fin rays and 35~36 lateral line scales. By analyzing these specimens and original descriptions, diagnostic characteristics of the genus Acanthorhodeus were included in the genus Acheilognathus and Acanthorhodeus gracilis was defined as a junior synonym of Acheilognathus chankaensis. The provisional keys are provided for identifying the nine species of Acheilognathus from Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.202-215
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• 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the spawning preference of the Acheilognathinae fishes in relation to the shell size of host mussels after identifying the species of eggs and fries in the host mussel using our recently developed RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) molecular marker at four sites [Hongcheon Naechoncheon (HN) and Deokchicheon (HD) from the North Han River basin and Jeongseon Goljicheon (JG) and Joyanggang (JJ) from the South Han River] in South Korea during May in each year between 2015 and 2018. The Acheilognathinae fish observed in the studied sites included one species (Acheilognathus signifer) in HN and JG, three species (Rhodeus uyekii, A. signifer, and Acheilognathus yamatsutae) in HD, and two species (A. signifer and Acheilognathus yamatsutae) in JJ, and we collected 982 host mussels (Unio douglasiae sinuolatus) that inhabited in all four sites. Using the RFLP molecular marker, we confirmed 46 eggs and fry of the Acheilognathinae fish (454 A. signifer, 43 Acheilognathus yamatsutae, and 149 Acheilognathus yamatsutae) in Unio douglasiae sinuolatus (N=163; 16.6%). We compare the average shell length, shell height, and shell width of mussels with [presence] eggs/fry and mussels without [absence] eggs/fry to examine the spawning preference according to the size of host mussels in each site. The results show that the shell length (1.98 mm), shell height (0.85 mm), and shell width (0.73 mm) of mussels with the eggs/fry were significantly larger (Mann-Whitney U test, P=0.002; difference=1.98 mm) than those of mussel without eggs/fry in HD where three species cohabitated. Although the shell length, shell height, and shell width of mussels with the eggs/fry were larger also in the other three sites, the difference was not statistically significant. In addition, we analyzed the mean number of spawned eggs and fry of each species and found $9.31{\pm}5.94$ R. uyekii, $2.86{\pm}2.45$ A.signifer, and $2.50{\pm}1.32$ A. yamatsutae. R. uyekii spawned 6.45-6.81 more eggs than A.signifer and A. yamatsutae on average per mussel, and it was statistically significant (Kruskal-Wallis test, P < 0.001). These findings indicate that the three species of Acheilognathinae fish tend to prefer larger mussels as their spawning hosts, and this tendency increases when the number of cohabitating bitterling fish species increases. Moreover, A.signifer and A. yamatsutae spawned a smaller number of eggs evenly in more host mussels while R. uyekii spawned many eggs on relatively fewer mussels. We found mussels (N=4) having the eggs/fry of two coexisting species, A. signifier and A. yamatsutae in HD and JJ where more than two bitterling fish species occurred. It suggests the interspecific competition taking place between the Acheilognathinae fishes for utilizing the same resource of mussels for spawning when two or more species cohabitate. This study is expected help to understand better the spawning patterns and reproductive ecology of the Acheilognathinae fishes, which will provide insightful information for advancing our understanding of their ecological relationships - mutualism or host-parasitism - with host mussels.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2014

The egg development and early life history of Acheilognathus majusculus which is Korean endemic species from Yeong river were observed under the controlled water temperature, $18.0{\pm}1.0^{\circ}C$. Fertilized eggs are opaque yellow in color and round oval shaped measuring 2.12 (2.08~2.18) mm in length and 1.86 (1.80~1.98) mm in breadth. The number of eggs averaged 72 (40~112) per an oviposition. The eggs of this species began to hatch about forty three hours after insemination and the total length of larvae was 4.23 mm mean. S form moving of larvae were not observed during larval development. The larvae reached at the heterotrophic stage about twenty-five days after hatching. It is estimated that the larvae was comming out from freshwater bivalve since that time in nature. A. majusculus was grew up to be adult stage enough which can be join to new production for three hundred days after hatching with over 67.8 mm in total length.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.248-253
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• 2018

Freshwater farms are primarily located adjacent to rivers and lakes, facilitating the introduction and spread of pathogens into natural systems. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously monitor natural aquatic organisms, the breeding environment, and infection rates by pathogenic organisms. Fish and crustaceans were sampled 4 times in the Geum River estuary in 2016. The samples were analyzed for the presence of pathogens for reportable communicable diseases, including KHVD (koi herpesvirus disease), SVC (spring viraemia of carp), EUS (epizootic ulcerative syndrome) and WSD (white spot disease); parasite abundance was also examined. The dominant fish species were deep body bitterling Acanthorhodes macropterus (21.4%), followed by skygager Erythroculter erythropterus (12.7%). For crustaceans, Palaemon paucidens and Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis were dominant. Sixty fish and 36 crustacean species were examined for reportable communicable diseases. When using a specific primer set for each disease, PCR analysis did not detect any reportable communicable diseases in the samples. Some instances of Dactylogyrus, copepods, nematodes and metacercaria were detected. However, the PCR results indicated that the metacercaria were not Clonorchis sinensis.