• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.19-28
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• 2005

Osteolgical development of Korean striped bitterling, Acheilognathus yamatsutae (Cyprinidae), were investigated using cartilage and bone staining. The parasphenoid, dentary, pterygoid, ceratohyal, branchial arch and parts of the caudal skeleton were formed first as cartilaginous elements at $6.82{\pm}0.08mm$ total length (TL). Formation of frontal, parietal, and maxillary were notable at $7.76{\pm}0.09mm$ TL, and the proximal radial, scapula,and coracoid in the pectoral girdle were developed at this stage. At the same time, the neural and hemal spine were present in the caudal vertebra. The opercle and branchiostegals were observed at $9.68{\pm}0,14mm$, and the posttemporal was formed at $12.9{\pm}40.64mm$ TL, respectively. Ossification in the parasphenoid, pharyngeal bone, dentary, premaxillary, maxillary, and opercle began at about $9.68{\pm}0.14mm$ TL. The cleithrum, supracleithrum, urostyle, and caudal fin were calcified at this stage. The vertebral column was formed and ossified at $11.52{\pm}0.13mm$ TL, and the frontal, preopercle, subopercle, and hyomandibular were ossified at $15.30{\pm}0.68mm$ TL. This fish was late in developing the skeletal formation and ossification as compared with other fishes.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2010

Coreoleuciscus splendidus is a teleost belonging to Gobioninae, Cyprinidae. The oogenesis was investigated by light microscope. The ovary was located between intestine and air bladder, a grayish and ellipsoidal shape with the major axis 20 mm and the minor axis 5 mm. Cytoplasm of oogonia was basophilic and many nucleoli were located at inside of nuclear membrane. In primary oocytes, yolk vesicles were distributed only in the marginal area and egg envelope was not formed on the outside of an egg. In secondary oocytes, the egg envelope was formed and yolk vesicles in the cytoplasm were increased than the earlier stage. The basophilic substance of cytoplasm was changed to acidic. In case of matured egg, thickness of egg envelope and size of egg were increased. The yolk vesicles were changed to yolk mass in accordance with development. In conclusion, the oogenesis of C. splendidus was characterized by the increase in cell size, the formation and accumulation of yolk, and the decrease of basophilic substance in the cytoplasm. The oogenesis of C. splendidus is similar with other Cyprinidae fishes. But further study on ultrastructural study of fertilized egg envelope will be necessary to get the species specificity.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2011

Genetic determinant for metallothionein (MT), a cysteine-rich protein playing essential roles in metal detoxification and homeostasis, was characterized in the Korean bitterling (Acheilognathus signifer, Cyprinidae), an endemic fish species. The full-length A. signifer MT (AsMT) cDNA (551 bp) is composed of a single open-reading frame (ORF) to encode a polypeptide of 60 amino acids containing 20 cysteine residues whose positions are conserved in most cypriniform MTs. At the genomic level, the AsMT (2,593 bp spanning the 5'-flanking region to the 3'-untranslated region) represented a conserved tripartite (three exons interrupted by two introns) structure with AT-rich introns. The upstream regulatory region (-1,914 bp from the ATG initiation codon) of AsMT displayed various sites and motifs for transcription factors involved in the metal-mediated regulation and stress/immune responses. The AsMT transcript was ubiquitously detected in various organs with variable expression levels, where the ovary and intestine showed the highest expression, while the heart and skeletal muscle represented the lowest level. During an exposure to copper (immersion in $0.5\;{\mu}M$ Cu for 48 h), the levels of AsMT transcripts were significantly elevated in the liver (more than 3.5-fold), moderately in the gill, kidney, and spleen (ranging from 1.5- to 2.5-fold), and barely in the brain and intestine. Results of this study could form a useful basis to explore the metal-related stress physiology of this endangered fish species.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.730-744
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• 2016

In this study, fish fauna and stream characteristics were surveyed from June to October of 2014 in 31 sites of 23 small streams of Namhae Island. During the study period, 38 species belonging to 30 genera under 13 families were collected. Cyprinidae and Gobiidae fish occupied 28.9% (11 species) and Cobitidae fish accounted for 10.5% (4 species). The dominant family was Cyprinidae, and the most dominant species was Zacco koreanus with 30.3% (1,089 individuals) of the total. Eight species (33.8%) such as Zacco koreanus, Squalidus gracilis majimae, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Pseudobagrus koreanus, Iksookimia hugowolfeld, Iksookimia longicorpa, Silurus microdorsalis and Liobagrus mediadiposalis were Korean endemic and one species of Micropterus salmoides was exotic. According to the analysis of the community based on the diversity, evenness and richness indices, fish community seems to be more stable in the S7. The small streams were classified into three types of steep mountainous, mountainous-flatland, and flat land streams, and their types were categorized by their features of stream width, water depth, bottom substrate, riparian vegetation, and land use patterns. Principal component analysis based on species abundance classified fish communities into three main groups according to human impact and land-use pattern change. These results suggest that fish community structures were primary affected by the longitudinal environmental changes and these were modified by the habitat condition in accordance with the land use pattern change in the small streams.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.190-199
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• 2012

The reproductive ecology of an endangered species, Gobiobotia macrocephala (Pisces: Cyprinidae), was investigated in the Seom River, a tributary of the Han River drainage system, from March 2010 to February 2011. During the non-spawning season, no difference in the external morphology was observed between males and females; however, during the spawning season, clear differences merged for the depth and width of the body, preventral length and preanal length in the standard length. The sex ratio of females to males was 1 : 1.01. The spawning season was estimated to last from late April to middle of June, at water temperatures of $15{\sim}25^{\circ}C$. The number of mature eggs in the ovary averaged about $2,134{\pm}930$ (mean${\pm}$SD), and the mean diameter was approximately $0.88{\pm}0.04$ mm. The spawning area was composed of pebble and cobble bottoms (3~10 cm), with current velocities of 13~24 cm $s^{-1}$ and water depths of 12~18 cm. Spawning behavior between males and females was observed in a water tank 14~15 h after injecting females with Ovaprim to promote reproduction. Fish spawned near the water surface with monogamous pairing.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.393-403
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• 1989

Using starch gel electrophoresis of proteins, we examined variation at 24 genetic loci in five species (three general of the Subfamily Danioninae (Class Pisces, Family Cyprinidae) inhabiting In Korea. The average degree of genic variation of the Subfamily Danioninae (A=1.8, P=16.5%, HD=0.043, HG=0.049) was far less than that of the fresh water fishes in general. But the degree of genic variation of A. chinensis (P=32.5 HD=0.100, HG=0.119) was highe, than other fishes and the value of O. biders was the lowest (P=4.2%, HD=0.008, HG=0.008). The average genetic similarities among the populations in each species of A. chinensis, Z. platypus, Z. temmincki MS type, Z. temmincki W type, and O. widens were S=0.902, 0.899, 0.990, 0.914, and 0.992, respectively. The average genetic similarity of A. chinensis to the other species was the lowest value of S=0.235, whereas that between two species of Z. temmincki was the highest of S=0.822. Genetically, Z. plypus is more similiar to O. widens than ho species of the same genus Zacco. Based on estimated divergent time of 5 species of the Subfamily Danioninae (7.6 to 0.9 million years) it is assumed that they are speciated during late Pliocene to middle Pleistocene epoch.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.288-294
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• 2014

Host mussel utilization for spawning of the oily shinner, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus wakiyae (Pisces: Cyprinidae), from Korea was investigated in part of the Dalcheon (river) in Cheongcheon-myeon, Goesan-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea from April to June 2011, 2013. The non-synchronicity of mature and immature eggs obtained from females of S. v. wakiyae and the number of spawned eggs found was less than those in the mussels, suggesting that these fish may be batch spawners. Five species of freshwater mussels - Unio douglasiae sinuolatus, Lanceolaria grayana, Anodonata arcaeformis flavotincta, Lamprotula leai, Corbicula fluminea - were found at the survey area (wild conditions) but three species of freshwater mussels - A. a. flavotincta (oviposition rate, 50.0%), U. d. sinuolatus (16.2%), L. leai (11.1%) - were host of S. v. wakiyae. Spawning of S. v. wakiyae occurred mainly in the mantle cavity (wild conditions, 77.4%; experiment, 62.8%) of the mussels that were connected more to the inhalant siphon than the suprabranchial cavity (22.6%; 31.8%) that linked to the exhalant siphon. Bitterlings prefer to lay eggs in L. leai and S. v. wakiyae prefers A. a. flavotincta as a spawning host. These were considered to be the result of niche partitioning.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2017

Egg development and early life history of the Korean natural monument fish Hemibarbus mylodon (Pisces: Cyprinidae) were investigated to provide basic data on biological characteristics and ecological recovery. Adult fish were collected from nature and transferred to the laboratory. For the first time, artificial maturation of females and males succeeded after 15 months of indoor culture. Mature eggs and sperm were obtained using Ovaprim injections (0.5 mL/kg) and then the eggs were fertilized using the dry method in the laboratory. The mature eggs were adhesive, turbid, and greyish; they averaged $2.21{\pm}0.06mm$ (n=30) in diameter. The embryos began to hatch about 78 h after fertilization at a water temperature $20{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, and the newly-hatched larvae were $6.6{\pm}0.75mm$ in total length (TL). At 14 days after hatching, the post-larval individuals were $13.5{\pm}0.23mm$ (TL), and their yolk sacs were completely absorbed. Twenty one days after hatching, they entered the juvenile stage and reached $13.5{\pm}0.23mm$ (TL). At 100 days after hatching, their band patterns, external form, and a pair of barbels were similar to those of adults, and they averaged $33.0{\pm}4.25mm$ (TL). The breeding technology and characteristics of early life history obtained in this study will be very helpful for conservation of H. mylodon in nature.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.237-243
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• 2009

Chinese minnow, Rhynchocypris oxycephalus is a teleost belonging to Leuciscinae, Cyprinidae. The oogenesis and ultrastructure of egg envelope in Chinese minnow were investigated by light and electron microscopes. The ovary was of white yellowish and ellipsoidal shape with the major axis 30 mm and the minor axis 7mm. Cytoplasm of oogonia was basophilic and many nucleoli were located at inside of nuclear membrane. In primary oocytes, yolk vesicles were distributed only in the marginal area and egg envelope was not formed on the outside of an egg. In secondary oocytes, the egg envelope was formed and yolk vesicles in the cytoplasm were increased than the earlier stage. The basophilic substance of cytoplasm was changed to acidic. In case of matured egg, thickness of egg envelope and size of egg were increased. The yolk vesicles were changed to yolk mass in accordance with development. The outer surface of egg envelope was covered by microvilli-structures, and had a micropyle on the area of animal pole. Egg envelope consisted with 2 layers, an adhesive outer layer with microvilli-structures and fibrillar inner layer. In conclusion, the oogenesis of Chinese minnow was characterized by the increase in cell size, the formation and accumulation of yolk, and the decrease of basophilic substance in the cytoplasm. The oogenesis of Chinese minnow seems to share common patterns in Cyprinidae, but these ultrastructural unique characters of egg envelope can be utilized in taxonomy of teleost.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.227-236
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• 2009

The ultrastructure of spermatogenesis and sperm in Coreoleuciscus splendidus, belonging to Gobioninae, Cyprinidae was investigated by light and electron microscopes. The testis was located between intestine and air bladder. The size of testis was major axis 1.8 cm, minor axis 3 mm. The testis of C. splendidus contained numerous testicular cysts, and spermatogenesis was non-synchronized in these testicular cysts. In May, the upper area of testis contained with other germ cells and sperm but the lower area of testis contained with matured sperm only. In case of spermatogonia, the nucleus was comparatively large spherical, and mitochondria showed a marked development. The size of primary spermatocyte was smaller than that of spermatogonia, and that of secondary spermatocyte was smaller than that of primary spermatocyte. The chromatin of spermatocyte was highly condensed according to their development. The nucleus with electron-dense was round shape. In spermiogenesis, flagella started to be formed and chromatin was more condensed. The mitochondria were rearranged in a middle piece. The head of matured sperm was a spherical shape and had not acrosome. The microtubules of flagella were arranged 9+2 structure. Also, the tail of sperm had not lateral fins and 7 outer coarse fibers.