• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.129-133
• /
• 2006

Objectives : Cervus elaphus species are some of the most medicinally important genera in the Oriental medicine. This study was performed to determine if Cenvus elaphus species could be identified by sequencing analysis and to verify Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST) search, which was used to assess genetic identification. Methods : The DNAs of Cervus elaphus species were extracted, amplified by PCR, and sequenced. The DNAs of Cervus species were identified by BLAST search in website. Results : By BLAST search one of Cervus elaphus species was identified as Cervus elaphussibericus but the other was identified as Cervus elaphus nelsoni. This work showed that identification can efficiently be performed by BLAST search. Conclusion : These results suggest that sequencing following BLAST search might be able to provide the identification of Cervus elaphus species.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.27 no.2 s.66
• /
• pp.225-231
• /
• 2006

Objectives : This study was performed to determine if unknown species of antler samples could be identified by genetic distance methods. Methods : The DNAs of 4 antler samples were extracted, amplified by PCR, and sequenced. The DNAs of antlers were identified by genetic distance. Genetic distance method was made using MEGA software (Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis, 3.1). Results : By genetic distance methods, all 4 antler samples were closest to Cervus elaphus nelsoni among Cervus species. Conclusion : These results suggest that genetic distance methods might be used as a tool for the identification of Cervus species.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.91-95
• /
• 2006

Objectives : This study was performed to determine if an antler could be identified as one of the Cervus species by phylogenetic analysis, which was used to assess genetic authentication. Methods : The DNAs of an antler were extracted, amplified by PCR, and sequenced. The DNAs of an antler were identified by Phylogenetic analysis. Phylogenetic analysis was made using MEGA software (Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis, 3.1) Results : By phylogenetic analysis an antler was identified as Cervus elaphus nelsoni not as Cervus elaphus sibericus. This work showed that authentication can efficiently be performed by phylogenetic analysis. Conclusion : These results suggest that phylogenetic analysis might be able to provide the authentication of Cervus species.

• Journal of Evidence-Based Herbal Medicine
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.7-12
• /
• 2009

Velvet antlers from Cervus elaphus species are one of most famous, expensive and commonly used medicinal materials in traditional oriental medicine. Some distributor had illegal practice of disguising the origin of antlers in Korea market. Therefore, a test to distinguish antler essential to ensure the healthy development of the herbal industry. In this study, the variation in DNA sequences of the mitochondrial ATPase8 and cytochrome-coxidaseI (COI) genes of Cervus elaphus from China, the Republic of Altai, and Canada were evaluated. In addition, the sequence variation among, Rein deer and Cervus elaphus species was also evaluated. Although the sequences of deer from the Republic of Altai and Canada were very similar, polymorphisms that were conserved in each species were observed in the ATPase8 and COI genes. Therefore, these polymorphic markers could be used to distinguish Cervus elaphus antlers from different locations.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.42 no.3
• /
• pp.309-320
• /
• 2002

Animal bones that were excavated with earthenware at the Jongdal-ri shell mound archaeological site IV on Jeju Island were investigated morpholgically and osteometrically. This archaeological site is estimated to date from the late Tamra period to the unified Shilla Dynasty (A.D. 7C) based on the type of earthenware. The number of animal bones was 3,430 pieces(Quarter B : 758, Quarter C : 2,672). The animal species consisted of Cervus spp., Sus spp., Bos spp and Canivore. The animal bone pieces excavated at Quarter B consisted of those of Cervus(53.3%), Bos(2.8%) and Sus(13.7%). The bones of Cervus(53.3%), Bos(2.8%), Sus(13.7%) and Canivore(4.6%) were found at Quarter C. The greatest number of heads was unearthed as a whole, and the classification according to animal species showed that the heads were more visible than other bones. Forelimbs and hindlimbs were distributed evenly on the part of Cervus. The skeletons from Bos were identified in the order of heads, forelimbs and hindlimbs, while nearly all the Sus bones were found to be heads. These data suggests that Cervus, Sus and Bos are major fauna at the estimated period.

• Korean Deer Journal
• /
• no.9
• /
• pp.5-13
• /
• 1990

In order to investigate the food habits of the sika deer. 21 spring, summer and autumn browse(leaves of trees and shrubs) species in northern part of Korea were evaluated by Using four sika deer(Cervus nippon) bucks from 1988 to 1989. The most frequently

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.276-282
• /
• 2008

It is estimated that over 80% of deer antlers produced in the world are consumed in Korea. However, mislabeling or fraudulent replacement of costly antlers with cheaper ones is one of the most common problems in the domestic antler market. Therefore, there is a great need for the development of technology to identify species of antlers. This study was carried out to develop an accurate and reliable method for the identification and authentication of species or subspecies of antlers using DNA sequence analysis and comparison of mitochondrial cytochrome band D-loop region genes among antlers of five deer species, Cervus elaphus sibericus, Cervus elaphus canadensis, Cervus nippon, Cervus elaphus bactrianus and Rangifer tarandus. A variable region of cytochrome band D-loop genes was amplified using PCR with specifically designed primers and sequenced directly. The cytochrome band D-loop region genes showed different DNA sequences between the species of antlers and thus it is possible to differentiate between species on the basis of sequence variation. To distinguish between reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) antlers and other deer antlers, PCR amplicons of the cytochrome b gene were digested with the restriction enzymes NlaIV and TaqI, respectively, which generates a species-specific DNA profile of the reindeer. In addition, samples of 32 sliced antlers labeled Cervus elaphus sibericus from commercial markets were collected randomly and the mt DNA D-loop region of these antler samples was sequenced. Among the antler samples investigated, only 62.5% were from Cervus elaphus sibericus, and others were from Cervus elaphus bactrianus (25.0%), elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Our results suggest that DNA sequencing of mt DNA and PCR-RFLP methods using NlaIV and TaqI enzymes are useful for the identification and discrimination of deer antler species by routine analysis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.21 no.9
• /
• pp.1233-1237
• /
• 2008

The genetic variability within and among three deer species in Malaysia, namely Cervus nippon (sika), Cervus timorensis (rusa) and Cervus unicolor (sambar), were evaluated using the RAPD technique. The DNA extracted from the buffy coat of 34 sika, 38 rusa and 9 sambar were analysed using ten primers that gave bands which showed good resolution. The primers generated 164 RAPD markers in total, and these ranged in size from 150 to 900 bp. The percent of polymorphism of the bands generated per primer ranged from 66.66-93.33% for rusa, 36.84-61.14% for sambar and 52.38-100% for sika. The overall percent polymorphism observed for the 164 RAPD markers was 99.39%. The results revealed five exclusive, monomorphic markers for sambar and one exclusive, monomorphic marker for sika; none was observed for rusa. However, these cannot be declared as markers for the identification of the species without analysis of more samples, populations and species. The means of within population genetic distances, based on Dice's and Jaccard's similarity indices, were similar for the rusa (0.383 and 0.542, respectively) and sika (0.397 and 0.558, respectively) populations with the sambar population being the least variable (0.194 and 0.323, respectively). The Dice based genetic distances within the species ranged from 0.194 to 0.397 and the genetic distances among the species were 0.791-0.911. The genetic distances based on Dice's and Jaccard's similarity indices between the rusa and sambar were 0.556 and 0.713, between the rusa and sika populations were 0.552 and 0.710, and between sambar and sika were 0.622 and 0.766, respectively.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.295-305
• /
• 2011

Many studies have suggested the positive effects of grazing by large herbivorous mammals on seed dispersal, but little is known about how herbivores could affect the fate of ingested seeds. This study examined the effects of seed ingestion by sika deer (Cervus nippon) on seed fate in a temperate grassland established in an urban park long resided by high densities of sika deer. I compared species composition and seasonal traits of seed abundance and maturity in the grassland community with those in deer fecal pellets. In total, 27 herbaceous species were observed, including the predominant Zoysia japonica. Seed phenology and production differed among the three dominant species (Z. japonica, Digitaria violascens, and Hydrocotyle maritima). Pellets contained at least 26 species of herbaceous seeds, and their abundance differed among species. Of the 26 species, 15 were observed in the vegetation at the study site. The peak of seed abundance in pellets for the dominant species appeared 1 month after the peak of inflorescence production (but most of the inflorescences were immature and susceptible to digestion) and consequently corresponded to the peak of mature inflorescence. Because sika deer are likely to ingest seeds at any maturity stage in the grassland and immature seeds are less hardened, ingested immature seeds can suffer great losses. The results suggested that the survival of germable seeds with great losses of immature seeds may be a factor determining which plant species can be successfully dispersed by herbivores.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.45 no.2
• /
• pp.88-96
• /
• 2021

Background: Sika deer, Cervus nippon, were originally introduced to South Korea from Japan and Taiwan for commercial farming purposes. Unfortunately, they were released into the wild during religious events and have since begun to impact the native ecosystem and species endemic to South Korea. The study of activity patterns can improve our understanding of the environmental impact of non-native species and their association with sympatric species. Using camera traps, we studied the diel and seasonal activity patterns of non-native sika deer and quantified the temporal overlap with sympatric mammalian species in the Muljangori-oreum wetlands of Hallasan National Park, South Korea. Results: A total of 970 trap events were recorded for five mammalian species from nine locations during the camera-trap survey. Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus tianschanicus) had the highest number of recorded events (72.0%), followed by sika deer (Cervus nippon) (16.2%), wild boar (Sus scrofa) (5.0%), Asian badger (Meles leucurus) (4.5%), and the Jeju weasel (Mustela sibirica quelpartis) (2.0%). Sika deer had bimodal activity patterns throughout the year, with peaks throughout the spring-autumn twilight, and day and night time throughout the winter. Relating the daily activity of sika deer with other mammalian species, roe deer expressed the highest degree of overlap (Δ₄ = 0.80) while the Asian badger demonstrated the lowest overlap (Δ₄ = 0.37). Conclusions: Our data show that sika deer are a crepuscular species with seasonal variations in daily activity patterns. Additionally, we identified the temporal differences in activity peaks between different mammals in the Muljangori-oreum wetlands and found higher degree of overlap between sika deer and roe deer during twilight hours.