• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.186-191
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• 2016

Distribution status and threatened assessment of endangered species, Pungitius sinensis (Pisces: Gasterosteidae), were investigated from March to October 2015 in Gangwon-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do etc., Korea. During the study period, a total of 854 individual P. sinensis were collected from 21 of 71 sampling stations using skimming nets. P. sinensis appeared in 23 streams during the past 30 years. However, it was only collected in 12 streams. Therefore, its habitats and populations were drastically reduced. The preferred habitat of P. sinensis was pool of the lower stream with lots of aquatic plants. Given these evidences of small occupying areas ($84km^2$) and drastic reduction in its habitats and populations, P. sinensis is considered as an endangered (EN) [B2ab(ii,iii,iv,v)] species based on IUCN Red List categories and criteria.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.260-265
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• 1990

Pungitius sinensis specimens were collected from the Namdae River and Chusu River drained into Sea of Japan, and their morphological characters were investigated to determine if this species shows sexual dimorphism. The ratio of the head length to the body length revealed marked sexual difference; the head length in males was longer than in females. The snout length and body depth at anus showed a tendency to be larger in males than in females. This dimorphism seems to be related to breeding habits. The ethological significance of the larger head of males was discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.499-508
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• 1990

Surveys of elecirophoretic variations in isozymes and proteins encoded by 25 persumtive loci were conducted to estimate the degree of genic variation and to assess species recognition for three species of the Family Gasterosteidae (Pisces) in Korea. The average degree of genic variation of Gasterosteus aculeatus was HD = 0.086, HG = 0.084, and P =36% and it was similar to Pungitius sinensis (HD = 0.080, HG = 0.091, P = 29%). But P.kaibarae was less variable than these species (HD = 0.034; HG = 0.034, P = 13%). The average genetic similarities among the populations in each species of Gasterosteus aculeatus pungitius sinensis and P. kaibarae were S = 0.963, S = 0.953 and S = 0.800 respectively.Yongchon and Kyongiu populations of P. kaibarae were genetically remote from the rest of the conspecific populations (S = 0.690). Chae (1988) also observed morphological differences between them. The value of genetic similariiy coefficients of S = 0.606 between P. sinensis and P. kaibarae is low enough to consider as specific level of genetic difference, but moderate rate of hybridization (44%) between them at a synpatric area of Kangnung indicates that isolating mechanism is incomplete. Therefore it is concluded that P. sinensis and P. kaffarae are semispecitic status. Intergeneric genetic similarities between the genus Gasrerosteus and Pungitius were S = 0.052 and this value is the lowest estimate up to date in freshwater fishes.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1998.10b
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• pp.219.2-219
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• 1998

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2000

The sequences of two fragments of 18s ribosomal DNA were determined to elucidate relationship between Pungitius sinensis and P. kaibarae. The proportion of G+C pair is 54.85% to 55.15% in P. kaibarae populations and 52.76% in P. sinensis. Number of substitutions ranges from 10~18 among the populations of P. kaibarae and up to 165 between P. sinensis and P. kaibarae. The value of sequence divergence were 0.0118~0.0195 among the populations of P. kaibarae and 0.2136~0.2306 between P. sinensis and P. kaibarae. The result of pairwise comparison of the sequences indicate that phylogenetic relationship between P. sinensis and P. kaibarae was differentiated to specific level.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 1989

Three species of Korean sticklebacks family Gasterosteidae were reviewed based on the specimens of several populations for the study of their morphological variations and taxonomical positions. All specimens of Gasterosteus aculeatus observed have a complte row of lateral plates ranging from thirty-two to thirty-five in number. The low-plate morph regarded as landlocked type is virtually absent. And no difference was recognized among six populations of G. aculeatus in the meristic chracters, i.e. number of vertebrae, gill rakers and finrays. The Pungitius sinensis and P.kaibarae ssp. shown local variations have scutes ranging from 31 to 35, but not clinal in the morphometric characters. But P.sinensis was statistically different from P.kaibarae ssp. in some characters such as the number of dorsal spine rays and vertebrae, and body depth, although their ranges overlapped. No significant taxonomic difference was detected between white from and black from in dorsal spinous membrane of P.kailbarae ssp. Although these three species of Korean sticklebacks have the same diploid chromosome number (2N=42), G. aculeatus is obviously different from the two species of genus Pungitius in their karyotype ; G. aculeatus consists of six metacentrics, six submetacentrics, and thiry subtelo-acrocentrics, and both P.sinensis and P.kaibarae ssp. have four metacentrics, six submetacentrics, and thirty-four subtelo-acrocentrics.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.74-82
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• 1996

The developmental process of scutes in the eightspine stickleback, Pungitius sinensis kaibarae (Tanaka), was investigated. The scutes appeared first on the caudal peduncle at 13mm and then on the thoracoabdominal part at 16mm. The scutes continued to develop and then the trachurus type of scute arrangement was completed at about 20mm. Finally the number of scutes was stabilized as 32 - 33 in the fish over 22mm. The developmental state of scutes was different according to part of body but most scutes except those of anteriormost part entered into late stage at about 25mm. The scutes of anteriormost part remained as scute of middle stage even though the fish became adults. All scutes were formed around neuromasts of lateral line. Few anterior plates(up to five plates) had additional neuromasts above the plates. But scale material was not accumulated around the additional neuromasts. Relationship between Korean and Japanese eightspine stickleback and the taxonomic meaning of the additional neuromasts were discussed.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.1 no.1_2
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• pp.42-53
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• 1989

The geographic variations of the number and morphology of scutes of eightspine stickleback, Pungitius sinensis, in the southern half of the Korean peninsula were investigated. The two subspecies, P. sinensis sinensis and P. sinensis kaibarae, showed a bit of difference in the number of scutes but there was no geocline as a whole. In the frequencies of individuals with the different number of scutes between the left and right body side, there was also difference between the two subspecies, and the specimens from the Hyongsan River showed great variation. The populations of Kumho River had the largest scutes. But the specimens of the Hyongsan River had small and degenerated scutes different from all other populations, and some individuals showed the semiarmatus type arrangement of scute. Therefore, this population may be called the special type of P. sinensis. In the relationship between the time of landlocking and the size of scutes, it was speculated that the population of the Hyongsan River was landlocked long years ago and other populations of P. sinensis kaibarae except the Kumho River were landlocked more recently. For the population of the Kumho River, however, it seemed that there was no relation between salt tolerance or landlocking and number or developmental state of scutes as this landlocked population had well developed and large number of scutes.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.262-269
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• 2022

A distribution survey was conducted from 2018 to 2020 to evaluate the distribution status, habitat characteristics, and extinction threat of the short ninespine stickleback Pungitius kaibarae (Gasterosteidae). Literature reports of P. kaibarae distribution have been sorted by each period, 1980~1996, 1997~2005, and 2007~2017, and the samples were collected in 32, 43, and 64 stations for each period. Among the 75 streams and 193 sampling sites investigated during the study period, 1,400 P. kaibarae individuals were collected from 26 streams at 39 sites. The main habitat of P. kaibarae was downstream or brackish water zones with a low altitude, slow water velocity, and many aquatic plants. The main reasons for the decline in population size were assumed to be drought and flood, river work for flood restoration and river maintenance, bridges construction, and predation by the exotic fish species Micropterus salmoides. Previous evidence reported a 42.6% reduction in occupancy within 10 years, a decline in habitat quality, and the spread and impact of the exotic fish species Micropterus salmoides. Therefore, P. kaibarae is now considered a Vulnerable (VU A2ace) species based on the IUCN Red List categories and criteria. Therefore, P. kaibarae should be redesignated as an endangered species by the Ministry of Environment and systematically managed.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.181-192
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• 1993

The spawning and growth of eightspine stickleback,Pungitius sinensis kaiborae (Tanaka, 19151, were investigated in the Chavang Stream from March 1990 to february 1991 as a part of study on its life history. Nest building, spavming and parental behaviors were similar to those known on the sticklebacks of Europe, North America and Japan. Bht f sinensis kaibarae in the Chayang Stream, peculiarly, showed only superficial gluing behavior in nest building phase and made two nurseries iust behind the nest in Parental Phase. The individuals with fully mature eggs were found from late February to late June. The fecundity of an adult female was about 21 to 110 (mean 47.07) eggs and the diameter of kllv matured ovarian eggs ranged 1.3 to 1.5 mm. The smallest female with fully mature eggs was 25.8 mm in body length and had 21 eggs. The relationship between the number of mature eggs in ovary and body length was No. of eggs = 2.857BL -55.134 (r = 0.890). The number of deposited eggs in a nest was 27 to 637 and thew were composed of several clusters of various developmental stages. The distribution pattern of gonadsomatic index (GSl) against the body length shown that in females 1+ year-old fishes mainly participate in spawning but in males 11 and 2+ year-old fishes equally participate. From the fluctuat지n pattern of GSI and the number of mature eggs in ovary, it was assumed that the spawning season was from February to June and the peak of spawning was early March to late April. The newly hatched vouns was found at late April and their body length was about 10 mm. The vouns (O+) grew rapidly until late August. Then their srowth was slowed down and finallY ceased in midautumn. The young reached about 35 mm BL in their first year of life. The halting of growth was lasted to next Sune when the spawning season would be nearly closed. They (1+) began to grow asain from late june, grew rapidly until tate september and reached about 415 mm BL. Then there was no more grouvth until to die as 2+ yearold fish. Therefore it was assumed that the life span of P. sinensis kaibarae in the Chavang Stream would be about ko years. The relationship between the body length and the body weight was logBW = 2.9541ogBL -4.802 (r = 0.998).