• Journal of Species Research
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.127-130
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• 2024

The first complete mitogenome sequence of the Red-tongue Pit Viper (Gloydius ussuriensis) from Korea was characterized using next-generation sequencing. The mitogenome is a circular molecule (17,209 bp) with a typical vertebrate mitogenome arrangement, which consists of 2 ribosomal RNA genes (rRNA), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNA), two non-coding regions (D-loop), and 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs). The base composition of the mitogenome is 32.7% of A, 27.5% of C, 13.9% of G, and 25.9% of T, with a slight AT bias(58.6%). This phylogenetic analysis infers that G. ussuriensis is in the same group as the Chinese G. ussuriensis (Accession No. KP262412) and is closely related to G. blomhoffi and other species of the genus Gloydius. In our study, the complete mitogenome sequence of Korean G. ussuriensis was characterized and we provided basic genetic information on this species.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.281-285
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• 2023

The red-tongue viper(Gloydius ussuriensis) is one of only three species of the genus Gloydius found in South Korea. Gloydius ussuriensis has a narrow activity radius and is distributed nationwide, and this species was reported to have the largest population among the Korean species in genus Gloydius. Preliminary results of a phylogenetic analysis using part of the mitochondrial DNA indicated that domestic G. ussuriensis is not comprised of monophyletic groups, and morphological analysis showed differences between domestic populations. In this study, we developed 17 microsatellites for the analysis of G. ussuriensis genetic diversity based on these characteristics. These microsatellites were developed using six multiplex panels, which could be employed to validate 80 G. ussuriensis specimens from different geographical regions in South Korea. The average number of alleles per locus was 12.2 and ranged from 4 to 25 alleles; the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.238 to 0.950 and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.213 to 0.933. As a result of assessing four inland populations, a high level of genetic diversity was confirmed. These newly developed markers will be useful for further studies on the population structure and evolutionary history of the G. ussuriensis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2010.04a
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• pp.131-134
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• 2010

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.85-92
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• 2014

In order to study the home range of the red-tongue viper snake (Gloydis ussuriensis) and the short-tailed viper snake (Gloydius saxatilis) belonging to the viperidae of squamat in Korea, we implanted radio-transmitters which were weighed less than 5% of individual mass in them and traced their location by radio-tracking. Surgeries for transmitter insertion were performed on 5 red-tongue viper snakes and 6 short-tailed viper snakes (total 11 individuals) and the average ratio of transmitter mass to body mass were 4.2% and 2.2%, respectively. After radio-transmitter implantation, all short-tailed viper snakes survived but 4 out of 5 red-tongue viper snakes did not survive during the convalescence stage, showing only 20% of survival rate. The results suggest that the ratio of transmitter mass to body mass should be less than 3.6% at least in these species, although previous studies have recommended various ranges from 1% to 7% as the acceptable ratios.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.193-204
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• 2014

The distribution of animals is affected by habitat selection, and habitat type and prey resource are important factors affecting their survival. This study was conducted to investigate the distribution pattern of the Red-tongue viper snake (Gloydius ussuriensis) with respect to altitude, habitat type and distribution of potential prey resource in Cheon-ma mountain, Korea. The study area of Cheon-ma mountain was separated into three altitude categories (low, middle, and high altitude) and the habitat types were categorized according to presence or absence of aquatic ecosystem and the preferred habitat in relation to altitude was determined. The distribution pattern of Red-tongue viper snakes was significantly different according to altitude and habitat type: they were mainly distributed at low altitude and in the water valleys. The distribution pattern of the Red-tongue viper snake correlated with that of amphibians. The analyses of microhabitat use of the Red-tongue viper snake and amphibians showed that their microhabitat types were not different significantly in water valleys. In conclusion, Red-tongue viper snakes were mainly distributed in the water valleys at low altitude and this is because amphibians are important as potential prey of the Red-tongue viper snake in Cheon-ma mountain.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.234-244
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• 2018

The roadkill that animals die after bumping by vehicles on the roads is acting as a factor to decrease the size of various animal populations. It has also been known to be the biggest artificial causations of Vertebrata deaths not only in urban areas but also protected areas such as national parks. Nevertheless, in the national park areas which are major protected national areas for conservation of national biodiversity and ecological diversity, snake roadkills occur frequently. Up to date, related studies are rare. Therefore, in this study, we described snake roadkill patterns on the roads in six national parks between 2006 and 2015. We identified total 736 snake roadkills compromising 10 different species. Five species, Rhabdophis lateralis, Elaphe dione, Gloydius ussuriensis, Lycodon rufozonatus, Gloydius brevicaudus occupied more than 91.7% of total roadkill cases. Active forager snakes were killed by roadkills more than ambush foragers, and the snake roadkill frequency was the highest in September, a migration period and in August when the young individuals dispersed at between 100 and 799 m altitude areas. Roads where roadkills were frequent lie between forest and hydrosphere or between forest and crop field road sides. Our results could be used to identify the trend of snake roadkills on the roads in national parks, and to establish effective roadkill mitigation measures and policies.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.477-483
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• 2015

Characteristics of snake reproductive organs that are relatively less affected by external environmental conditions can be used as an important means of classification; additionally, such characteristics can provide useful information on a species' reproductive system. In this study, we compared the testis weights, hemipenis lengths and retractor muscle lengths of male Oocatochus rufodorsatus and Rhabdophis tigrinus in Colubridae and Gloydius saxatilis, G. brevicaudus and G. ussuriensis in Viperidae. The snake snout-vent lengths (SVLs) were positively related to the three reproductive organ sizes, but the body weight only exhibited a positive relationship with the testis weight. The three organs did not significantly differ on the left and right sides. The relative testis weights and retractor muscle lengths (divided by the body weight and SVL, respectively) of the Colubridae snakes were greater than for the Viperidae snakes, but the relative hemipenis lengths (divided by SVL) did not differ between the two groups. The relative testis weight of G. saxatilis and the relative retractor muscle lengths of the Viperidae snakes were smaller compared with the Colubridae snakes. The relative hemipenis length of O. rufodorsatus was greater than for R. tigrinus, G. saxatilis and G. brevicaudus. Additional comparisons were not significant. Our results may facilitate further studies on hemipenial morphology and mating competition in Korean snakes. This is the first study on Korean snake reproductive organs.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.192-199
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the movement and home range of the red-tongued viper snake (Gloydius ussuriensis) from June 2006 to June 2009. This snake species inhabits an islet on Jeju Island, Gapado. A total of 132 individual snakes were marked during the study. Among the marked individuals, the number of snakes recaptured more than once was 22 (16.8 %) and the number of individuals recaptured more than twice was eight (6.1 %), indicating a relatively low recapture rate. The durations from capture to recapture varied from 1 to 710 days. However, the capture points were not much different, indicating that the moved distance of snakes and the interval between capture-recapture were not correlated. The home ranges of the Red-tongued viper snakes calculated from data of the snakes which were captured more than three times using the MCP(minimum convex polygon) method were $8{\sim}167m^2(64.0{\pm}57.0m^2)$, suggesting that this snake is relatively sedentary. Home range size differences between female ($Mean=62.0m^2$) and male ($Mean=66.0m^2$) snakes were not significant. In the red-tongued viper population of Gapado, there was no statistically significant relationship between body size and home range size although it was positively correlated (r=0.675). Our results provide valuable data to understand life patterns of the red-tongued viper snakes and will be useful when conducting further ecological studies on other snake species.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.207-215
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• 2017

Body scales directly exposed to external environments can be an important factor to understand various characteristics of a species such as habitat features, life history and basic ecology. In this study, we compared size and morphology of dorsal, outermost dorsal, keeled dorsal and ventral scales of total nine snake species in Korea; Oocatochus rufodorsatus, Elaphe dione, Rhabdophis tigrinus, Amphiesma vibakari, Dinodon rufozonatum, Hierophis spinalis in the Colubridae and Gloydius ussuriensis, G. brevicaudus, G. saxatilis in the Viperidae. The morphological characteristics of the scales seem to well reflect foraging modes and moving activity of both families. Uniquely D. rufozonatum had a diamond shape dorsal scale and had the greatest and smallest value of the ratio of width/length of dorsal and ventral scales, respectively. O. rufodorsatus, D. rufozonatum and H. spinalis did not have keeled dorsal scales and E. dione had keel on the few of dorsal scales. In addition, morphological characteristics of scales of three viper species were closely consistent with previously known phylogenetic relationships.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.146-154
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• 2009

To suggest effective ways of the management of reptiles in Korea national parks, we applied PIT (passive integrated transponder) tag and radio telemetry research methods in the monitoring of reptiles in Odaesan and Woraksan national parks. We implanted PIT tags into 137 snakes (six species) captured in both the national parks between March 2006 and October 2008 and also radio-tracked two Korean rat snakes (Elaphe schrenckii anomala) from September 2007 to November 2008 in the Woraksan national park. Of total 137 snakes which we had inserted the PIT tag, 17 snakes (12.40%) were recaptured. Based on the PIT tag data of the recapture, we successfully obtained the annual growth rate of Korean cat snakes (Elaphe dione) and Red-tongue pit-viper (Gloydius ussuriensis). Home range of the Korean rat snakes based on the data of radiotracking was estimated as 389,600$m^2$ (MCP: Minimum convex polygon) and 471,800$m^2$ (Kernel 95%) for males and 162,500$m^2$ and 208,700$m^2$ for females. These results suggest that if we apply PIT tag and radio telemetry research methods to manage reptiles in Korea national parks, it could greatly increase our understanding about their basic ecology and as the result, it could allow us to develop better management and conservation ways of reptiles in Korea national parks.