• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.217-222
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• 2010

To determine whether or not the female Korean salamander, Hynobius leechii, responds to water currents and, if so, whether those responses depend on their reproductive conditions, we evaluated the responses of ovulated and oviposited females to 1-Hz water currents generated by a model salamander with and without the placement of a transparent water current blocker between the model and the test females. The ovulated females responded to water currents by turning their heads toward, approaching, and/or making physical contact with the model. When the water current blocker was in place, the number of salamanders that approached the model was reduced significantly. The approaching and touching responses of ovulated females were greater than those of oviposited females, whereas the other measurements evidenced no differences. None of the responses of the oviposited females to water currents was affected by the presence of the blocker. Our results indicate that female H. leechii responds to water currents via a mechanosensory system.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Environment and Ecology Conference
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.79-81
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• 2006

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1997.10b
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• pp.193-193
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• 1997

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.342-347
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• 2012

This study was conducted to demonstrate the relationship between experience of cannibalism and difference of phenotype in the Korean salamander Hynobius leechii from March to April 2011. We examined whether the different polyphenism of larval salamander is induced as a result of indirect cannibalism in early life cycle. We divided into two groups(one group continuously exposed to the indirect cannibalism and the other group never exposed to the cannibalism). We measured the head width at the level of eyes(HWE), the largest head width(LHW) and snout-vent length(SVL) of the each larva then calculated the ratio of the head size by dividing HWE by LHW. We found that exposure of indirect cannibalism in early life cycle cause the different polyphenism. Our result means the larval salamander responded to the chemical cue from conspecific.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.237-243
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• 2005

To study entering and exiting routes of male and female Hynobius leechii to a breeding site and staying time of them within the breeding site, we monitored a breeding population located in the research forests of Kangwon National University. The breeding site was surrounded by a drift fence associated with nine pitfall traps. The breeding season of this population was about one month, from 16 March to 13 April, 2005. Breeding males arrived earlier at the breeding pond than females did. The operational sex ratio (OSR), defined as the ratio of males to females which are ready to mate, over a breeding season was female-biased as 0.67 male vs 1 female (57 males vs 87 females), but daily OSRs, OSR in a particular day, within the breeding pond were male-biased with $1.36\sim7.5$ male vs f female in six days out of seven investigated days. While breeding males stayed in the breeding pond for about 11 days, breeding females left the pond as soon as they completed oviposition. However, the females stayed at terrestrial areas near the pond for about seven days before completely leaving the breeding site. Entering and exiting routes to the breeding site were different between males and females, and between ovulated and oviposited females. Both males and females arrived earlier at the breeding site stayed longer within the site. Males stayed longer within the breeding site lost more body weight.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2009

To clarify the reproductive function of vibration signals in Hynobius, which has externally fertilized eggs, we quantitatively analyzed the body and tail undulations of male Korean salamanders (Hynobius leechii) in sixteen mating events. One large and one small male, and one female were used in each mating event. We analyzed behaviors recorded over a total of 3 hrs for each mating event; 2 hrs before and 1 hr after female's oviposition. Males touched females using their snouts or body trunk throughout the entire mating periods, but females touched males increasingly more after approximately 1 hr before oviposition. Males conducted body undulations more than 50 times per 10 minutes at a mean frequency of 0.64 Hz. Large males conducted more body undulations than small males, particularly on the tree twig where females attached their egg sacs. Males responded to other males' body undulation throughout the mating period by orienting their head towards, approaching, and touching the undulating male. Females only responded for about 10-20 min before ovipositing, and most responses were directed to the large male's body undulation. Males conducted tail undulations 3.0 times per 10 min at a mean frequency of 1.7 Hz and most tail undulations occurred after one male bit the other male. These results suggest that body undulations function in both male-female and male-male interactions, while tail undulations mainly functions in male-male competition. Also, male H. leechii appear to actively attract females, while females respond to the males only at times close to oviposition.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.485-491
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• 2013

This study examined the cannibalistic polyphenism of larval salamander Hynobius leechii by the level of predation risk. Salamander eggs were collected from three regions (Mountain Inwang, Mountain Surak and Gwangju). Eggs were treated by three different risk conditions: (1) high risk, predation risk three times a day; (2) medium risk, predation risk once a day; and (3) low risk, no predation risk. Predation risk was conducted using a chemical cue from Chinese minnows. The chemical cue treatment started from the day of collection and ended one week after hatching. Post-treatment measurements were head width at the level of the eyes (HWE), largest head width (LHW), and Snout-vent length of the each larva. To compare the morphological change according to the predation risk, we modified the two head size, HWE and LHW, to HWE/LHW. A significant difference in HWE/LHW and snout-vent length was evident according to the level of predation risk. And larval mortality was increase by the predation risk. The results indicate that predation risk can cause cannibalistic polyphenism of larval salamander and this morphological change could influence larval mortality.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.88.2-88
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• 1996

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1999.10b
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• pp.120.1-120
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• 1999

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.247-257
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• 1997

Genetic and morphological variations of Korean Hynobius leechii were surveyed. Starch gel electrophoresis was used to study genetic variation at 23 loci. H. leechii is genetically divided into three groups, each of which is named as Form-A, Form-B, and Form-C. These forms are clearly separated with 4-5 fixed or nearly fixed allelic differences. At a sympatry near Jangseong, Jollanam-do, a significant deviation from random mating between Form-A and Form-B was observed. Therefore, they are considered as two distinct taxi of specific rank. Form-A is widely distributed in the inland of Korea, whereas Form-B is distributed in the islands or near the coastal regions of Western and Southern Korea. Form-B had, in addition, a significant morphological difference from Form-A. On the other hand, Form-C was restricted to an area near Kori atomic power plant, Kyongsangnam-do, and the genetic similarities between this form and Form-A and Form-B were 0.742 and 0.736, respectively. Moreover, Form-C had a unique color pattern, short body and small coccyx. Thus, it seems reasonable to assign this form as another new species.