• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.21 no.sup1
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• pp.7-28
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• 2009

The family Cobitidae of Korea was reviewed as 16 species in 5 genera with the key to species for the identification by the external features. The three genera of Iksookimia, Koreocobitis, and Kichulchoia erected from the genus Cobitis were reclassified based on the presence or absence of Gambetta’s zones on the body sides, their body pigmentation, the shape of lamina circularis in males, the number of unbranched anal fin rays, and some molecular phylogenetic data. By the results of these reexamination, the generic names of the three species were changed as Cobitis choii, Iksookimia pacifica, and Kichulchoia mutifasciata. It was remarked biogeographically that most species of genera Cobitis, Iksookimia, Koreocobitis, and Kichulchoia show the disjunct distributions with bottom-dwelling preferences as endemic to Korean peninsular. Three species of Cobitis choii, Kichulchoia brevifasciata, and Koreocobitis naktongensis are considered to be critically endangered according to the severe habitat destruction and the alteration of river topography.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.104-110
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• 2008

The egg development and early life history of Korean endangered natural monument fish, Iksookimia choii, were investigated in 2006. The eggs from the females were obtained by injecting 10 IU $g^{-1}$ of human chorionic gonadotropin and inseminated by wet method in the laboratory. The fertilized eggs were $1.1\sim1.3mm$ in diameter and had no oil globules. Hatching of the embryo began about 24 hrs after fertilization under water temperature of $25^{\circ}C$. The newly-hatched larvae were $2.5\sim2.7mm$ in total length (TL), and their mouth and anus were not yet opened. Six days after hatching, the postlarvae were $4.7\sim5.4mm$ TL, and tip of the caudal notochord was flexed $45^{\circ}$ upward. The juveniles stage was reached when all fin-rays were formed at 35 days after hatching, and their total length were $20\sim22mm$.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.419-425
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• 1996

The five spedes of genus Iksookimia from Korea were investigated by electron microscopes to clarify the adhesive membranes on zona radiata. In the late vitellogenic stage the adhesive membranes could be classified into three form as follows: 1) villous form of Iksookimia koreensis, I pumila, and I. hugowolfeldi, 2) cotton-shaped form of I. longicorpus, and 3) vine-shaped form of I. choii. And although I. koreensis, I pumila, and I. hugowolfeldi possessed the same villous form, It was evident that fine structure of the zona radiata varied according to spedes. The adhesive membranes and fine structures of zona radiata in Iksookimla showed a species specificity related to closely their habitats and spawning properties.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.98-103
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• 2008

Genetic diversity and population genetic structure within or among three stream populations (Gab, Baekgok and Ji streams) of Korean endangered natural monument fish, Iksookimia choii, were assessed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). AFLP analysis using three primer combinations generated 104 to 106 AFLP bands, and percent polymorphic bands were similar in those three populations ranging 21.5 to 24.5%. Heterozygosity and genetic diversity within or among populations were quite low for all of these populations with average values ranging from 0.067 to 0.084 and from 0.076 to 0.087, respectively. Analyses of pairwise distance and genetic similarity among three populations of I. choii also revealed the similar results with very low genetic differentiation one another. Although pairwise Fst values were very low, our data clearly indicated distinct genetic differentiation among the three populations. This is the first report concerning the genetic diversity and differentiation of this species, and provides basic genetic information that should facilitate attempts to conserve this species.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.271-278
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• 2005

The ichthyofauna and fish community were studied in Miho Stream from May 2004 to August 2005. During the surveyed period 41 species belonging to 10 families were collected. Twelve of the species (29.3%) are endemic to Korea. Exotic fishes were Carassius cuvieri, Lepomis macrochirus, and Micropterus salmoides. Dominant species was Zacco platypus (54.7%). Comparing the present result with that of Son (1982), the indices of diversity,evenness and richness were lower and the dominance index was higher; Lampetra reissneri, Anguilla japonica, Acheilognathus macropterus, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Pseudopungtungia nigra, Gobiobotia naktongensis, Lefua costata, Pseudobagrus koreanus, Monopterus albus and Iksookimia choii did not appear; Carassius auratus, Rhodeus uyekii, Rhodeus notatus, Acheilognathus lanceolatus, Pseudogobio esocinus, Hemibarbus longirostris, Microphysogobio yaluensis, Cobitis lutheri, Iksookimia koreensis, Pseudobagrus fulvidraco, and Rhinogobius brunneus, remarkably decreased, and Z. platypus, Pseudorasbora parva, and Squalidus gracilis majimae increased.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.340-349
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• 2009

The natural type section of Gap Stream was divided into 7 sites, such as, closed pool, runs, riffle, opened pool, pool, reek-scattered riffle, and Dam-type pool. The ecological characteristics of fish community at each site was examined from April, 2007 to October, 2008. During the survey period, 29 species belonging to 8 families were collected, and Carassius auratus (St. 1), Coreoleuciscus splendidus (St. 3), Acheilognathus lanceolatus (St. 4) and Zacco platypus (St. 2, 5, 6, 7) were characteristic species that represent each habitat. The species of C. auratus preferred physical habitat with sand-bottom pool, moderate depth of 65$\sim$90 cm, and stagnant water. The species of C. splendidus mainly preferred physical habitat with cobbles and pebbles are scattered riffles (St. 3), moderate depth of 65$\sim$90 cm, and flow velocity is 0.14$\sim$0.85 m $sec^{-1}$. It also preferred where concentration of BOD, COD, TN, TP and SS is low and DO's value is high, because the flow velocity is fast. A. lanceolatus preferred where the depth of water is low (3$\sim$44 cm) like an opened pool (St. 4) and the flow velocity is slow (0.01$\sim$0.02 m $sec^{-1}$). Z. platypus dominated in a variety of habitats such as runs (St. 2), pool (St. 5), rock-scattered riffles (St. 6) and D-type pool (St. 7), and it preferred places where flow is abundant and riverbed structure is diverse. On the other hand, 4 individuals of Iksookimia choii appeared at reek-scattered riffles (St. 6). I. choii appeared in this research lived in where the width of river is 24 m, the depth of water is 3$\sim$35 cm and the flow velocity is 0.01$\sim$0.49 m $sec^{-1}$, and riverbed structure was diversely formed with boulder to sand. Also, water temperature, EC, BOD, COD, TN and TP was low, but concentrations of DO and SS were high comparatively. Therefore, it seems that I. choii can live only in physical and chemical environment with similar conditions.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.986-995
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to analyze the distribution of endangered fish species and elucidate their relations on chemical water quality, physical habitat conditions and ecological stream health. The dominant species in the watershed was Pseudopungtungia nigra (Pn), Gobiobotia macrocephala (Gm), Gobiobotia brevibarba (Gb), Liobagrus obesus (Lo), and Iksookimia choii (Ic) in the order. The species of Pn designated as "critical endangered species (I) (CER)", was most widely distributed species among the endangered species, so the designation of the species should be re-evaluated. The endangered species was most popular (4 species, 384 individuals) in the Cho-River region of eighteen lotic regions. According to the analysis of chemical tolerance limits in the habitats with endangered fish species, biological oxygen demand (BOD) and total phosphorus (TP) was analyzed as "very good" (Ia) and "good condition" in the chemical criteria of the Ministry of Environment, Korea. Also, chemical conditions, based on ammonia-N ($NH_{4+}$), total nitrogen (TN), phosphate-P ($PO_{4^-}P$) were much better in the habitat with endangered species (Hw) than the habitat without endangered species (Ho). In the meantime, the species of Ic showed wide ranges on the chemical tolerance, so physical habitat conditions, such as the size of substrate particles (sand) and hydrological regime, were considered as more important factors than the chemical water quality, if the water quality is not largely degraded. The endangered species were also more distributed in the high-order (4-6) streams than the low-order (1-3) streams. The evaluation of ecological stream health, based on multi-metric model of the Index of Biological Integrity (IBI), showed the large difference between the Hw (21.6, fair condition)and Ho (30.5, good condition), indicating that the habitat maintained well chemically and physically had higher distributions of endangered species. Overall, the designation of CER on the Pn should be re-evaluated due to wide-distributions, and the protections from water pollution and the habitat conservations on the endangered species are necessary in the watershed.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.263-270
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• 2012

The objectives of the study were to determine fish fauna and compositions during 2010~2011 in Walpyung Conservation Park along with analysis of fish community structures and trophic and tolerance guilds. Total number of species and individuals sampled were 31 and 2667, respectively and dominant species was Zacco platypus (46.6%) and subdominant species was Acheilognathus lanceolatus (8.7%), which were composed of >50% of the total. Total number of Korean endemic species including Microphysogobio yaluensis was 10 and the proportion of the individuals was 8.7%. Also, natural monument No. 454 of Iksookimia choii, which is endangered species and legal protected species, was sampled and the total number of individuals was only three. According to the analysis of fish community structures, species richness index in the mid-stream reach ($M_r$) was 3.145, which is higher than any other stream reaches ($U_r$ and $D_r$). In contrast, the richness index was 2.180 in the up-stream reach ($U_r$), which is minimum among the sampling sites. Species diversity index was 1.785 and 1.975, respectively in the headwater ($U_r$) and mid-stream reach ($M_r$) and the low values in the down-stream reach ($D_r$, 1.660) were due to the influences of pointsource (i.e., road construction) and non-point sources (sporadic agricultural spots). According to analysis of tolerance guilds, the proportion of tolerant species (TS), based on the number of individuals, was composed of 64.2% and sensitive species (SS) was only 3.3%, indicating a predominance of tolerant fishes in the compositions. The proportion of omnivore species (OS), however, was composed of 64.0% and insectivore species (IS) was 29.3%, indicating a predominance of omnivore fishes in the stream. The high proportions of tolerant and omnivore species in this stream indicates that the water quality and physical habitat environments were degradated in this system. For these reasons, especially natural monument and endemic fish species in this region should be protected from the massive constructions and required to provide efficient stream management strategies.