• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 1990

Progesterone production and oocyte maturation in ovarian follicles of Rana nigromaculata and Rana rugosa were investigated. Addition of frog pituitary homogenate (FPH) to the in utiro cultured follicles of R. nigromaculata stimulated a marked increase in the accumulation and secretion of progesterone (P$_4$) by the follicles and induced their oocyte maturation (germinal vesicle breakdown, GVBD) in a dose dependent manner. The FPH (0.1 pituitary equivalent/2 ml)-inducted P4 peak appeared in 3-6 hours and followed by the oocyte GVBD in 9-12 hours after the hormone stimulation. lncreae of intrafollicular cAMP levels with forskolin (an adenylatecyclase stimulator) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor) mimic the FPH action in the stimulation of P$_4$ production but not in the induction of oocyte maturation. The in uitro cultured follicies of R. rugosa behaved very differently from other amphibian follicles. Addition of FPH-(0. 1 pit. equivl2 ml) to the culture medium neither stimulated P$_4$ production by the follicles nor induced the oocyte GVBD. However, treatment of the follicles with forskolin and IBMX drastically stimulated both the intrafollicular accumulation (800 pg/follicle) and secretion (1700 pg/follicle) of P$_4$ by the follicles during culture period. Thus, the data suggest that the follicles are ready to respond to cAMP increase but not to the FPH stimulation in terms of P$_4$ production.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2012

Oxidative stress has been reported to be one of causes of neuritis. This study examined antioxidative activities of methanol extracts of six amphibian species known to be medicinal animals (Rana catesbeiana, R. coreana, R. rugosa, R. dybowskii, R. nigromaculata, and Hyla japonica) and investigated their effects of inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) production and cytotoxicity on the murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells. As inflammation is closely associated with reactive oxygen species, assays on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity, xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity, superoxide anion radical scavenging activity and NO scavenging activity of the extracts of the six species were performed to investigate their antioxidative activity. The results obtained were as follows; All extracts showed antioxidative activity, and the activity of R. dybowskii was the highest in comparison among those. Anti-inflammatory effects of the extracts were also examined, the five extracts except that of R. rugosa did not show cytotoxicity for RAW264.7 cells at the maximal concentration ($1,000{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$). Selectivity index, meaning NO scavenging activity compared to cytotoxicity, showed the highest level in the extract of R. dybowskii. These results will be very useful basic data for future studies on prevention and treatment of human diseases to understand the biological roles of amphibian extracts throughout the antioxidative or anti-inflammatory pathways.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 1988

A syrnpatnc sample of Rana nigrnmaculata sand R plancyi (Anura) from Kwangu, Korea was investigated to clarify their taxonornic status and to estimate the degree of genic variation, genetic relatedness, and reproductive isolation between them, based on electrophoretic analysis, marphometric data, mating call, mating season, and habitat. All the characters measured including morphometric, genetic, behavioral, and ecological suggest that they are distinct species and R nigrnmaculata might have originated from R plancyi (tropical form about three and a half million years ago. An adult female was found to be Fl hybrid between two species The hybrid female possessed fettile eggs and morphologically intermediate to the parental species in head parts, hind limb, and web characters. The differences in mating call, mating behavior, breeding season, and habitat strongly suggest that postmating isolating mechanism is operating, even though very rare hybrid is found.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.193-197
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• 1999

A peroxidase-antiperoxidase method was used to detect the cells showing immunoreactivities to six hormone antibodies in the alimentary tracts of six frog species, Rana nigromaculata, R. rugosa, R. amurensis coreana, R. catesbeiana, Bombina orientalis, and Hyla arborea japonica, inhabiting Korea. The cells immunoreactive to gastrin and cholecystokinin-8 were observed in the pylorus of the stomachs and in the small intestines of all frog species examined. In contrast, these somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were identified in the esophagus and the whole gastrointestinal tracts, but were absent from the large intestines in R. rugosa, R. catesbeiana, B. orientalis and H. arborea japonica. The pancreatic polypeptide (PP)-immunoreactive cells represented their distribution limited to the small intestines of R. amurensis coreana and H. arborea japonica, and they were additionally identified in the pylorus of the stomachs in the other four species. Serotonin- and glucagon- Immunoreactive cells revealed different regional distributions in which the former were observed throughout the whole alimentary tracts in all frog species investigated, whereas the latter were not found in these regions at all. Endocrine cells were relatively abundant in the pyloric portion of the stomach compared to other organs. The present study showed that all endocrine cells except for PP had a similar distribution in the alimentary tracts of all frog species used.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.113-120
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• 2000

Herpetofauna biodiversity was surveyed at the Chin-do. The results are as follows: During census periods presence of 2 orders, 4 families, 6 species of amphibians and 1 order, 2 suborders, 4 families, 8 species of reptiles were observed or found indirectly by auditorial recording from residents at the Chin-do. Among them 1 protected wildlife(Agkistrodon saxatilis) and several rare species such as Takydromus wolteri, Sciucella laterale laterale and Zamenis spinalis were indentified. Rana nigromaculata and Rana catesbeiana were found in all surveyed areas. Dominant amphibian species was Rana rugosa (D'= 25.8%) and reptile was Takydromus wolteri (D'= 21.8%). Among 4 areas survey area, Uisin-myon showed the highest level of species richness, diversity, and evenness indices (R'= 2.393, H'= 1.931, and E'= 0.7772, respectively). The species richness of Kunnae-myon was lower (R'= 0.932) than other surveyed regions. Based on the frequency of occurrence (85.71%), habitation density of Rana catesbeiana was very common in Chin-do, suggesting that spreading of this foreign species in the entire Korean peninsula. Scincella laterale laterale, Elaphe dione, Elaphe rufodorsata, Dinodon rufozonatus rufozonatus, Rhabdophis tigrinus tigrinus, Agkistrodon ussuriensis, and Zamenis spinalis showed low frequency of occurrence ( < 10%) and efforts to protect them are required. [Herpetofauna, Bio-diversity, Chin-Do].

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.245-254
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• 1992

Total 242 Rana nigromaculata and g R. catesbeiana were collected from the various localities in Korea from February 1989 to July 1991, and their lungs were examined. Five species in genus Haematoloechus, i. e., H. sibiricus japonicus (Yamaguti, 1936), H. nanchangensis Hsiung, 1934, H. variegatus (Rudolphi, 1819), H. lobatus (Seno, 1907), H. lobatus koreanus, were identified in this study. Among them, H. lebatus koreanus was a new subspecies and H. variegatus and H. lebatus were newly recorded from Korea.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.39.1-39.6
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• 2021

The classification of the bone pieces excavated from Gasan-ri archaeological site 1 in Jinju, presumed to be relics was investigated macroscopically. The remains of the animal bone were 3 classes (Mammalia, Aves, Amphibia), 5 orders (Carnivora, Artiodactyla, Galliformer, Rodentia, Salientia), and 6 species (Sus scrofa, Cervidae sp., Nyctereutes procyonides, Phasianidae, Rattus norvegicus caraco, Rana nigromaculata). The total weight of the animal bone remains was 1,002.80 g, with the identified bones comprising 975.30 g and an identification rate of 97.26%. A total of 447 animal bone fragments were identified, including 204 bone pieces of S. scrofa (468.00 g, 47.99%), 102 bone pieces of Cervidae sp. (453.79 g, 46.53%), 68 bone pieces of R. nigromaculata (4.69 g, 0.48%), 59 bone pieces of N. procyonides (47.14 g, 4.83%), 9 bone pieces of Phasianidae (0.98 g, 0.10%), and 5 bone pieces of Rattus norvegicus caraco (0.70 g, 0.07%). The bone pieces of the animal relics consisted of 81 skull (18.12%), 161 axial skeleton (36.02%), 64 forelimb (14.32%), and 141 hindlimb (31.54%) fragments. The archaeological significance of the animal bones excavated in this investigation was that wild boars and deer were presumed to have been mainly used animals in the Gasan-ri area of Jinju during the Three Kingdoms period.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.247-252
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• 1999

The aim of this study was to characterize antipredator tactics of anurans and to evaluate the effectiveness of these tactics for predator avoidance in real confrontations. Two types of experiments were conducted. In one experiment, one predator and one prey were placed together for one hour in a small confined space (one-to-one interaction). In another experiment, one predator and several prey were placed together for one day in a large enclosure in a field (field-based interaction). The prey consisted of three anuran species, Rana nigromaculata, R. rugosa, and Bombina orientalls: a snake species, Rhabdophis tigrinus tigrinus, was used as a predator. Results of both experiments demonstrated a range in antipredator responses of the frogs, from toxicity and warning coloration, coupled with slow responses in Bombina to little (or only slight) toxicity, crypsis, and fast take-off responses to the predator in the ranids. oth ranid species exhibited lower survival(57%) than Bombina (95%) in the field-based interaction, suggesting that motor responses of the palatable prey due to attacks of the predator ultimately limited their survival. The jumping of the ranids increased the activity of the predator, which became more likely to strike. Simple crouching(seen in R. rugosa and B. orientalis) and chemical defense (in Bombina) reduced predatory attacks.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.161-173
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• 1994

면역효소법을 이용하여 3종의 한국산 개구리 참개구리(Rono nigromaculuto), 옴개구리(R. rugosa), 북방산개구리(R. 겨대bowskii)의 뇌에서 GnRH 뉴우런의 분포 부위와 GnRH의 종류 등을 연구하였다. 1차 항체로는 anti-rat GnRH, anti-salmon GnRH anti-chicken 11 GnRH 항체를 사용하였다. 3종의 개구리에서 mGnRH cGnRH 11와 sGnRH가 이둔 동정되었으나 3가지 항체에 대한 각 종의 면역 반응성은 종에 따라 달리 나타났다 mGnRH는 옴개구리와 참개구리에서, sGnRH는 북방산개구리에서 강한 면역 반응을 나타냈으며 cGnRH 11는 3종의 개구리에서 중간 정도의 면역 반응을 나타냈다. 각각의 GnRH의 상대적인 양에는 차이가 있으나 일부 경우를 제외하고는 뇌의 동일한 지역에 분포하였다. 참개구리에서는 GnRH가 중격 내측핵(NMS), Broca band 핵(NDB)에 집단으로 분포하였다. 북방산개구리에서는 GnRH가 중격 내측핵, Broca bnad 핵에서 등쪽에서 배쪽으로 길게 선상으로 가장 협소하게 분포하였으며, 번식기와 직전(1월-3월)에만 면역 반응을 나타냈다. 옴개구리의 뇌에서 가장 광범위한 지역, 즉 종뇌의 중격 내측핵, Broca band 핵, 아래 교차 지역(SCA)과 간뇌에 GnRH 신경세포가 분포하였으며. 제3뇌실 맥락얼기에서 mGnRH 신경세포가 처음으로 동정되었다. 3종에서 공통적으로 중격 내측핵과 Broca band 핵에서 유래한 신경섬유는 복측 시상하부를 거쳐 정중융기에 이르렀다. 이러한 결과는 GnRH가 뇌하수체에서 생식소 자극 호르몬의 분비 조절에 밀접한 관계가 있음을 뜻한다.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.29-34
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• 1988

In order to investigate the role of nuclei and cytoplasm in early embryogenesis, interspecific nuclear transplantation was carried out Nuclei of one species of amphibian was transplanted into enucleated egg of another species. In interspecific hybrids between Rana species, development was arrested before or right after the dorsal lip formation. In intergenetic hybrids between Rana, Xenopus and axolod, developmental arrest took place at late blastula stage. Comparing the developmental capacity of each nudeocytoplasmic hybrid, the more distantly related the species, the earlier does development arrest. The general rule is that nuclear transfers between any amphibian species will form a regulary cleaved late blastula. Two plausible factors relate to limitation of tite developmental capacity of nudeocytaplasmic hybrids. One is an irreversible change in grafted nuclei and another is tunctional incompatibility between the recipient cytoplasm and transplanted nucleus. The later is postulated a more possible cause of the arrestrnent.