• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
• /
• 제30권3호
• /
• pp.159-175
• /
• 2014

A taxonomic study of small mammals (Erinaceomorpha, Soricomorpha and Rodentia) was conducted in order to find out the scientific names which have been used in Korea. The synonymy of each species and taxonomical research was reviewed and confirmed in this study. The species names are rearranged based on recent studies. Among the various confused names, available names were adopted such as follows: C. shantungensis shantungensis known as Crocidura suaveolens; C. shantungensis quelpartis known as C. dsinezumi; Rattus tanezumi known as R. rattus, called black rat, roof rat and ship rat, respectively. Apodemus sylvaticus (Muridae, wood mouse) is excluded in the checklist based on indistinct previous records and ambiguous habitation on the Korean Peninsula, and neighbors. In addition, we provide a new Korean vernacular name for Myocastor coypus, called the "Nutria" in Korea. We reflect that several species are repositioned to other genera. A checklist of Korean small mammals and synonym list for each species is provided to avoid confusion of scientific names in Korea. In this study, the list of small mammals in Korea is arranged to 33 species, 20 genera, 8 families, and 3 orders.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• 제43권4호
• /
• pp.146-154
• /
• 2013

Capillaria hepatica (syn. Calodium hepatica) is a parasite found mainly in rodent liver. But, it has also been found in a wide variety of mammals, including humans. This worm is unique as it is the only nematode parasite that is embedded in the liver parenchyma of the host even during the adult stage of the life cycle. They produce eggs that elicit a marked granulomatous reaction that eventually destroys the worms. Fibrosis and lymphoplasmacytic inflammatory infiltration are often observed around adult nematodes embedded in the liver parenchyma of the host. For this reason, complete isolation of this slender worm and observation of the intact ultrastructure is very difficult. In this study, 10 intact whole worms (C. hepatica) were isolated from the liver of 3-week-old mouse after inoculation of artificially embryonated eggs collected from house rats (Rattus norvegicus). Their external structure of was observed with light and scanning electron microscopy. The length of the isolated female and male C. hepatica was approximately 69.60 mm and 36.92 mm, respectively. More detailed ultrastructure, including bacillary band, eggs and vulva in female and spicule and spicule sheath in male C. hepatica was also described.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• 제11권1호
• /
• pp.17-28
• /
• 1988

Five hundrad and eight rats were caught in Shiheung-dong and Mt. Kwan-ak from 1986 to 1987 in this survey. Ectoparasites were got from these rats and classified. The results were as follows: 9,191 mites (16 genera, 30 species), 408 fleas (4 genera, 4 species), and 521 lice (3 genera, 5 species) were observed in this survey. In the residential area, Rattus norvesicus(71.74%) was dominant species and in Mt. Kwan-ak Apodemus agrarius(93.62%). In these areas, the mites belonging to suborder Mesostigmata were dominant (Laelaps nuttli, 52.61%; Ornithonyssus bacoti, 36.05%). In Mt. Kwan-ak, family Frombiculidae belonging to suborder Prostigmata were dominant (Leptotromibidium orientalis, 31.04%; Leptotrombidium palpalis, 30.00%). In this way, it was discovered that the difference between the two regions in dominant species was noticeable. As for the hosts parasitized by mites, L. nuttalli in R. norvegicus (54.85%), L. nuttalli in R. rattus (32.90%), and L. orientalis in A. agrarius (31.27%) were dominant species, respectively. In the mites parasitizing on A. agrarius in each altitude, the species were more varied as the region was lower and the dominant species were more concentrated as it was higher.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
• /
• 제26권2호
• /
• pp.99-104
• /
• 2010

The subfamily Murinae is a very controversial group concerning their phylogenetic relationship. Previous studies could not resolve phylogeny among four genera Apodemus, Micromys, Mus and Rattus of the Muridae. In the present study, eight rodent species resident in South Korea were collected and phylogenetically analyzed based on sequence data of five mitochondrial and nuclear DNA regions: 12S rRNA, cytochrome b gene (cyt b), cytochrome oxidase II (COII), control region of mitochondrial DNA, and a thyroglobulin (Tg) of nuclear DNA. According to the phylogeny of the concatenated data, M. musculus separated early in Murinae (ML 100%; BA 1.00 pp) and the genus Rattus grouped with the harvest mouse, M. minutes; these were separated from the genus Apodemus with relatively strong support (ML 74%; BA 0.76 pp). The Siberian chipmunk population was also examined using the five genes to obtain better resolution. The phylogeny for Korean rodents determined using the 12S rRNA, cyt b, COII and control regions discriminated the Siberian chipmunk populations from Korea, Russia, and China.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• 제3권2호
• /
• pp.52-54
• /
• 2005

Visualization of the homology information is an important method to analyze the evolutionary and functional meanings of genes. With a database containing model genomes of Homo sapiens, Mus muculus, and Rattus norvegicus, we constructed a web­based comparative analysis tool, BioCovi, to visualize the homology information of mammalian sequences on a very large scale. The user interface has several features: it marks regions whose identity is greater than that specified, it shows or hides gaps from the result of global sequence alignment, and it inverts the graph when total identity is higher than the threshold specified.

• 한국응용곤충학회지
• /
• 제13권3호
• /
• pp.135-139
• /
• 1974

1973.9.7-10.11까지 우리나라에 있어서 농작물의 피해에 가장 크게 영향하는 쥐의 종류와 주요 서식처를 밝히고자 강원도와 경기도 일환을 대상으로 10개소의 논에 대하여 피해조사를 실시하였다. 조사결과 전체적으로는 1971년도 벼의 평균피경률 조생종 $14.2\%$ 중만생종 $14.2\%$ 보다 월등히 남은 조생종 $063\%$ 및 중만생종 $0.26\%$이었다. 그러나 대부분의 피해는 농가로부터 50m(간혹 l100m)이내에서 심하게 나타났고 피해의 원인이 되는 주요 쥐종류는 시궁쥐 (Rattus norvegicus Caraco)와 등줄쥐 (Apodemus agrarius)이었다. 1974. 4. 9-4.18까지 전국대표적인 지역을 순회하면서 농민과 농촌지도원을 대상으로 광범위한 여론을 수집한 바 우리나라에 있어서 쥐에 의한 농작물의 피해는 농촌부락에서 서식월동하는 쥐의 개체군에 밀접한 관련을 가지고 있음이 확인되었다.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• 제27권3호
• /
• pp.133-139
• /
• 2004

형산강 수계 주변을 대상으로 하여 소형 포유류의 서식현황 및 서식지 선호도를 측정하기 위하여 2003년 1월부터 7월에 걸쳐 조사하였다. 서식이 확인된 소형 포유류는 등줄쥐(Apodemus agrarius), 시궁쥐(Rattus norvegicus), 멧밭쥐(Micromys minutus) 등 3종이었다. 주요 우점종으로는 88개체로 79.20%를 보인 등줄쥐였으며, 다음으로 시궁쥐와 멧밭쥐의 순을 보였다. 소형 포유류의 서식지 선호도는 수계 주변의 토지이용 유형과 경작지, 식생유형, 그리고 제방의 설치 유무와 수심 등 여러 가지 서식지 구조에 따라 다양하게 나타났는데 민가와 삼림에 비하여 경작지에서 특히 논에서의 선호도가 높았으며, 식생 구조별로는 초지의 선호도가 높게 나타났다. 하천제방의 유무도 소형 포유류의 서식에 영향을 미쳤는데 제방이 조성되지 않은 지역이나 자연석 매트 공법으로 이루어진 지역의 경우 소형 포유류의 서식에 부정적인 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 조사되었으나, 콘크리트 호안제방의 경우 이들의 공간적 분포에 상당한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 수계 가장자리의 수심 또한 소형 포유류의 서식에 영향을 미쳤는데 수심이 말아질수록 소형 포유류의 서식밀도는 높게 나타났다.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제55권3호
• /
• pp.351-355
• /
• 2017

Hymenolepis nana and Hymenolepis diminuta are globally widespread zoonotic cestodes. Rodents are the main reservoir host of these cestodes. Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are the best known and most common rats, and usually live wherever humans live, especially in less than desirable hygiene conditions. Due to the little information of the 2 hymenolepidid species in brown rats in China, the aim of this study was to understand the prevalence and genetic characterization of H. nana and H. diminuta in brown rats in Heilongjiang Province, China. Total 114 fecal samples were collected from brown rats in Heilongjiang Province. All the samples were subjected to morphological examinations by microscopy and genetic analysis by PCR amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1) gene and the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region of the nuclear ribosomal RNA gene. In total, 6.1% (7/114) and 14.9% (17/114) of samples were positive for H. nana and H. diminuta, respectively. Among them, 7 and 3 H. nana isolates were successfully amplified and sequenced at the COX1 and ITS2 loci, respectively. No nucleotide variations were found among H. nana isolates at either of the 2 loci. Seventeen H. diminuta isolates produced 2 different COX1 sequences while 7 ITS2 sequences obtained were identical to each other. The present results of H. nana and H. diminuta infections in brown rats implied the risk of zoonotic transmission of hymenolepiasis in China. These molecular data will be helpful to deeply study intra-specific variations within Hymenolepis cestodes in the future.

• 대한수의학회지
• /
• 제39권5호
• /
• pp.896-907
• /
• 1999

The morphometrical characteristics such as external measurements and mandible size assessment in mice and rats have to be highly heritable and sufficiently variable between strains in order to calculate a strain specific profiles. The coat color of Korean wild rats were observed and morphometric analysis of external measurements were carried out on Korean wild rats compared to laboratory strains in order to clarify the genetic characteristics of Korean wild rats and to establish background data as a domestication of Korean wild rats for new laboratory strain. Korean wild rats were captured from Chunchon and Hoengsong. 4 inbred and 1 outbred strains of rats were used in this study for the comparison of genetic characteristic of Korean wild rats. Total body length, head length, tail length, hind foot length and ear length were measured and then statistical analysis were carried out by discrimiant analysis. The coat color of Korean wild rat showed golden white in ventral portion and dark agouti in dorsal portion. Korean wild rats could be distinguished from the other laboratory strains distinctly by morphogenetical analysis. There was significant variations among Korean wild rat compared to those of the other laboratory strains of rat. This study may provide that Korean wild rats have a unique genetic characterization compared to those of other inbred strains of rats based on morphogenetical characteristics by external measurements.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
• /
• 제30권4호
• /
• pp.125-130
• /
• 2005

Thrombin-induced platelet microbicidal proteins (tPMP) are antibacterial proteins released when platelets are stimulated by thrombin. It has been reported that tPMP has antibacterial activity against various bacterial species including causative agents of infective endocarditis. Most of the oral streptococci have resistance to the killing by tPMP and this fact may play an important role as a virulence factor in infective endocarditis. However, the susceptibility and resistance mechanism of oral streptococci for tPMP have not been revealed yet. In this study, the killing mechanism of tPMP for oral streptococci has been investigated. Streptococcus rattus BHT, a susceptible strain, and Streptococcus gordonii DL1, a resistant strain, have been used in this study. tPMP was isolated from platelet after stimulation with thrombin. Cell membrane depolarization was examined with 3,3'-dipropylthiodicarbocyanine iodide ($DiSC_3$), membrane potential-sensitive cyanine dye, by fluorescence spectrophotometry. The permeabilization of cell membrane by tPMP was investigated with propidium iodide (PI) by flow cytometry. tPMP susceptible S. rattus BHT showed the increase of the $DiSC_3$ fluorescence level meaning depolarization of cell membrane and increase of the uptake of PI which means permeabilization of cell membrane. However, tPMP resistant S. gordonii DLI did not show depolarization and permeabilization. These results indicate that the increasing depolarization and permeabilization of oral streptococcal cell membrane are associated with the bactericidal activity of tPMP.