• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.159-175
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• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.14-21
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• 1989

Four external and 22 cranial characters of 279 specimens representing 24 species of six orders of Korean mammals were measured. The data were analyzed by phenetic methods such as ordination as well as clustering techniques. Morphological distances were also calculated. Phenetic studies yield taxonomic placements of Siberian mink, Palearetic squirrel, and big white-toothed shrew which are incorrect. Morphological differences among Korean mammals at ordinal level in the taxonomic hierarchy are larger than those among other mammals: morphological differences below ordinal level are comparable to those among other mammals. Average taxonomic distances and morphological differences among Korean mammals at various levels in the taxonomic hierarchy are jointly monotonic, although the value of Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficient between average taxonomic distance matrix and morphological difference marrix is 0.59.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2009

The dorsal lingual papillae of Sorex caecutiens were studied morphologically using scanning electron microscopy. Three types of lingual papillae were found: filiform papillae, fungiform papillae and circumvallate papillae. Filiform papillae were observed in most part of the tongue except on the lateral surface. There were basically three types of filiform papillae distinguished mainly by their morphological shape and structure. Numerous fungiform papillae were spread throughout the whole tongue, especially concentrated in lateral sides. The size varied according to the position of fungiform papillae, becoming larger as it reached to the rear. Strict pair-wise distribution was not observable, but fungiform papillae were mostly located in orderly manner. There were two large circumvallate papillae at the posterior region of the tongue. There were two thick pads around the center part where several bodies were gathered together. Overall research provided similar results with other close species such as common shrew (S. araneus). The circumvallate papillae of S. caecutiens were different from other Sorex species. They were circular, as in bats and other Sorex species, and had two distinguishable pads while others had only one.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.441-449
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• 2015

This study was conducted to screen the characteristics of external and cranial characters of Crocidura shantungensis collected from Korean Peninsula, Ulleung Island and Jeju Island. There were significant differences in head-body length (HBL), tail length (TL), ear length (EL), and hind foot length (HFL) in males and HBL, TL, and HFL in females among three populations (p<0.05). The HBL and TL in the Jeju Island population were larger (8.0 mm and 4.0 mm in lengths, respectively) than those of the Korean Peninsula population. Based on skull analysis, a total of thirteen traits showed significant differences among the three populations (p<0.05). The condylo-insicive length (CIL), maximum width of brain case (MWB), mandibular length (ML), and mandibular height (MH) in the Jeju Island population were significantly larger than those of Korean Peninsula population (p<0.05). Principle component analysis (PCA) showed that two principle components (PC) identified from the PCA affected on the body size and width of the skull, respectively. Discriminant analysis revealed that these populations could be discriminated through skull traits. These findings concluded that the Jeju Island population was greater in the size than the Korean Peninsula, suggesting that the Jeju Island shrews have successfully adapted to the island environments and they had morphologically differentiated during glacial period after natural immigration into that Island. Thus, this study supports the 'Island Rule', showing that the population is well adapted to the island environments. This may provide important information for biogeographical and ecological studies on insular animals.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.31-41
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• 2007

The spermiogenesis of Crocidura shantungensis were studied by electron microscope. All process of spermiogenesis was divided into 11 phases 15 steps, based on the morphological features of the nucleus and cell organelles in cytoplasm of spermatids. The spermatids in Golgi and cap phases were a spherical shape. On the other hand, at the early acrosomal phase they changed into an oval shape, and the tail was created in this phase. In maturation phase, the shapes of spermatid head were thin and longish. Until step 7 the direction of spermatids head turned toward the lumen of the seminiferous tubule. From step 8 to step 15 their heads turned toward the basal lamina. In step 12, the nucleus and acrosome shown maximal elongation. From Step 13 the nucleus of spermatids became flat, simultaneously with flat expansion of the acrosome expanded, and the visible whole lengths of spermatids were tend to be shorten. Spermatid heading which arrived to step 14 was taken the final shape. The nucleus was doing the wedge shape, and the nuclear chromatins condensed completely and homogenized. In the spermiation phase, the spermatids were gradually disconnected from the cytoplasm of the Sertoli cell. In this phase, the acrosome of the spermatids were fully shorten and flat, and the spermatozoa completed the process of heading and the tailing. Considering all the results, the spermiogenesis may be useful information to analyze the differentiation of spermatogenic cells.