• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2020

Background: Understanding the geographical distribution of a species is a key component of studying its ecology, evolution, and conservation. Although Schlegel's Japanese gecko (Gekko japonicus) is widely distributed in Northeast Asia, its distribution has not been studied in detail. We predicted the present and future distribution of G. japonicus across China, Japan, and Korea based on 19 climatic and 5 environmental variables using the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) species distribution model. Results: Present time major suitable habitats for G. japonicus, having greater than 0.55 probability of presence (threshold based on the average predicted probability of the presence records), are located at coastal and inland cities of China; western, southern, and northern coasts of Kyushu and Honshu in Japan; and southern coastal cities of Korea. Japan contained 69.3% of the suitable habitats, followed by China (27.1%) and Korea (4.2%). Temperature seasonality (66.5% of permutation importance) was the most important predictor of the distribution. Future distributions according to two climate change scenarios predicted that by 2070, and overall suitable habitats would decrease compared to the present habitats by 18.4% (scenario RCP 4.5) and 10.4% (scenario RCP 8.5). In contrast to these overall trends, range expansions are expected in inland areas of China and southern parts of Korea. Conclusions: Suitable habitats predicted for G. japonicus are currently located in coastal cities of Japan, China, and Korea, as well as in isolated patches of inland China. Due to climate change, suitable habitats are expected to shrink along coastlines, particularly at the coastal-edge of climate change zones. Overall, our results provide essential distribution range information for future ecological studies of G. japonicus across its distribution range.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.125-131
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• 2000

This paper deals with the morphology and taxonomy of the first reported species of echinostome belonging to the genus Himasthla Dietz, 1909, found from dunlins (Calidris alpina sakhalina) in Korea. Birds were captured with mist-nets at the tidal flat of Yeochari, Kanghwa-gun, Kyunggi-do, Korea. The worms were removed from avian intestines in physiological saline, fixed, acetocarmine stained and observed. Himasthla kusasigi Yamaguti, which was found in 1939, was characterized morphologically by a long and slender body (5.27 mm in length), besetting with spines and reniform head collar (0.27 mm) in a form of a single and uninterrupted row of 31 spines. The oral sucker (0.057$\times$0.0684 mm) is smaller than the ventral sucker (0.35$\times$0.29 mm). The ventral sucker was close to the anterior extremity of the body. The worm had two elliptical testes (anterior 0.47$\times$0.30 mm, posterior 0.59$\times$0.27 mm). The testes were close to the posterior end of the body. The uterus was very long, winding and extending through at least two thirds of the body length. The ovary (0.13$\times$0.14mm) was round and small. Below the ovary, a round and small seminal receptacle was found.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.133-136
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to determine the degree of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) divergence between two subspecies of $Mustela$ $sibirica$ from Korea ($M.$ $s.$ $coreanus$ on the Korean Peninsula and ($M.$ $s.$ $quelpartis$ on Jeju Island) and to examine the taxonomic status of ($M.$ $s.$ $quelpartis$. Thus, we obtained complete sequences of mtDNA cytochrome $b$ gene (1,140 bp) from the two subspecies, and these sequences were compared to a corresponding haplotype of ($M.$ $s.$ $coreanus$, downloaded from GenBank. From this analysis, it was observed that the sequences from monogenic ($M.$ $s.$ $quelpartis$ on Jeju Island were identical to the sequences of four ($M.$ $s.$ $coreanus$from four locations across the Korean Peninsula, and that the two subspecies formed a single clade; the average nucleotide distance between the two subspecies was 0.26% (range, 0.00 to 0.53%). We found that the subspecies $quelpartis$ is not genetically distinct from the subspecies $coreanus$, and that this cytochrome $b$ sequencing result does not support the current classification, distinguishing these two subspecies by pelage color. Further systematic analyses using morphometric characters and other DNA markers are necessary to confirm the taxonomic status of ($M.$ $s.$ $quelpartis$.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1.1-1.14
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• 2020

Background: Dietary protein requirements are dependent on a variety of factors and water temperature is one of the most important abiotic factors affecting protein requirement of fish. This study was, therefore, conducted to investigate effects of water temperature on dietary protein requirement of fry Heteropneustes fossilis which has high demand in most of the Asian markets. Methods: Quadruplicate groups of 30 fish per treatment (2.97 ± 0.65 cm; 5.11 ± 0.34 g) were fed seven isoenergetic diets (17.9 kJ g^-1 gross energy; 14.99 kJ g^-1 digestible energy) containing dietary protein levels ranging from 28 to 52% at two water temperatures (18 and 26 ℃). Experimental diets were fed to apparent satiation as semi-moist cakes thrice daily at 17:00, 12:00, and 17:30 h for 12 weeks. For precise information, various growth parameters, protein deposition, hematological parameters, metabolic enzymes, and stress response were analyzed, and effects of water temperature on dietary protein requirement was recommended on the basis of response from above parameters. Results: Groups held at 26 ℃ attained best growth, feed conversion, and protein deposition at 44% dietary protein indicating that temperature affected dietary protein requirement for optimum growth of H. fossilis fry and protein requirement seems to be satisfied with 44% dietary protein. Interestingly, interactive effects of both dietary protein levels and temperature were not found (P > 0.05). Fish reared at 18 ℃ had comparatively higher values for aspartate and alanine transferases than those reared at 26 ℃ water temperature which exhibited normal physiological value for these enzymes indicating that body metabolism was normal at this temperature. Hematological parameters also followed same pattern. Furthermore, fish reared at 26 ℃ water temperature exhibited more resistant to thermal stress (P < 0.05). The 95% maximum plateau of protein deposition data using second-degree polynomial regression analyses exhibited dietary protein requirement of fry H. fossilis between 40.8 and 41.8% of diet at 26 ℃ water temperature. The recommended range of dietary protein level and protein/digestible energy ratio for fry H. fossilis is 40.8-41.8% and 27.21-27.88 mg protein kJ^-1 digestible energy, respectively. Conclusions: Information developed is of high significance for optimizing growth potential by making better utilization of nutrient at 26 ℃ and, to develop effective management strategies for mass culture of this highly preferred fish species.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 1998

This study was conducted to find out the biochemical or metabolic resistance mechanism of brown planthopper (BPH) to carbofuran. Differences between resistant ($LD_{50};\;20.3{\mu}g/g$) and susceptible strains($LD_{50};\;0.3{\mu}g/g$) were shown. The amounts of carbofuran metabolite, benzofuranol, and the origin, not developed by Thin Layer Chromatography, were much more in the susceptible strain. But the mother compound, carbofuran, was much more in the resistant strain. The tendencies of metabolism one and three hours after treatment were similar in both strains except for the amounts of metabolites described above. From the study, it is supposed that hydrolytic enzyme, esterase, changes its role from cleaving the esteric bond of carbofuran to making conjugates with carbofuran. This seems to be the main resistance mechanism of BPH to carbofuran. Oxidase and transferase may play little or no role in resistance mechanism. Oxidative and transferring enzymes gave no effects on the metabolism of carbofuran in the resistant strain compared with the susceptible strain.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 1986

Animals in Order Decapoda consist of a plentiful species and vary in external and internal shape, taste, feeding habit and the feature of alimentary canal. In this case, the morphological study on the midgut epithelium of filter feeding Decapoda in Crustacea, Korean fresh water crayfish (Cambaroides similis Koelbel), the only species dwelling in Korea, were performed by scanning electron microscopy. The anterior-most parts of midgut epithelium appeared to be many shallow, dense and irregular folds where a linear microvilli (MV) (1-3$\\mu$m long) numbered from a few to ten had raised. Middle part of the gut, the folds got gradually shallower. MV arranging on one, two or three lines were slightly thicker than those mentioned above. The number of MV in each group seemed gradual decrease from a apical border with maximum thirty in group to furrow with none. From the middle to posterior parts of the gut, the MV were slightly thinner and longer (2.5-4 $\\mu$m long) and raised twelve on a line and, in some cases, added from one to five on another line. On the posterior-end parts of the gut, the epithelium showed many shallow and dense folds as the anterior parts again. A group of thin and long MV (2-7 $\\mu$m long) countable fifteen on a line were raised to the base of each fold. In some cases, the MV also added utmost in five on the other line. All the MV observed in this study were posteriorly directed.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.281-289
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• 1989

The present study was disigned to determine the concentration of bioavailable steroid hormones in the atretic follicular fluid (FF). The concentradons of progesterone (P), testosterone (T), estradiol (E), androstenedione (A), and 5-$\alpha$ dihydrotestosterone (DIlT) were determined by the established methods of luminescent immunoassay (LIA) or radioimmunoassay (RIA). Concentrations of T, A and Diff in human FF from smail (< 6 mm). medium (8-15 mm), and large (> 15 mm) atretic follicles were significandy higher than those of normal ones (p < 0.01). However, the levels of T, A and DHT in smail atretic foflicle were significandy lower than those found in normal one. The concentrations of P in atretic FF from porcine small (< 3 mm), medium (4-6 mm), and large (> 7 mm) follicles were not different from that of normal ones. However, the concentration of E in atretic forncles of each group was significantly lower than that of normal group (p < 0.001 in each group). On the other hand, the percentages of bioavailable T (BI) in human FF were significandy (p <0.001) higher than those in normal groups. The BT in normal or atretic FF was more than 90 % of total T. The present result demonstrates that the bioavailable androgen, but not E levels in atretic follicles is higher than that of normal one, and that the atretic mechanism might be dependent on the ovarian forncle size in the developmental stage and on the animal model system. Moreover, the present study suggests that the steroids found in the FF are the bioavailable forms and the concentration of BT in FF could be used as one of the valuable criteria classifying the ovarian atretic follicle.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.253-270
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• 1983

Electron microscopic degeneration studies were carried out on the rat's interpeduncular nucleus following lesion on both habenular nuclei to clarify the morphological nature of their presynaptic endings involved in the habenulo-interpeduncular pathway. Two distinct types of interpeduncular neurons were observed: 30% of large neurons and 70% of small ones. Four types of boutons with many characteristics could be differentiated; small spherical vesicle-containing boutons (40%), large spherical vesicle-containing boutons (18%), pleomorphic vesicle-containing boutons (33%), and elongated vesicle-containg boutons (9%). Vesicle containing dendrites were observed as dendro-dendritic synapses and axo-axonal synapses were also found, though rarely. Two to four days after the lesion on both habenular nuclei, the small spherical vesicle-containing boutons were found almost exclusively in the process of degeneration, while the other types were entirely free of degeneration. Therefore, it is inferred that habenural neurons terminate in the interpeduncular nucleus as small spherical vesicle-containing boutons. The neuronal origin of the other bouton types is discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.271-282
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• 1983

The authors observed the ultrastructure of the pigment cells of the frog, Rana nigromaculata Hallowell, during the hibernation. The specimens from the skin were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde-paraform-aldehyde fixative in phosphate buffer at pH 7.2 prior to fixation in 2% osimium tetroxide, dehydrated in graded ethanol and acetone, embedded in Epon 812 mixture, and sectioned with LKB-ultramicrotome. the ultrathin sections were contrasted with uranyl acetate and lead citrate and observed with a JEOL-100B electron microscope. The results were as follows. In hibernating phase, pigment cells of the frog were consisted of the three kinds of chromatophores (xanthophore, iridophore and melanophore) in their dorsal skin. The traits of these cells were as follows. 1. Xanthophores A. Xanthophores were filled with pterinosomes and carotenoid vesicles. Many ribosomes, a few mitochondria and glycogen particles were dispersed in the cytoplasm. B. Pterinosomes were spherical or ellipsoidal in shape. They were divided into 6 types (type I, type II, type III, type IV, type V, type VI pterinosomes) by the their inner structure and especially, type I, type II, type III pterinosomes were well developed.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.242-251
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• 1989

Morphometric and genetic analyses on six populations of the two subspecies of Cobitis koreensis were performed to investigate the geographic variation and to clarify their taxonomic status. No significant differences between subspecies were found. Puan population of C. k. pumilus tends to be smaller in numbers of cross bars and dorsal spots, than those of C. k. koreensis populations with no statistical significance. Average degree of genic variation among six populations of the two subspecies was A=1.5, P =37.3%, HD=0.053, and HG=0.097. Marginal populations of Samchog (C. k. koreensis) and Puan(C. k. pumilus) were least variable: A= 1.3, P=23.8%, HD=0.0l0, HG=0.043, and A= 1.2, P=19.0%, HD=0.029, HG=0.078 respectively.The difference between HD and HG in all populations may indicate a patchness distribution between demes within each population. Genetic similarities between the two subspecies were, on the average, S=0.894, and this value correspond to the average genetic similarities among five populations of C. k. koreensis (5=0.899). Chongup population of C. k. koreensis and Puan population of C. k. pumilus was most similar genetically (5 =0.931). The results of morphometric and genetic analysis in this study indicate that C. k. pumilus is not a valid subspecies and should be considered as a population of C. koreensis.