• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.107-119
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• 1989

Three species of Korean sticklebacks family Gasterosteidae were reviewed based on the specimens of several populations for the study of their morphological variations and taxonomical positions. All specimens of Gasterosteus aculeatus observed have a complte row of lateral plates ranging from thirty-two to thirty-five in number. The low-plate morph regarded as landlocked type is virtually absent. And no difference was recognized among six populations of G. aculeatus in the meristic chracters, i.e. number of vertebrae, gill rakers and finrays. The Pungitius sinensis and P.kaibarae ssp. shown local variations have scutes ranging from 31 to 35, but not clinal in the morphometric characters. But P.sinensis was statistically different from P.kaibarae ssp. in some characters such as the number of dorsal spine rays and vertebrae, and body depth, although their ranges overlapped. No significant taxonomic difference was detected between white from and black from in dorsal spinous membrane of P.kailbarae ssp. Although these three species of Korean sticklebacks have the same diploid chromosome number (2N=42), G. aculeatus is obviously different from the two species of genus Pungitius in their karyotype ; G. aculeatus consists of six metacentrics, six submetacentrics, and thiry subtelo-acrocentrics, and both P.sinensis and P.kaibarae ssp. have four metacentrics, six submetacentrics, and thirty-four subtelo-acrocentrics.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2001

The object of this study is to differentiate the reproductive behaviors of Pungitius sinensis and P. kaibarae inhabiting the southern part of the Korean Peninsula. We collected P. sinensis from Jusu stream, Okkyemyeon and P. kaibarae from Sacheon stream, Sacheon-myeon both in Gangwon province and subsequently raised and observed them in an aquarium. At the beginning of the reproductive season, male P. sinensis got tinged with dark green, made a territory, and built nests on the bottom. On the other hand, male P. kaibarae became black all over, its white ventral spines became conspicuous and built nests on the stems of waterweed off the bottom. In the courtship dance, male P. sinensis made frequent attempts to entice females into their nests after many bitings, while male P. kaibarae mostly did this with conspicuous jumpings. In courtship behaviors, the body's angle of male P. kaibarae with his head down was larger than that of male P. sinensis by 50-60 degrees. During courtship, the biting frequency as an index of aggressive behavior was greater in P. sinensis and the jumping frequency as an index of sexual behavior was greater in P. kaibarae. During the courtship dance, bitings tended to suppress jumpings, for P. sinensis, but not for P. kaibarae.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.499-508
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• 1990

Surveys of elecirophoretic variations in isozymes and proteins encoded by 25 persumtive loci were conducted to estimate the degree of genic variation and to assess species recognition for three species of the Family Gasterosteidae (Pisces) in Korea. The average degree of genic variation of Gasterosteus aculeatus was HD = 0.086, HG = 0.084, and P =36% and it was similar to Pungitius sinensis (HD = 0.080, HG = 0.091, P = 29%). But P.kaibarae was less variable than these species (HD = 0.034; HG = 0.034, P = 13%). The average genetic similarities among the populations in each species of Gasterosteus aculeatus pungitius sinensis and P. kaibarae were S = 0.963, S = 0.953 and S = 0.800 respectively.Yongchon and Kyongiu populations of P. kaibarae were genetically remote from the rest of the conspecific populations (S = 0.690). Chae (1988) also observed morphological differences between them. The value of genetic similariiy coefficients of S = 0.606 between P. sinensis and P. kaibarae is low enough to consider as specific level of genetic difference, but moderate rate of hybridization (44%) between them at a synpatric area of Kangnung indicates that isolating mechanism is incomplete. Therefore it is concluded that P. sinensis and P. kaffarae are semispecitic status. Intergeneric genetic similarities between the genus Gasrerosteus and Pungitius were S = 0.052 and this value is the lowest estimate up to date in freshwater fishes.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.181-192
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• 1993

The spawning and growth of eightspine stickleback,Pungitius sinensis kaiborae (Tanaka, 19151, were investigated in the Chavang Stream from March 1990 to february 1991 as a part of study on its life history. Nest building, spavming and parental behaviors were similar to those known on the sticklebacks of Europe, North America and Japan. Bht f sinensis kaibarae in the Chayang Stream, peculiarly, showed only superficial gluing behavior in nest building phase and made two nurseries iust behind the nest in Parental Phase. The individuals with fully mature eggs were found from late February to late June. The fecundity of an adult female was about 21 to 110 (mean 47.07) eggs and the diameter of kllv matured ovarian eggs ranged 1.3 to 1.5 mm. The smallest female with fully mature eggs was 25.8 mm in body length and had 21 eggs. The relationship between the number of mature eggs in ovary and body length was No. of eggs = 2.857BL -55.134 (r = 0.890). The number of deposited eggs in a nest was 27 to 637 and thew were composed of several clusters of various developmental stages. The distribution pattern of gonadsomatic index (GSl) against the body length shown that in females 1+ year-old fishes mainly participate in spawning but in males 11 and 2+ year-old fishes equally participate. From the fluctuat지n pattern of GSI and the number of mature eggs in ovary, it was assumed that the spawning season was from February to June and the peak of spawning was early March to late April. The newly hatched vouns was found at late April and their body length was about 10 mm. The vouns (O+) grew rapidly until late August. Then their srowth was slowed down and finallY ceased in midautumn. The young reached about 35 mm BL in their first year of life. The halting of growth was lasted to next Sune when the spawning season would be nearly closed. They (1+) began to grow asain from late june, grew rapidly until tate september and reached about 415 mm BL. Then there was no more grouvth until to die as 2+ yearold fish. Therefore it was assumed that the life span of P. sinensis kaibarae in the Chavang Stream would be about ko years. The relationship between the body length and the body weight was logBW = 2.9541ogBL -4.802 (r = 0.998).