As a part of the research project “Survey of freshwater organisms and specimen collection,” freshwater samples were collected from the Nakdong River. Among the bacterial isolates, we selected strains that showed higher than 98.7% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with confirmed bacterial species previously unreported in South Korea. The 14 new records to South Korea were phylogenetically diverse and belonged to four phyla, six classes, 11 orders, and 14 genera. At the genus level, these species were found to be affiliated with Reyranella, Ferrovibrio, Brevundimonas, and Aquidulcibacter of the class Alphaproteobacteria; Pseudomonas, Cellvibrio, and Photobacterium of the class Gammaproteobacteria; Paenibacillus and Bacillus of the phylum Firmicutes; Chryseobacterium, Flavobacterium, Pedobacter of the phylum Bacteroidetes; and Actinomadura and Leifsonia of the phylum Actinobacteria. These species were further characterized by examining their Gram reaction, colony and cell morphologies, biochemical properties, and phylogenetic positions. The detailed descriptions of these 14 previously unreported species are provided.
In 2019, after a comprehensive investigation of indigenous prokaryotic species in Korea, a total of 12 bacterial strains assigned to the phylum Proteobacteria were isolated from soil. With the high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (>98.8%) and formation of a robust phylogenetic clade with the closest species, it was determined that each strain belonged to independent, predefined bacterial species. This study identified two species in the family Burkholderiaceae, one species in the family Comamonadaceae, two species in the family Oxalobacteraceae, one species in the family Micrococcaceae, one species in the family Bradyrhizobiaceae, one species in the family Methylobacteriaceae, one species in the family Rhizobiaceae, one species in the family Rhodocyclaceae, and one species in the family Sphingomonadaceae. There is no official report about these 12 species in Korea, so are described as unreported bacterial species in Korea in this study. Gram reaction, basic biochemical characteristics, colony, and cell morphology are also described in the species description section.
A total of 37 anaerobic bacteria strains within the classes Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidia, Flavobacteriia, Bacilli, Clostridia, and Fusobacteriia were isolated from freshwater and sediment of the Geum River in Korea. The unreported species were related with Rhizobium and Oleomonas of the class Alphaproteobacteria; Acidovorax, Pseudogulbenkiania, and Aromatoleum of the class Betaproteobacteria; Tolumonas, Aeromonas, Cronobacter, Lonsdalea, and Phytobacter of the class Gammaproteobacteria; Bacteroides, Dysgonomonas, Macellibacteroides, and Parabacteroides of the class Bacteroidia; Flavobacterium of the class Flavobacteriia; Bacillus and Paenibacillus of the class Bacilli; Clostridium, Clostridioides, Paraclostridium, Romboutsia, Sporacetigenium, and Terrisporobacter of the class Clostridia; and Cetobacterium and Ilyobacter of the class Fusobacteriia. A total of 37 strains, with >98.7% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with validly published bacterial species, but not reported in Korea, were determined to be unrecorded anaerobic bacterial species in Korea.
Prunus glandulosa Thunb. [=Cerasus glandulosa (Thunb.) Sokolov] (Rosaceae) is native to the warmtemperate region of China (Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Jiangsu, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Yunnan, and Zhejiang Provinces). It is naturalized in the United States (i.e. Alabama, Michigan and North Carolina) and Canada (Ontario). This species, previously only recorded as introduced or cultivated plants on the Korean Peninsula, was confirmed to be naturally distributed in the southwestern coast islands (i.e. Geomun-do, Chuja-do and an uninhabited island in Shinan-gun of Jeollanam-do). Prunus glandulosa Thunb. is distinguished from a related taxon P. japonica var. nakaii (H. Lév.) Rehder by pedicel 8-12 (-16) mm long, linear stipules, glabrous style, and pink petals. The morphological characters and illustration of P. glandulosa Thunb. are provided with line drawings and photographs from the natural habitat. In addition, it is likely that a new habitat will be found by plant biodiversity investigations through the southwestern coast islands. Further research is needed to determine its population size, distribution, and threats, as well as identify appropriate locations for conservation collection of germplasm.
Cavernocypris reddelli n. sp. is a new species of the genus Cavernocypris collected from spring waters of Texas, U.S.A.. This is the sixth species of the genus described so far. It can be distinguished from the other species of the genus by the shape and length of carapace, presence of robust marginal pore canals on right valve, number and length of setae on second antenna, shape of hemipenis, numbers of whorls on the Zenker organ, and differences in other parts of chaetotaxy. The new species was compared with other species and a new taxonomic key for the genus is presented for future studies.
Siphonophores are unique, gelatinous zooplankton, which many individuals gather and live like one “Superorganism”. The role of individuals in the colony differs greatly depending on their morphological difference, making them more unique. In this study, we report four species belonging to Diphyidae Quoy and Gaimard, 1827 sampled from the South Sea and off Jeju Island, Korea. Two Chelophyes Totton, 1932 (C. appendiculata (Eschscholtz, 1829); C. contorta (Lens and van Riemsdijk, 1908)) and two Eudoxoides Huxley, 1859 (E. mitra (Huxley, 1859); E. spiralis (Bigelow, 1911)) species are described with multi-focus stacked digital images. Our findings update the confirmed order Siphonophorae Eschscholtz, 1829 in Korea to be three suborders, five families, eight genera, and 13 species. In addition, we summarize the synonyms and global distributions of these four newly recorded species in Korean waters.
Seven new species of two genera Scalarispongia and Smenospongia (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Thorectidae) are described from Gageo Island and Jeju Island, Korea. Five new species of Scalarispongia are compared to nine reported species of the genus by the skeletal structure. Scalarispongia viridis n. sp. has regular ladder-like skeletal pattern arranged throughout the sponge body and has pseudo-tertiary fibres. Scalarispongia favus n. sp. is characterized by the honeycomb shape of the surface and is similar to Sc. flava in skeletal structure, but differs in sponge shape. Scalarispongia lenis n. sp. is similar to Sc. regularis in skeletal structure but has fibers that are smaller in size. Scalarispongia canus n. sp. has irregular skeletal structure in three dimensions and ladder-like which comes out of the surface and choanosome. Scalarispongia subjiensis n. sp. has pseudo-tertiary fibres and its regular ladder-like skeletal pattern occurs at the choanosome. Two new species of Smenospongia are distinguished from the other 19 reported species of the genus by the skeletal structure. Smenospongia aspera n. sp. is similar to Sm. coreana in sponge shape but new species has rarely secondary web and thin and thick bridged fibres at near surface. Smenospongia mureungensis n. sp. has very simple skeletal structure.
Previously, 33 species, 18 genera, eight subfamilies of the family Tineidae were reported in Korea. In this study detail a new record to Korea, species, Micrerethista denticulata Davis, 1998 in the subfamily Harmacloninae in Korea. This species is the most widespread species of the genus in southern Asia, ranging from Thailand through Indonesia to southern Japan but absent from New Guinea. Globally, Harmacloninae Davis, 1998 includes 22 species of two genera. The subfamily can be distinguished from the other Tineidae subfamilies by an additional wing locking mechanism, loss of pretarsal arolium and pseudempodial seta, tympanic organ in abdominal sternum II, enlargement of sternal apophyses, and aedeagus with basal midventral keel in male genitalia. The morphological characteristics of this subfamily and species are described, and illustrations of examined species and the key characters for each subfamilies of the family Tineidae from Korea are provided.
The Korean Olethreutinae comprises 277 species. In this study, two species of Olethreutinae: Hedya corni Oku, 1974 and Epinotia salicicolana Kuznetzov, 1968, are reported for the first time from Korea. Our records of Hedya corni are based on three specimens in both sexes from Islands Bogildo and Geojedo. The Korean record of Epinotia salicicolana is based on one male specimen from Muan-gun. The present records of Hedya corni represent the first occurrence out of Japan. Hedya corni is similar to Hedya inornata (Walsingham) but differs from the latter in having the reddish brown forewings. Epinotia salicicolana is similar to Epinotia solandriana (Linnaeus) but differs from the latter in having the smaller dorsal patch on the forewing. Habitus and genitalia of the two olethreutine species are illustrated and briefly described. Their bionomics and distribution are summarized. With our new records, the species numbers of the Korean Hedya and Epinotia are increased to 11 and 23, respectively.
Research on Korean nematocerous flies (Diptera: Nematocera) was started by the National Institute of Biological Resources in 2012. This publication is a continuation of our previous work. During the season of 2019 insects were collected in Odaesan National Park by the researchers from Korea University. Among these samples, two specimens belonging to the family Hesperinidae, which was previously unrecorded from Korea, were noticed. This family is known from countries bordering Korea (East Siberia and Far East of Russia, Hokkaido Island of Japan), thus occurrence of hesperinid flies was expected on the Korean Peninsula. Only one genus Hesperinus Walker, 1848 with eight species belong to this family. They are developing in decaying wood of deciduous trees. Hesperinus rohdendorfi Krivosheina & Mamaev, 1967, which was known from East Siberia and Far East of Russia is recorded from South Korea. Redescription and photographs of the most important taxonomical details are presented.
Larvae and pupae of Simulium (Eusimulium) satsumense were collected and recorded from Korea for the first time. Detailed descriptions and photographs of both immatures are provided. Currently, 42 species are known from the subgenus Eusimulium, which is found globally, mainly in the Holarctic Region, but unknown from Korea. Members of the subgenus Eusimulium are morphologically homogeneous in male, female, and pupa, making them extremely difficult to distinguish from one another. S. (E.) satsumense can be distinguished from other Korean black flies by the following combination of the characteristics: Pupa: Gill of four slender filaments, dorsalmost filament strongly divergent from other filaments; cocoon slipper shaped without anterodorsal projection; Larva: Head spots distinctly positive; postgenal cleft short, apically rounded or squared; antenna with proximal segment brown; abdominal segments IX with prominent ventral tubercles; and rectal papillae of three simple lobes. In addition to descriptions for larvae and pupae of the species, a key to genera and subgenera of Simulium of Korean black flies are also provided.