• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.231-242
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• 1992

Samples of two species of genus Ratts(black rat, Rattus rasttus Linnaeus; common rat, Rattus norvegicus Berkenhaut) in Korea were trapped and their 31 morphometric charcters were analyzed statistically in order to determine the range of geographic variation within each species and the interspecific differences. In addition, chromosomal G-bands and C-bands were compared and the fragment patterns of mtDNA resulted from the digestion with restriction enzymes were also analyzed. Samples of black rats from six localities in Korea were similar with one another in their morphometric characters: in head and body length, length of tail vertebrae, conventional karyotype and C-bands, they are comparable to Rattus rattus tanezumi in Japan. Specimens of common rats from seven localities in Korea were similar with one another in their morphometric characters: in conventional karyotype, they are comparable to Rattus norvegicus caraco in eastern Asia. Common rats differ from black rats in their morphometric characteris, chromosomal karyotypes and mtDNA. It is confirmed that correct species name of black rat in Korea is Rattus rattus tanezumi Tempminck: species name of common rat in Korea is Rattus norvegicus caraco Pallas: the common rat is a species, which is distinct from the black rat.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.550-560
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• 2013

This study was investigated the morphological characters, secondary sexual dimorphism, and habitat patterns of Korean Rattus animals collected on Jeju Island from April 2005 to October 2012. Two wild rat species, namely R. norvegicus and R. tanezumi were identified on Jeju Island based on morphological characteristics and molecular data; however, R. rattus, which had recorded formerly, was not found in this study. Individuals of R. norvegicus were captured from urban, rural, and natural habitats, while those of R. tanezumi were specially found in animal farms and the surrounding areas. Comparing of morphological characters of two species, R. norvegicus had a shorter tail and ears than R. tanezumi (p<0.05), and the ratios of tail length and ear length to those of head-body length showed significantly differences between two species (p<0.05). The body weights (BW) of urban populations of R. norvegicus were significantly heavier than those of rural populations (p<0.05). No secondary sexual dimorphism was found in R. norvegicus, but females of R. tanezumi showed heavier BW than those of males (p<0.05). These findings suggest that it is necessary to revise the records for the existence of R. tanezumi and to confirm the animal fauna and elucidate the distribution and ecological characteristics from further studies using extensive sampling and detailed investigations on Jeju Island and also on the Korean Peninsula.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 1989

The parasitic mites were collected from a total of 2,691 house rats in four areas of Seoul, Seongnam, Incheon and Yangsuri of Korea from January, 1983 to December, 1986, Infestation rates, the species composition of the mites. species diversity, evenness, dominance, similarity of the mites among the areas and monthly abundance were studied as follows: Among twenty-one species of mites identified from two species of house rats in the areas, 12 species belonged to Mesostigmata, 8 species to prostigmata and 1 species to Metastigmata. Out of twenty-one species, ten including Androlaelaps casalis were commonly found only on Rattus norvegicus, however, two including Haemogamsus serdjukovae only on Rattus rattus, and all the trombiculid mites were found in particular on R norvegicus. The highest infestation rates of the mites on the rats ranged from June to August in all the areas throughout the year. The species diversity of the mites was the highest (0.6280) in Yangsuri with the highest evenness value (0.5770) observed in Incheon. The seasonal species diversities in Seoul, Seongnam and Yangsuri were higher in April, October and March respectively than the other time of the year. The highest similarity value was calculated between Yangsuri and Seoul areas, compared with the lowest combination in Seoul and Seongnam areas. The seasonal indices of mites showed that the most abundant number of mites was observed in spring and summer in Seoul and Seongnam, in summer and autumn in Incheon and in the winter season in Yangsuri. The mesostigmatid and metastigmatid mites were collected abundantly in July and September from R. norvegicus and R rattus in Seoul with the highest number of the above mites found from R. norvegicus in June in Seongnam. Particularly in Yangsuri, a large number of the mites were collected all the year round.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.165-172
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• 1990

The patterns of serum proteins in seven species of Korean rodents were analyzed by immunoprecipitin, immunodiffusion, and immunoelectrophoresis. It is found that the serum proteins of each species were different with one another and thatntigenic divergence among the seven species seems to be enormous , ie., serological correspondence ranged from 99.6 in Rattus norvegicus caraco(suborder Myomorpha) to 2.7 in Tamias sibircus asiaticus (suborder sciuromorpha). In the six species of the family Muridae (Suborder Myomorpha), the lowest value of 8.2 was shown in Clethrionmys rufocanus regulus (Subfamily Microtinae).