• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.40-47
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• 2009

Heavy reliance on organosynthetic chemical methods to control agricultural pest tends to deteriorate and lower fertility of soil. We studied annual occurrence of earthworm in environment-friendly agroecosystem and attempted to determine the degree of soil contamination. Candidate bioindicators of earthworm in agroecosystem were selected through analysis of earthworm diversities. Depending on the degree of pesticide use, the fields were devided into conventional, less-pesticide, pesticide free, and organic fields. A nearby field not in agricultural use was chosen as a control. This study was carried out in the greenhouses (lettuce and grape) in 2006 and in orchards (apple, pear, peach, citrus and grape) in 2007. Earthworm was collected from 50 $\times$ 50 $\times$ 10 cm$^3$ of respective soil. We found 11 species from 5 genera and 3 families, and 12 species from 4 genera and 3 families in the greenhouses and in orchards, respectively. The contents of organic matter in soil in the greenhouses were variable but quite less so in orchards. Amynthas heteropodus occurred most frequently in both sites suggesting that it could be adopted as a bioindicator in agroecosystem in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.349-355
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• 2007

Phylogeny of the species mainly from the genus Amynthas in family Megascolecidae was inferred at the molecular level using ITS regions in rDNA. With 26 species of earthworms from 10 genera in 2 families, a stretch comprising the 3'-end of the 18S rRNA, ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, ITS2, and 5' end of 28S rRNA was amplified by applying the primers ITS-1, ITS-2. Phylogenetic analyses of nucleotide sequences with a help of MP, NJ, and QP yielded 5 groups similarly. Genus Amynthas was separated largely into two groups, Korean and Philippine origins. Species grouped into the 1st were Amynthas jirensis, A. agrestis, A. gucheonensis, A. sopaikensis, A. bubonis, A. multimaculatus, A. koreanus, A. dageletensis, A. heteropodus, A. odaesanensis, Pontoscolex sp., Pheretima sp. 1, and Dendropheretima banahawensis. Amynthas halconensis, A. isarogensis, A. mindrooensis, Pithemera sp. 2, Pithmera sp. 1, and Pleionogaster sp. clustered into one clade forming the 2nd group. Polypheretima sp. 1 and polypheretima. sp. 2 stayed closely together representing a separate monophyletic status, forming the 3rd group, apart from species in other genera. Archipheretima sp. falls into the 4th group. Distinct morphological characteristics from Archipheretima also coinsides with its branching away from others in the previously reported molecular analyses. Similar to Perionyx excavatus that has been selected as an outgroup, Aporrectodea tuberculata also showed a long branch in the phylogram, but it differed from other 24 species included in the analyses. Unlike others, for example, its habitat is very closely related to that of man.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.15-54
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• 2013

Surveys on Jeju-do (Quelpart Isl.) unearthed about 40 earthworm species or sub-species. Several considered new to science are described. Only a dozen were previously known and these are taxonomically reviewed. The two most commonly recorded in surveys by S. Kobayashi in the 1930s were Drawida anchingiana Chen, 1933 and Metaphire quelparta (Kobayashi, 1937), neither recently relocated. Morphologically similar taxa, supported with DNA barcodes, for Moniligastridae, are Drawida anchingiana seogwipo, D. anchingiana halla and D. iucn spp. or sub-spp. nov. For Megascolecidae, new taxa and synonyms are: Amynthas arx and A. aucklandis spp. nov. that have seminal grooves rather than the eversible male pores of Metaphire plus Amynthas simplex is another new species. Amynthas sangumburi Hong & Kim, 2002 is recognized as a probable new synonym within the A. corticis (Kinberg, 1867) species-group while Amynthas corticis saeseum sub-sp nov. is described. Amynthas gracilis (Kinberg, 1867) is a new record from Jeju and Korea (with A. bouchei, A. omodeoi and A. edwardsi all by Zhao & Qiu, 2009 possible synonyms of this species group from China) with a Jejuan sub-species, A. gracilis insularum, sub-sp. nov. Presence on Jeju of Amynthas carnosus (Goto & Hatai, 1899) is confirmed (its further new synonyms are Chinese A. fuscus Qiu & Sun, 2012 and A. taiwumontis Shen et al., 2013), as is A. micronarius (Goto & Hatai, 1898) (with new synonym A. montanus Qiu & Sun, 2012 also an invalid secondary homonym). Amynthas phaselus maculosus (Hatai, 1930) is in new combination with A. kamitai (Kobayashi, 1934) and A. minjae Hong, 2001 syns. nov. Two newly described Metaphire quelparta sub-spp are M. q. seogwipo and M. q. valhalla these being supported with DNA barcodes despite the nominal taxon not yet being confirmed.

• The Korean Journal of Soil Zoology
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• v.6 no.1_2
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• pp.11-16
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• 2001

This study was carried out to investigate the species composition and its abundance in the heap of compost, wild-grass, and sewer. 1,525 individuals were collected from 11th July, 2000 to 3rd August, 2000 at the 108 sites. They encompassed 3 families, 4 genera and 6-8 species. Species composition and its percentile abundance were as follows: Eisenia fetida 86.2%, Aporectodea trapezoides 0.5%, Amynthas hilgendorfi 1.1%, Amyntha agrestis 2.8%, A. koreanus group 6.3%, Drawida sp. 17%, Others 1.4fo in the compost heap, Eisenia fetida 9.8%, Aporectodea trapezoides 9.1%, Amynthas hilgendorfi 12.1%, Amyntha agrestis 25.1%, A. koreanus group 27.8%, Drawida sp 2.8%, Others 13.2% in the wild-grass and Eisenia fetida 24.2%, Aporectodea trapezoides 5.4%, Amynthas hilgendorfi 10.2%, Amyntha agrestis 5.4%, A. koreanus group 26.3%, Drawida sp 1.6%, Others 22.6% in the sewer.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.127-144
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• 2013

An earthworm survey of Busan metropolitan area unearthed a dozen taxa in four families (including Enchytraeidae). Members of mostly common, cosmopolitan earthworm species-complexes were: Drawida cf. koreana Kobayashi, 1938, Amynthas cf. corticis (Kinberg, 1867), Aporrectodea trapezoides (Dug$\grave{e}$s, 1828) and Eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1826). Also found were Amynthas hupeiensis (Michaelsen, 1895), A. masatakae (Beddard, 1892) and Metaphire ryunome Blakemore, 2012 - the latter a new Korean record. New taxa are: moniligastrid Drawida songae yeongdo subsp. n.; megascolecid Amynthas carnosus roki subsp. n. which is compared to nominal taxon A. carnosus (Goto and Hatai, 1899) from Japan, to A. carnosus monstriferus (Kobayashi, 1936) stat. n. from Korea and to A. lichuanensis Wang and Qiu, 2005 stat. n. from China; plus lumbricid Eisenia japonica vaga subsp. n. deemed an objectively-based molecular taxon on its unique DNA COI gene barcode. Restoration of Eisenia xanthurus (Templeton, 1836) for E. andrei is mooted (in Appendix).

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.35-43
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• 2012

Japanese/Korean Amynthas carnosus (Goto & Hatai, 1899) is redescribed from a newly designated Neotype (Tokyo NSMT An435). An annotated synonymy is presented that nominally includes: kyamikia Kobayashi, 1934, monstrifera Kobayashi, 1936, sangyeoli, youngtai, kimhaeiensis, sinsiensis and baemsagolensis - all Korean names by Hong & James, 2001, and Taiwanese monsoonus James et al., 2005. However, Chinese A. pingi (Stephenson 1925) (syn. fornicata Gates, 1935) is maintained separately, at least for the present, until its comprehensive review, possibly extending to DNA barcode differentiation.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.99-126
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• 2013

Amynthas diffringens (Baird, 1869) is deemed valid yet comparable to A. corticis (Kinberg, 1867) and to A. nipponicus (Beddard, 1893) or A. peregrinus (Fletcher, 1896). Its syntypes tend to more genital markings than usual as shown for variable specimens from Japan, Korea, and Australasia that comply genetically with either of two A. corticis spp. groups. A. diffringens type-locality was UK hothouses yet closest specimens appear in part of A. heteropodus (Goto & Hatai, 1899) (=A. corticis) from Japan. Japanese Amynthas divergens (Michaelsen, 1892) is restored based on its serrate intestinal caeca. Meanwhile, the lectotype of Amynthas pingi (Stephenson, 1925) is deemed a synonym of A. carnosus (Goto & Hatai, 1899) compliant with Kobayashi's (1936) types III & II. Erstwhile A. pingi synonym A. fornicatus (Gates, 1925) is again included, but A. hongkongensis (Michaelsen, 1910) and A. chungkingensis (Chen, 1936) are provisionally retained whilst A. carnosa lichuanensis Wang & Qiu, 2005 is given separate species status. A new Korean taxon is proposed as A. carnosus naribunji sub-sp. nov. and two replacement names are provided: A. zhuya nom. nov. for homonym A. montanus Qiu & Sun, 2012 from Hainan and A. yizhou for A. carnosus sensu Shen et al., 2005 from Taiwan. No attempt is made to fully resolve numerous Japanese synonyms of A. carnosus [eg Ishizuka's (2001) invista, subterranea, subalpina, umbrosa, mutabilis, nubicola, plus A. nonmonticolus Blakemore, 2010] nor Korean synonyms [eg kyamikia Kobayashi, 1934, monstrifera Kobayashi, 1936 and murayamai Kobayashi, 1938, sangyeoli, youngtai (with segments miscounted), kimhaeiensis, sinsiensis and baemsagolensis - all names by Hong & James (2001) plus ?A. sangumburi Hong & Kim, 2002 (its segments miscounted too)] also A. fuscus Qiu & Sun, 2012 from Hainan and Taiwanese monsoonus James et al., 2005 plus A. penpuensis Shen et al., 2003 and A. taiwumontis Shen et al., 2013 syns. nov.. All synonyms remain in the currently defined A. carnosus pending full revisons although several may eventually comply with parts of prior A. corticis s. lato.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.55-68
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• 2013

Previous surveys on Ulleung-do (Dagelet Isl.) found just ten earthworm taxa while the current survey unearthed a dozen species. Placement of parthenogenetic 'tube' Amynthas dageletensis Hong & Kim, 2005 is resolved as it clearly belongs in synonymy of Metaphire soulensis (Kobayashi, 1938) which becomes a new Ulleung-do record. Other new megascolecids are recorded since Amynthas heteropodus (Goto & Hatai, 1898) and A. baemsagolensis Hong & James, 2001 are confirmed as synonyms of A. corticis (Kinberg, 1867) and A. carnosus (Goto & Hatai, 1899), respectively. The latter taxon is differentiated and its synonym A. pingi (Stephenson, 1925) provisionally revived. New lumbricids are Bimastos parvus (Eisen, 1874), Eisenia japonica (Michaelsen, 1892) and questionably Dendrodrilus rubidus (Savigny, 1826). All confirmed species are common exotics with no endemics. Drawida moniligastrids were not yet located on this remote island for reasons unknown.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.50.1-50
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• 2000

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.51.2-51
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• 2000

No Abstract, See Full Text