• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.229-234
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• 2021

Scolelepis (Scolelepis) daphoinos is newly reported in Korean fauna. This species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characteristics: the presence of reddish pigment patches on the posterior part of the prostomium, notopodial postchaetal lamellae that are partially fused to the branchiae, and the presence of only the bidentate hooded hooks. The morphological diagnosis and photographs of S. (S.) daphoinos are provided. The partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal DNA(16S rDNA), and the nuclear 18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA) sequences from Korean specimens of S. (S.) daphoinos were determined. Species identification was supported by a comparison of DNA barcode sequences of COI and 16S rDNA with morphological examination from the specimens of type locality, China.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.219-224
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• 2021

A hesionid species, Leocratides kimuraorum Jimi, Tanaka and Kajihara, 2017 is newly reported from the sublittoral zones (100 m depth) of the Korean coasts. This species is characterized by lateral antennae as long as the palps, peristomial membrane without papillose, peristomial dorsolateral tubercles with two round marginal lobes, and pharyngeal with terminal papillae. The intra-specific genetic distance among the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I(COI) sequences of L. kimuraorum specimens from Japan (type locality) and Korea (this study) was in the range of 0.002-0.005. The inter-specific genetic distance between L. kimuraorum and other hesionid species were 0.166-0.307. The present study is the first record of Leocratides species in Korean fauna. This paper also provides a morphological description and photographs of L. kimuraorum, with partial sequences of the mitochondrial COI based on Korean specimens.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2022

Two crinoid specimens of genus Tropiometra were collected from Busan and Tongyeong by SCUBA diving on August 2010 and October 2011, respectively. The specimens were identified as Tropiometra macrodiscus (Hara, 1895), which belongs to the family Tropiometridae of superfamily Tropiometroidea. The genus Tropiometra AH Clark, 1907 comprises four species worldwide at present, and it has not been reported in Korea. Tropiometra macrodiscus was first described by Hara (1895) in Japan. It is difficult to distinguish T. macrodiscus from T. afra (Hartlaub, 1890), there has been confusion with examination of their phylogenetic positions in crinoid morphological classification. Despite this, T. macrodiscus can be distinguished from T. afra based on longer arms, stouter whole-body parts, magnificently larger numbers of cirrus, and numerous segments. The morphological characteristics of T. macrodiscus collected in Korea have been described, and DNA barcode region representing cytochrome c oxidase subunit I was obtained for its molecular phylogenetic analysis.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.174-179
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• 2022

In this study, we identified two marine synchaetid rotifers, Synchaeta grimpei Remane, 1929 and S. vorax Rousselet, 1902, in Korea, which are the first synchaetid rotifers collected from a marine environment in the country. Prior to this study, all six synchaetids recorded in Korea were collected from freshwater environments. The morphological characteristics of both species are consistent with those recorded in previous studies of each species. Synchaeta grimpei is distinguished from other synchaetid rotifers by its cone-shaped body, wide and flat apical field, indistinct auricles, and long foot with two separated small toes. The morphological characteristics of Korean S. vorax specimens were most similar to the original description of Rousselet (1902), with its slender and cylindrical trunk shape, strongly convex apical field, and short foot with two small, separated toes. The rami of the Korean S. vorax specimen contained one frontal hook and several distinct and large teeth. Here, we provide the morphological diagnoses of the two synchaetid rotifers and the sequences of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of the two species.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2023

We conducted a taxonomic study of bdelloid rotifers found from terrestrial habitats such as mosses, leaf litter and soil at four different locations in Korea. The study resulted in four new Korean records belonging to two genera in two families, Habrotrochidae and Philodinidae, of bdelloid rotifers: Habrotrocha soror Donner, 1950; H. thienemanni rubella Donner, 1951; H. valida Milne, 1916 and Philodina nitida nitida Milne, 1916. These new Korean records are rare and have very limited distributions. Habrotrocha thienemanni rubella and H. valida were not found again after their original descriptions until the present study. The present study is the third record for both H. soror and P. nitida nitida. All these four new Korean records are new to Asian fauna as well. Here, diagnostic characteristics and photomicrographs are provided for each new Korean record. In addition, a partial sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (mtCOX1) for P. nitida nitida is presented.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.26-33
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• 2022

Two Pseudopolydora polychaetes, P. bassarginensis and P. reticulata, originally described from Peter the Great Bay in Russia and Taiwan, respectively, were recorded firstly in Korea with DNA information. Two species are known to have distinct morphological characteristics that are separated from other Pseudopolydora species. They are characterized by reticulate pigmentations on the dorsal sides of the anterior chaetigers, a longitudinal black band-like pigmentation on the caruncle, and black paired spots on the ventral sides of the anterior chaetigers. These two species can be distinguished morphologically from each other by the length of the caruncle. Methyl green staining pattern of the species is a good method for delimiting Pseudopolydora species. The partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), 16S ribosomal DNA (16S rDNA), and the nuclear 18S ribosomal DNA (18S rDNA) from Korean specimens of the two species were determined. The morphological descriptions and images of the two Pseudopolydora species are provided.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.123-126
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• 2023

Members of Allobathynella Morimoto and Miura, 1957 and Hangangbathynella Park and Cho, 2013 belong to the family Parabathynellidae Noodt, 1965 exclusively inhabit subterranean environments including caves, springs, and interstitial groundwater. Among them, two parabathynellid species, Allobathynella cheongdoensis Park and Cho, 2016 and Hangangbathynella taechooni Park and Cho, 2013, have been reported in the hyporheic zones of the Nakdonggang and Namhangang Rivers in South Korea, respectively. To evaluate gene markers as diagnostic characters, we determined mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) and nuclear 18S rDNA from the topotypes of two Korean parabathynellid species, and then analyzed the genetic divergence among the two parabathynellids and their congeners. Additionally, we provided their habitus photographs and a brief discussion of the usefulness of the two marker regions for both genera as DNA barcodes.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.295-299
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• 2023

Two land snails, Aegista chejuensis (Pilsbry and Hirase, 1908) and Plectotropis quelpartensis (Pilsbry and Hirase, 1908), are endemic to Korea and were collected from Hataedo and Jodo Islands in the Yellow Sea of South Korea, respectively. Many terrestrial snail habitats have been confirmed in Korea; however, their genetic sequences have rarely been reported. This study describes the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) sequences of two species, followed by an analysis of the genetic distance between these two species and their congeners. As a result, there was no intra-species variation in both species A. chejuensis or P. quelpartensis. However, the inter-species variation was clear (10.3-31.5%). We provide photographs and a brief diagnosis for morphological verification.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.309-313
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• 2023

Polygordiidae is recorded as a new record in the Korean fauna. Twenty-three specimens of Polygordius pacificus were collected from the low intertidal zone with coarse sandy bottom on the eastern coasts of Korea. Morphologically, there was no doubt that the specimens are close to the holotype of P. pacificus, particularly due to the presence of elongated and longitudinal pygidial glands, and the length to width ratio. The prostomium of the Korean specimens have a rounded shape that is similar to subsequent research using scanning electron microscope. The DNA sequence comparison of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) between Korean and Japanese population supports the identification of present specimens.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.284-288
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• 2023

In this article, a phyllidiid nudibranch which is distributed widely in the Indo-Pacific region, Phyllidia varicose Lamarck, 1801, is reported based on a specimen collected from Seopseom Islet, Jeju Island, Korea. This species is characterized by bluish-gray dorsal tubercles with a yellow cap and three distinct ridges consisting of dorsal tubercles going from the anterior to posterior region, the presence of bluish-black pigment between the dorsal ridges, and a characteristic black longitudinal stripe along the midline of the sole. In this study, we provide a key to species belonging to the genus Phyllidia discovered in Korea, the morphological descriptions, photographs, and a sequence of partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I of P. varicosa. Currently, four species of the genus Phyllidia have been reported to be present in Korea, including P. varicosa.