• Development and Reproduction
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.377-384
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• 2019

Genomic DNA extracted from representatives of two populations, Gunsan and Chinese, of Urechis spp. was amplified using PCR with several primers. The band-sharing (BS) value between individuals no. 05 from the Gunsan population and no. 22 from the Chinese population was 0.206, which was the lowest recognized value. Oligonucleotides primer OPC-04 revealed 44 unique loci, which distinguished the Chinese population. Primer OPB-17 allowed the discovery of 22 loci shared by the two populations, which were present in all samples. Based on the average BS results, individuals from the Gunsan population demonstrated lower BS values (0.661±0.012) than did those from the Chinese population (0.788±0.014; p<0.05). The shortest genetic distance (GD) displaying a noteworthy molecular difference was between individuals CHINESE no. 12 and no. 13 (GD=0.027). Individual no. 06 from the Gunsan population was most distantly related to CHINESE no. 22 (GD=0.703). A group tree of the two populations was constructed by UPGMA Euclidean GD analysis based on a total of 543 fragments generated using six primers. The explicit markers recognized in this study will be used for genetic analysis, as well as to evaluate the species security and proliferation of echiuran individuals in intertidal regions of the Korean Peninsula.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.175-179
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• 2000

Trochopore larvae of U. unicinctus were exposed to selected settlement stimuli. Within 5 - 10 min after addition of the UM, the settlement stimuli derived from the skin of adult echiuran, induced metamorphosis of trochopores to pelagosphera. However, the trochopores did not positively respond for settlement, when stimulated with normal sea water, sticky fluid drawn from Tegillarca granosa or blood of U. unicinctus. The thermo-sensitive UM was relatively stable at ambient temperature, but was destroyed at 70$^{\circ}$.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.152-159
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• 2013

As a result of continuous taxonomic studies on the Korean crabs, two varunid crabs, Hemigrapsus takanoi Asakura and Watanabe, 2005 and Sestrostoma toriumii (Takeda, 1974), are newly reported from Korean waters. Hemigrapsus takanoi, as a sibling species of H. penicillatus, has not been recognized in Korean waters, and this species occurs in the sympatric habitat with H. penicillatus in the Korean peninsula. Sestrostoma toriumii (Takeda, 1974) is associated with thallassinid Upogebia major (De Haan, 1841) and echiuran Urechis unicintus (Von Drache, 1881) as the case of S. balssi (Shen, 1932). The Korean S. toriumii showed smaller size than those mentioned in the original description. Their illustrations and pictures are provided with descriptions, and the distributions of these species in the Korean peninsula are also provided.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.155-161
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• 1999

In order to obtain the basic information for seeding production of Echiuroid worm, Urechis unicinctus, the influence of pH and salinity on egg development was investigated. Mature adult of U. unicinctus were collected at the Diving Cooperation of Yosu in Korea and reared during 5 weeks. We carried out the artificial insemination in the laboratory on Dec. 29, 1998, and reared the embryo under different pH and salinity. Treatments were carried out with different pH(4~10) and salinity($0~45\textperthousand$). Embryos in pH 4, salinity $0\textperthousand$, $10\textperthousand$, $40\textperthousand$ and $45\textperthousand$ tanks did not develope after fertilization and became deformed or dead, before swimming embryo. In these pH and salinity conditions, deformation rate of embryo was high at 8-cell stage and 16-cell stage. But embryos in pH 5~10, salinity $20~35\textperthousand$ tanks developed into swimming embryo stage. These result indicate that an echiuran inhabits in both intertidal and subtidal mudflates. After fertilization, sixteen-cell stage took 5.3~5.6 hours in pH 5~10 tanks, and 5.1~5.8 hours in $20~35\textperthousand$ tanks. And swimming embryo took 13.3~ 14.1 hours in all conditions. The desirable pH and salinity for egg development were 7~8 and $30\textperthousand$, respectively.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.169-174
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• 2000

Reproductive cycle of U. unicinctus was studied from September 1998 to August 1999, using gonadosomatic index (CSI) as an indicator. In November, the CSI values were maximum for male (6.2) and female (7.0), respectively; the values were lowest for them (1.0 and 0.5) during the successive february. Subsequently, they rapidly increased and attained peak by March-April. The values decreased again in both sexes and remained unchanged until August. The index increased in October to attain the peak by November. The CSI values clearly indicated that there are two spawning events in a year, namely the first one during April-May and the second one in December. Reproductive cycle was classified into the following successive stages: in female, multipication (January~February, June ~Setember), maturation (March~April, November), spent (May and December), degeneration and resting (June and January), and in male, multiplication January ~ february, June ~September), maturation (March~April, October~November), spent (May and December) and degeneration and resting (January and June). Histological observations revealed that oocytes in the ovary matured simultaneously in November and March. At the same time, the envelopes of matured testis became thinner than those in the early stage.