• Animal cells and systems
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.13-18
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• 2005

Cannibalism plays important roles at the levels of both individual and population. To enhance overall rate of successful survival and reproduction, salamander larvae may have evolved to consume both conspecifics and heterospecifics. Consuming conspecifics could result in decreased inclusive fitness possibly by killing relatives. In several salamander species, discrimination of salamander larval siblings from non-siblings and heterospecifics to avoid such a risk has been reported. To determine whether the Korean salamander larvae consume non-siblings more often than siblings and to analyze prey preferences of the salamander larvae in several different experimental conditions, a series of foraging experiments was conducted in the laboratory. We found that 1) large cannibal larvae preyed on small sibling more often than small non-sibling in a mixed group of sibling and non-sibling, 2) cannibal larvae prefered to consume live, weak, and small larvae to dead, healthy, and large larvae, and 3) cannibal larvae consumed heterospecific tadpoles more often than conspecific nonsibling larvae in a mixed group. In addition, the larval density was positively correlated with the occurrence of spacing behavior, one of the agonistic predator behaviors among salamander larvae.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.217-222
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• 2010

To determine whether or not the female Korean salamander, Hynobius leechii, responds to water currents and, if so, whether those responses depend on their reproductive conditions, we evaluated the responses of ovulated and oviposited females to 1-Hz water currents generated by a model salamander with and without the placement of a transparent water current blocker between the model and the test females. The ovulated females responded to water currents by turning their heads toward, approaching, and/or making physical contact with the model. When the water current blocker was in place, the number of salamanders that approached the model was reduced significantly. The approaching and touching responses of ovulated females were greater than those of oviposited females, whereas the other measurements evidenced no differences. None of the responses of the oviposited females to water currents was affected by the presence of the blocker. Our results indicate that female H. leechii responds to water currents via a mechanosensory system.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1997.10b
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• pp.193-193
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• 1997

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.88.2-88
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• 1996

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1999.10b
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• pp.120.1-120
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• 1999

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2014

Scientific study has investigated the body condition differences by habitat characteristics in larvae Korea salamander (Hynobius leechii) from March to April in 2012. To examine the sensitivity of external environment (predation risk), we divided two groups according to habitat characteristic; 1) Permanent pond and 2) Temporary pond. Howere, each larva was measured by head width at the level of the eye (HWE), largest head width (LHW) and snout-vent length, and we calculated the ratio of the head size by dividing HWE/LHW. As a result, larvae were larger in permanent pond group, had a faster growth rate than in temporary pond group. When exposed to the predator, larvae in permanent pond were smaller HWE/LHW than larvae in permanent pond. Therefore, these results indicate larvae in temporary pond more sensitive to the external environment.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.183-191
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• 2008

To determine the age structure of a Hynobius leechii breeding population and analyze relationships between the order of entrance to breeding ponds and physical parameters and age, we studied a wild population of the species in the Research Forests of Kangwon National University in Chuncheon, Kangwon, South Korea from March 16 to April 13, 2005. The age of breeding males ranged one to nine years old and that of females ranged from three to nine years old. The asymptotic sizes of males and females were 6.36 and 6.51 cm, respectively, and the growth coefficients of males and females were 0.71 and 0.81, respectively. The snout-vent length (SVL), head length, and body mass of males were all positively correlated with their age, but female age did not show a significant relationship with any physical parameter. The tail depth, body mass, and condition factors (SVL/body mass $\times$ 100) of both males and females were negatively related with the order of entrance to the breeding pond. The head width and SVL of males were also negatively correlated with the order of entrance, but the SVL of females was positively related with the order of entrance. These results suggest that physical parameters are more important determinants of breeding migration patterns than age. We discuss which of two hypotheses, the mate opportunity hypothesis and the susceptibility hypothesis, is better able to explain the order of entrance to breeding ponds for male and female H. leechii.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.582-590
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• 2018

Although there are many studies of the effect of climate change on the breeding phenology and community diversity of amphibians, the studies of variations in reproductive population size of individual species according to climate change are still lacking. We examined the effect of climate change on the reproductive population size of Rana huanrenensis and Hynobius leechii, which bred in mountain valleys, by surveying the reproductive population of the two species between 2005 and 2012 and analyzing the correlation between the variation of the outdoor population and the surrounding climate change factors, obtained from a meteorological observatory located at 5.6 km from the study site. The size of the reproductive population of the two species commonly fluctuated with aan pproximately 3.5-year cycle. That of H. leechii, in particular, decreased significantly over eight years. The air temperature tended to more closely relate with the reproductive population size of R. huanrenensis as was the case of the precipitation with that of H. leechii. The yearly mean highest temperature and spring mean temperature variation consistently decreased over the eight years, and the latter was related with the significantly decreased size of H. leechii reproductive population. These results showed that recent climate change directly could affect the reproductive population size of amphibians, particularly H. leechii, which breeds in mountain valleys.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.237-243
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• 2005

To study entering and exiting routes of male and female Hynobius leechii to a breeding site and staying time of them within the breeding site, we monitored a breeding population located in the research forests of Kangwon National University. The breeding site was surrounded by a drift fence associated with nine pitfall traps. The breeding season of this population was about one month, from 16 March to 13 April, 2005. Breeding males arrived earlier at the breeding pond than females did. The operational sex ratio (OSR), defined as the ratio of males to females which are ready to mate, over a breeding season was female-biased as 0.67 male vs 1 female (57 males vs 87 females), but daily OSRs, OSR in a particular day, within the breeding pond were male-biased with $1.36\sim7.5$ male vs f female in six days out of seven investigated days. While breeding males stayed in the breeding pond for about 11 days, breeding females left the pond as soon as they completed oviposition. However, the females stayed at terrestrial areas near the pond for about seven days before completely leaving the breeding site. Entering and exiting routes to the breeding site were different between males and females, and between ovulated and oviposited females. Both males and females arrived earlier at the breeding site stayed longer within the site. Males stayed longer within the breeding site lost more body weight.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.247-257
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• 1997

Genetic and morphological variations of Korean Hynobius leechii were surveyed. Starch gel electrophoresis was used to study genetic variation at 23 loci. H. leechii is genetically divided into three groups, each of which is named as Form-A, Form-B, and Form-C. These forms are clearly separated with 4-5 fixed or nearly fixed allelic differences. At a sympatry near Jangseong, Jollanam-do, a significant deviation from random mating between Form-A and Form-B was observed. Therefore, they are considered as two distinct taxi of specific rank. Form-A is widely distributed in the inland of Korea, whereas Form-B is distributed in the islands or near the coastal regions of Western and Southern Korea. Form-B had, in addition, a significant morphological difference from Form-A. On the other hand, Form-C was restricted to an area near Kori atomic power plant, Kyongsangnam-do, and the genetic similarities between this form and Form-A and Form-B were 0.742 and 0.736, respectively. Moreover, Form-C had a unique color pattern, short body and small coccyx. Thus, it seems reasonable to assign this form as another new species.