• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.24 no.1 s.61
• /
• pp.29-37
• /
• 2006

We investigated the feeding habits of Rhynchocypris kumgangensis in Hongcheon River of Saenggokri, Seoseokmyeon, Hongcheongun, Gangwon-do, Korea from April 2002 to March 2003. The fish is korean endemic species upper streams in Korea. It was asscertained that R. kumgangensis is a carnivore and consumes mainly Ephemeroptera, Diptera, Terrestrial insects and Trichoptera. The most important prey was chironomids: Chironomus sp. Their feeding habits changed according to growth. Small fish fed mainly on small prey organisms such as Diptera, while larger fish fed much more on Ephemeroptera and Terrestrial insects. There were also seasonal changes in the relative proportion of their food items.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.232-238
• /
• 2013

Water temperature is key factor influencing growth and reproduction of fish and its increase give rise to various physiological changes including gene expression. Heat shock protein (Hsp), one of the molecular chaperones, is highly conserved throughout evolution and its expression is induced by various stressors such as temperature, oxidative, physical and chemical stresses. Here, we isolated partial cDNA clones encoding 70-kDa Hsp (Hsp70) and $\beta$-actin using reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) from gut of Rhynchocypris kumgangensis, a Korean indigenous species and cold-water fish, and investigated expression profiles of Hsp70 under an increase of water temperature using $\beta$-actin as an internal control for RT-PCR. Cloned Hsp70 cDNA of R. kumgangensis showed homology to Ctenopharyngodon idella (96%), Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (96%), Danio rerio (93%) and Oncorhynchus mykiss (81%) Hsp70. Cloned $\beta$-actin cDNA of R. kumgangensis showed homology to D. rerio (98%), H. molitrix (97%), C. idella (97%) and O. mykiss (90%) $\beta$-actin. Both mRNA of Hsp70 and $\beta$-actin were expressed in gut, brain, and liver in R. kumgangensis. Futhermore, expression of Hsp70, in brain, was highly augmented by an increase of water temperature. These results suggest that Hsp70 mRNA expression level in brain can be used as a biological molecular marker to represent physiological stress against an increase of water temperature.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.30 no.4
• /
• pp.745-750
• /
• 2016

Morphological characteristics and population characteristics of the Rhynchocypris kumgangensis were investigated at Taehwa River from April 2014 to April 2015. This is the first record on R. kumgangensis not only from Guksu stream (the upstream region of Taehwa River, Ulsan-si Ulchu-gun Beomseo-eup Kuksu-ri) but also from the stream flowing into the Gangneungnamdae stream, in the southern part of East Sea, Korea. The morphometric characteristics of R. kumgangensis in the Taehwa River and the Han River are very similar except that the population at Taehwa River showed shorter caudal peduncle length than caudal peduncle depth when compared with the population at Han River. In terms of meristic character the population at Taehwa River showed fewer numbers of scales at the lateral line, above the lateral line and below the lateral line. Other than that, the two populations showed the same meristic characters. The fish cohabiting with R. kumgangensis mainly composed of Zacco platypus (25.2%), Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (24.1%) and Zacco koreanus (21.8%). Length frequency distribution analysis indicated that the length of the group ranged between 45~65 mm and the average length was 54.3 mm. Calculation of the length-weight relation of R. kumgangensis showed the value of constant a as 0.000002 and b as 3.34, and the Condition factor (K) was 1.10 an on average.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.90-100
• /
• 2019

This study was carried out from March to November, 2013 to investigate the fish community structure and distribution characteristics of Phoxinus phoxinus and Rhynchocypris kumgangensis appearing in Gihwacheon Stream, Pyeongchang. A total of 6 families and 19 species of fish emerged during the survey period. The dominant species were R. kumgangensis (Individuals 44.7%, Biomass 30.2%) and P. phoxinus (Individuals 27.7%, Biomass 15.9%). Endemic species were 10 species including Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpus, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, Hemibarbus mylodon, Gobiobotia brevibarba, Microphysogobio longidorsalis, R. kumgangensis, Zacco koreanus, Korecobitis rotundicaudata, Iksookimis koreensis and Coreoperca herzi. Endogenous species were P. tenuicorpus, G. brevibarba and P. phoxinus. Hemibarbus mylodon was a natural monument. Oncherhynchus mykiss was exotic species and translocated species was Oncorhynchus masou masou. The dominant species, R. kumgangensis, appeared at all survey sites. Except for St.6, the b value was more than 3.0 and the slope of K value showed positive correlation. P. phoxinus appeared in St. 3~St. 6 and St. 3 and St. 4 only showed stable populations.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2007

Oocyte surface in two Korean minnows, Rhynchocypris oxycephalus and R. kumgangensis was examined by light and electron microscope. In two species, the development of the oocyte was similar, but the follicular layer surrounding full-grown oocyte showed an evident difference. In R. oxycephalus, the follicular layer at the yolk vesicle stage became bilaminar with the retention of its outer squamous cell layer and the acquisition of an inner cuboidal or round cell layer just over the zona radiata. As the oocyte grows, the cuboidal cells of the inner follicular layer began to be replaced by columnar cells. At the yolk granule stage, the columnar cells secreted mucin to their cytoplasm (adhesive materials) and then surround the entire oocyte, as bundles of fence-shaped structures. Whereas, although the follicular layer of R. kumgangensis had an outer squamous layer and an inner cuboidal or round cell layer at the yolk vesicles as in R. oxycephalus, no inner cells were more changed with the retention of its cuboidal or round cells. Finally, in R. kumgangensis, the adhesive materials did not occur. In Korean two minnows, the structural difference in the oocyte surface seems to be related to their habitats and spawning characteristics as well as taxonomic characters.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.271-280
• /
• 2013

This study tried to analyze the impact of climate change on ecological habitat. In this regard, the Rhynchocypris Kumgangensis was selected among the CBIS(Climate-sensitive Biologocal Indicator Species) suggested by the Ministry of Environment. And ecological habitat and restrictive conditions for its survival was surveyed. Future runoff and water quality in the upstream of Pyungchang river were simulated by appling climate change scenarios to SWAT model which is able to simulate water quality. The estimated results explained characteristics on the increase of runoff, BOD, and water temperature and the decrease of DO in the future. The restrictive condition on ecological habitat of the Rhynchocypris Kumgangensis was used water quality during the April to May spawning season since BOD and DO were satisfactory as the first grade of water criteria in the estimated result of future water quality. As a result, it was analyzed that habitat of the Rhynchocypris Kumgangensis in the present was possible about 50~60% of the river. But the habitat would be decreased gradually in the future and would be possible in a very small part of the river in the long term.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.244-250
• /
• 2006

The ichthyofauna and fish community structure were investigated at five stations in Yeongok stream, Gangneung, during April and December 2005 monthly. During the surveyed period twenty nine species belonging to ten families were collected. Dominant species in number was Zacco platypus (relative abundance : 29.0%) and subdominant was Rhynchocypris steindachneri (12.1%). There were six Korean endemic species including Rhynchocypris kumgangensis. Koreocobitis rotundicaudata and Luciogobius guttatus that were not reported in near streams were collected in Yeongok stream only. Ladislabia taczanowskii was considered as a geographically important species. There were stabilized fish community structure with species diversity index of the community 2.521 in Yeongok stream ichthyofauna.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.184-191
• /
• 2008

To investigate the effect of turbid water on fish population, the length-weight relationship and its condition factor were applied to Kumgang fat minnow Rhynchocypris kumgangensis collected in turbid (the Daegi and the Jaun streams) and non-turbid stream (the Bongsan and the Gyebang streams) for a year from 2004 to 2005. The mean length of minnow between turbid water and non-turbid water streams was not significantly different. In the South River system, the regression coefficients (b) based on length-weight relationship were 3.21 in the non-turbid Bongsan stream and 3.07 in the turbid Daegi stream, respectively. On contrary, the regression slope in the turbid stream was a little higher than that of the non-turbid stream located in the Bukhan River system. The values were 3.20 in the Gyebang-stream and 3.23 in the Jaun stream, respectively. Our result suggested that chronic turbid water effect on the level of fish population has a little or no effect.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.112-118
• /
• 2006

The ichthyofauna and fish community structure were investigated at eleven stations in Namdae stream, Yangyang during April, 2004 and March 2005 monthly. During the surveyed period thirty five species belonging to fifteen families were collected. Dominant species in number was Triboblodon hakonensis (relative abundance : 27.9%) and subdominant was Zacco koreanus (15.0%). There were five Korean endemic species including Rhynchocypris kumgangensis. Eleven species including Pungtungia herzi are first recorded in this study. There are stabilized fish community structure with dominant species R. kumgangensis in upstream, Z. koreanus and Z. platypus in midstream and T. hakonensis in downstream respectively. But, it is very worried the change of ichthyofauna in foreseeable future because of pumped storage power station construction in midstream.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.677-685
• /
• 2019

We investigated the ecological characteristics of kumgang fat minnow (Rhynchocypris kumgangensis) in the Eocheon stream from October 2017 to September 2018. The water temperature was 10.2- 14.3℃ and remained below 15℃ during the year. The fishes in cohabitation with kumgang fat minnow were Cottus koreanus (16.62%), Phoxinus phoxinus (10.74%), Rhynchocypris oxycephalus (1.55%), Oncorhynchus mykiss (0.56%), Zacco koreanus (0.28%), and Iksookimia koreensis (0.14%%). The ratio of females to males was 1:0.91 and did not vary widely. The frequency analysis of total length indicated that the fishes with less than 40 mm in total length were one year old, those with 40 - 69 mm were two years old, those with 70 - 84 mm were three years old, and those with 85 mm or more were four years old for individuals collected in May through June. The sexually mature fishes were over two years old. The spawning season was from late May to late August, and the water temperature was 12.5~14.5℃ during the period. The prosperous spawning season was from June to July, and the water temperature was 13.6 - 14.5℃ during the spawning period. The average number of eggs in the ovaries was 1,006 (664 - 1,666) per matured female, and the matured eggs were yellowish and spherical with a mean diameter of 1.34±0.17 mm. The length-weight correlation of R. kumgangensis was BW = 0.00003TL^2.77 with the constant a as 0.00003, b as 2.77, the average condition factor (K) as 1.04(0.65~1.48), and the slope as -0.0012. The kumgang fat minnows inhabiting in the spring water had a longer spawning period, a fewer number of eggs in ovaries, and the lower condition factor (K) than those inhabiting other areas.