• 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.40 no.1
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• pp.108-111
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• 2024

Three species of seed beetles, Acanthoscelides pallidipennis (Motschulsky, 1874), Bruchidius terrenus (Sharp, 1886), and Kytorhinus senilis Solsky, 1869, from South Korea are reported for the first time. These three species can be morphologically distinguished from other Korean bruchid species by the distinctive color pattern of the elytra, presence of subapical spines on hind femur, and exposed last three tergites of abdomen, respectively. In this study, partial sequences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I from Korean specimens of these species were generated. In addition, host plants, distribution maps, and photographs of the dorsal habitus and live specimens of each species are also included.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.67-70
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• 2016

We report here a human case of Taenia asiatica infection which was confirmed by genetic analyses in Dali, China. A patient was found to have symptoms of taeniasis with discharge of tapeworm proglottids. By sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene, we observed nucleotide sequence identity of 99% with T. asiatica and 96% with T. saginata. Using the cytochrome b (cytb) gene, 99% identity with T. asiatica and 96% identity with T. saginata were found. Our findings suggest that taeniasis of people in Dali, China may be mainly caused by T. asiatica.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.286-294
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• 2020

The Chironomus(Diptera: Chironomidae) is a freshwater benthic invertebrate that is an important indicator organism used for environmental pollution and water quality monitoring. In this study, we performed morphological classification and genetic species identification using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene on mitochondrial DNA for an accurate species classification of Chironomus larvae found in tap water purification plants in Incheon, Korea. Twenty larvae in six water purification plants consist of four species, including twelve Chironomus kiiensis, six Chironomus flaviplumus, one Chironomus dorsalis, and one Polypedilum yongsanensis (not included Genus Chironomus). Morphological characteristics of each larvae were identified based on the head capsule, the mentum, the mandible, the antenna, and the claw. Based on the COI sequences of 21 individuals of 17 Chironomus species registered in NCBI Genbank, phylogenetic analysis indicated that the 20 individuals investigated in this study consist of the same clade with corresponding species of the high homology (99~100%) including C. kiiensis, C. flaviplumus, C. dorsalis, and P. yongsanensis. These results will be used as main classification indicator for monitoring freshwater ecosystems by providing integrated morphological and genetic information for the species identification of Korean Chironomus.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.683-688
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• 2015

Human diphyllobothriasis is a widespread fish-borne zoonosis caused by the infection with broad tapeworms belonging to the genus Diphyllobothrium. In mainland China, so far 20 human cases of Diphyllobothrium infections have been reported, and the etiologic species were identified as D. latum and D. nihonkaiense based on morphological characteristics or molecular analysis. In the present study, proglottids of diphyllobothriid tapeworms from 3 human cases that occurred in Heilongjiang Province, China were identified as D. nihonkaiense by sequencing mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (nad5) genes. Two different cox1 gene sequences were obtained. One sequence showed 100% homology with those from humans in Japan. The remaining cox1 gene sequence and 2 different nad5 gene sequences obtained were not described previously, and might reflect endemic genetic characterizations. D. nihonkaiense might also be a major causative species of human diphyllobothriasis in China. Meanwhile, the finding of the first pediatric case of D. nihonkaiense infection in China suggests that infants infected with D. nihonkaiense should not be ignored.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.743-750
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• 2016

Mus musculus (Rodentia: Muridae) has generally been infected with a rodent hookworm Nippostrongylus brasiliensis. In this report, we present morphological and molecular identification of N. brasiliensis by light and scanning electron microscopy and PCR amplification of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene and the protein sequences encoded by cox1 gene, respectively. Despite the use of N. brasiliensis in many biochemistry studies from India, their taxonomic identification was not fully understood, especially at the species level, and no molecular data is available in GenBank from India. Sequence analysis of cox1 gene in this study revealed that the present specimen showed close identity with the same species available in GenBank, confirming that the species is N. brasiliensis. This study represents the first record of molecular identification of N. brasiliensis from India and the protein structure to better understand the comparative phylogenetic characteristics.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.88-94
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• 2024

Pet rabbits are affected by the highly contagious ectoparasite Psoroptes (P.) ovis, which carries significant economic implications for the global rabbit industry. Accurate identification of the mite species remains essential to implement effective treatment and control strategies. Two approximately one-year-old female pet rabbits were admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Chungbuk National University due to excessive scratching of the ears and the presence of waxy debris within the ear canals. Mites were isolated from the waxy debris extracted from the ear canals and subsequently identified as Psoroptes spp. through microscopic examination. Species confirmation was achieved through mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene analysis. The analysis revealed the mites to be P. ovis based on cox1 gene sequences. The deposited GenBank accession numbers for these sequences are OR985022 and OR985023. This represents the first report of mitochondrial cox1 gene sequences of P. ovis isolated from pet rabbits in South Korea.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 2014

Thirty five juveniles belonging to the genus Collichthys were collected using a bag net at Gang-wha-do, in the eastern Yellow Sea, between July and September, 2012, and identified using combined genetic and morphological methods. We sequenced 316 base pairs of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I of 35 individuals, of which 22 individuals were identified as Collichthys niveatus (12.9-47.6 mm in SL) and 13 as Collichthys lucidus (13.4-40.3 mm SL). Morphologically, the number of occipital crests, an important taxonomic character during the adult stage, could not distinguish the two species during the juvenile stage, but the shape of the first anal fin spine clearly distinguished the two species even among juveniles.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.10.1-10.5
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• 2016

Setarches longimanus (Alcock 1894), in the family Scorpaenidae, was collected from Busan and the coastal waters of Jeju Island, Korea, in January and November 2014, respectively. Two specimens are characterized by XI, 10 dorsalfin rays; 19-21 pectoralfin rays; III, 5 anal fin rays; a second preopercular spine much shorter than the first and third; and an interorbital width 11.3 %-11.6 % of the standard length. We also analyzed 587 base pairs of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences in order to confirm the taxonomic status of the specimen. As a result, the sequences of our specimen almost corresponded to those of Chinese S. longimanus (genetic distance, d = 0.005), but considerably differed from those of S. guentheri (d = 0.120-0.124). We propose the new Korean names "Ma-su-gam-peng-sok" for the genus Setarches, and "Bul-geun-ma-su-gam-peng" for the species S. longimanus.