• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.97-108
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• 1993

The biochemical characteristics of immunorecative atrial natriuretic peptide (irAUPP and the changes in the levels of irANP in the heart were investigated during the metamorphosis of frog tadpoles. Immunohistochemical localization of pro-ANP in cardiocfes and the presence of irAW in the peritoneal fluid of metamorphosing tadpoles were also examined. The major form of irANP in the cardiocvtes of tadpoles (Rana omurensisp was high molecular weight on gel filtration chromatographv and reverse-phase HPLC. The levels of irANP in the atrium of tadpoles were five to seven times higher than those in the ventricle. In metamorphosing tadpoles the levels of irANP in the atrium increased at stage XX, the climax of metamorphosis, and decreased at stage XXV (P < 0.051, the completion of metamorphosis. When the levels of irANP was expressed as a function of body weight of tadpoles, a continuous increase in the levels of irANP was observed from pre- to postmetamorphosis (P < 0.051. The levels of irAUP in the ventricle were found to be higher in the adult frogs than in tadpoles (R. omurensisl (P < 0.01). Pro-ANP (31-67) immunoreactivity was detected in the ventricle as well as in the atrium of tadpoles fR. nigromaculotal. The peritoneal fluid was also found to contain low molecular weight of irAUP and the levmils of irANP were 55.4 $\pm$ 9.1 pg/ml. Changes of the level of irANP at different stases of the life cycle suggest that ANP may play a role in the regulation of body fluid homeostasis of frog tadpoles during the metamorphosis.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.425-432
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• 2006

The tadpoles of 12 Korean anuran species, including Bombina orientalis, Bufo gargarizans, B. stejnegeri, Hyla japonica, Kaloula borealis, Rana dybowskii, R. huanrenensis, R. coreana, R. nigromaculata, R. chosenica, R. rugosa, and R. catesbeiana, were classified based on their morphological characteristics. We collected eggs or tadpoles of the 12 Korean anuran species from Gangwon, Incheon, Chungcheong, and Gyeonggi districts in 2005 and 2006 breeding seasons. When the tadpoles reached at $27{\sim}37$ Gosner's developmental stages, we described morphological characteristics of the tadpoles of each anuran species and measured their physical parameters such as total length, body length, and body mass. After that, we chose 12 morphological characteristics to identify each species and to use them as classification keys such as eye location, caudal musculature pattern, spiracle location, oral disc morphology, and labial tooth row formula. In this paper, we presented classification keys, morphological characteristics, and drawings for the tadpoles of 12 anuran species.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.35-41
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• 2023

Background: Several species of amphibians in agricultural areas are often infected with ranaviruses; however, the biological or ecological factors that cause this infection are not well understood. In this study, we investigated whether local tadpole density, Gosner developmental stage, and weather conditions affected ranavirus infection in Dryophytes japonicus tadpoles in rice paddies over three months. Results: During the study, eight samplings were undertaken between June 6 and August 21, 2022. No die-off of tadpoles occurred, but 20 of 110 tadpoles (18.8%) were found to be infected with ranavirus. The tadpole density at the sampling site and Gosner stage of the sampled tadpoles were not related to the daily ranavirus infection rate. The mean daily highest temperature during the two weeks prior to the sampling date and the mean daily lowest and highest temperatures during the week prior to the sampling date were negatively related to the daily infection rate. Conclusions: Our results suggest that low and extreme temperatures caused by flooding and draining of paddy fields or climate change in summer could be a significant risk factor for ranavirus infection in summer-breeding frogs in agricultural areas.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.75-78
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• 1997

In uitro excystation studies were done on the metacercarial cysts of Echinostomn triuolvis obtained from the kidneys of naturally infected Rnna species tadpoles. Cysts were excysted in an alkaline trypsin-bile salts medium and the percentage of excystation was compared with that from previous studies done on cysts obtained from the kidneys of snails. The percentage of excystation of E. triuoluis metacercariae from tadpole kidneys was similar to that reported for previous studies on cysts obtained from experimentally infected gastropod hosts. The possible role of tadpoles as an agent for the transmission of Echinostomn and echinostomiasis to humans is discussed.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 1985

A total of 220 tadpoles was captured in 6 areas and total 117 frogs, Rana nigromacuzata, were collected in 11 areas in Korea. They were examined for their infection status by the metacercariae of Fibricola seoulensis by peptic digestion technique and by histological observation with hematoBylineosin staining. This study was carried out from August, 1983 to September, 1984. Followings are the results. 1. The tadpoles of R. nigromaculata were positive for the metacercariae from 3.3% to 100% by area. The number of metacercariae per infected tadpole ranged from 1 to 584, and the mean number Per tadpole ranged from 7.6 to 221 by area. 2. The metacercariae from 16 tadpoles were counted by the body portion. A great majority of the metacercariae was collected from abdominal cavity, 98.3% of 484 counted larvae. And 6(1.2%) larvae were from proximal tail and 2(0.4%) from trunk. 3. Histological sections of tadpoles showed many metacercariae in abdominal cavity but none in other parts. The larvae were free in the spaces among intestinal loops or around primitive liver. A few larvae were in duct-like tissues near trunk wall. There was little infiltration of inaammatory cells. 4. The metacercarial infection rates of frogs ranged from 0% to 100% by area. The larval burden was 1 to 470 by infected frogs, and mean number ranged from 1 to 175.6 by area. By above results, it is suggested that the cercariae of F. seoulensis may infect R. nigromaculata already in the stage of tadpole. Almost all of the metacercariae were concentrated in abdominal cavity of tadpoles. According to the infection status of frogs, this nuke is prevalent almost nationwidely in rice paddies in Korea.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2018

To know if small changes in rearing water temperature and density affect the number of bacterial and fungal colonies in metamorphosed frogs, Dybowski's frog tadpoles were reared from Gosner 25-26 stages at either low ($1^{\circ}C$ low to ambient water temperature), ambient, or high ($1^{\circ}C$ high) water temperature (each 15 tadpoles in 20 L water) condition and at either low (10 tadpoles/20 L water), medium (20 tadpoles), or high (30 tadpoles) density condition. Immediately after metamorphosis, we sampled bacteria and fungi from skin, liver, and heart of six metamorphosed frogs, randomly selected for each treatment group. After separate incubation of bacteria and fungi on 3M Petrifilm plates, we counted the number of bacterial and fungal colonies appeared on the plates and compared the numbers among the temperature and density treatment groups. For temperature treatment, high-temperature group had fewer bacterial colonies, while low-temperature group had more fungal colonies than the other two groups. For density treatment, low-density group had fewer bacterial colonies than the other two groups, but the number of fungal colonies were not different among the groups. Our results suggest that small increased rearing water temperature and lowered rearing density could potentially reduce pathogens in farming frogs.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.17-24
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• 1958

Since Kesser first described in 1934 the functional change of the autonomic nervous system caused by certain visible rays many researchers have unanimously approved that animals flashed with a red visible ray develop parasympathicotony while those flashed with a blue visible ray develop sympathicotony. On the other hand through studies made by our colleagues it is now well known that the inner-movement of the retinal pigments of frogs is stimulated in sympathicotony and is in reverse inhibited in parasimpathicotony. It is almost evident that the mechanism by which the inner-movement of the retinal pigments is due to sympathicotony derived from the excessive secretion of adrenalin. In addition , through may recent experiments on the pharmacological action of various medicines on the retinal pigments reaction of tadpoles , ranging from the excessive secretion of adrenalin. In addition , through my recent experiments on the pharmacologtical action of various medicines on the retinal pigments reaction of tadploes, raging from every developmental stage , Ifound that the movement of the retinal pigments by adrenalin is predominant in the earlier developmental stages of taopoles around 11 mm of body length, whereas other medicines fail to give any responce to the retinal pigments in such an earlier stage. When tadpoles grown to body length of 15-16m the retinal pigments move to the complete light position while kept in adrenalin solution. Based on these facts it might be well to consider that if tadpoles were grown under the visible rays for a given period, they might show a functional change of the autonomic nervous system and thereby cause of certain change in the physciological phases of the retinal reaction. Experiments were undertaken to find this matter and also to discover the simultaneous effects of the visible radiations on the developmental process of tadpoles. The results summarized as follows ; 1. The longest wave of visible rav has an effective reaction on the growth of body length of taopoles, while the shortest wave of visible ray causes the same for the metamorphoric differentiation of tadpoles. 2. When keeping two groups of tadpoles the first group of 15 mm body length grown for the period of one week and the latter group of 20 mm body length grown for two weeks under the various visible rays. swimming in adrenalin solution, the inner-movement of the retinal pigment occurs in both groups. The movement of pigments of the first group is accelerated in a sequence of blue ray \ulcorner green ray > brown ray> red ray, and that of the latter group is also accelerated in a sequence of blue ray>green ray > brown ray and red ray. 3. When keeping tow groups of tadpoles, the first group of 20 mm body length grown for the period of two weeks, the latter group of 25 m body length grown for three wheeks, under the various visible rays in sunlight, the inner-movement of the retinal pigments occurs in both groups. The movement of pigments of the first group is accelerated in a sequence of blue ray> green ray>brown ray and red ray, and that of the latter group is also accelerated in a sequence of blue ray > brow ray>red ray. 4. In order words, there facts manifest that tadpoles grown under the various visible rays reveal functional disturbances of the autonomic nervous system, at the time of 15 mm body length by adrenalin solution, which is a unique indicator illustrating the status of sympathicotony, and at the time of 20 mm body length by sunlight. This means that the longest visible ray cause sympathicotony, while the shortest visible ray causes parasympathicotony.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.444-454
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• 2017

There are many ongoing studies of infectious diseases as the major factor responsible for global declining of the amphibian population. Although some point out the amphibian rearing facilities like frog farms as one of the important sources of harboring and spreading amphibian infectious pathogens in the wild, there have been few related studies in South Korea. In this study, we investigated the bacterial and fungal colonies on the skin and in the internal organs of frogs and tadpoles collected inside and outside of Dybowski's brown frog farms in Inje, Goesan, and Gongju to compare the difference according to the region and between inside and outside the farm. We also intended to classify the bacteria collected from the tadpoles into species by analyzing 16s rDNA gene sequences. The result showed that the number of bacterial colonies found in the skin and gut of frogs and the number of fungal colonies found in the skin and liver of frogs collected in Goesan was significantly greater than those in the frogs in Inje. However, there was no difference between the frogs collected inside and outside of farms in both regions. In the case of tadpoles, the number of fungal colonies in the tadpoles collected from Gongju was greater than that in the tadpoles collected from Inje. The comparison of inside and outside frog farms showed that there were more bacterial colonies on the skin of the tadpoles collected from inside than outside the frog farm in Inje and more bacterial colonies in the organs of the tadpoles collected from outside than inside the farm in Gongju. The frogs with higher condition factor (body weight/snout-vent length*100) showed fewer bacterial colonies on the skin and fewer fungal colonies in the heart, but there were no significant relationships in tadpoles. We identified the total of 15 genera and four phyla of bacteria, but the difference according to regions and between inside and outside farm was not evident. The result of this study indicates that the different conditions according to the locality of farm and between inside and outside farm cause the difference in the population sizes of bacterial and fungal colonies and that it can affect the overall health condition of Dybowski's brown frogs in the farm. Moreover, the result suggests that effective disease control in the facility is greatly necessary to ensure successful operation of amphibian rearing facility and to prevent the possible spread of diseases from the facility to the wild.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.232-238
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• 1984

The author hatched the eggs of Korean frog, Rana nigromaculata in natural water, and reared the tadpoles in natural water as control group and in seven copper ion groups contaminated by 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.7, and 1.0 ppm of copper ion. The influences of copper ion on the growth of the tadpoles were analyzed, and the results were summarized as follows: 1) The copper ion inhibited the growth of the tadpole. 2) The tadpoles were not survived for 20 days in the copper ion of 0.4~0.5ppm, and in the 0.7ppm, the tadpoles were not survived for 1 day after hatch. 3) The critical lethal concentration of Korean tadpole is regarded as 0.6ppm of copper ion. 4) The growth of head with and body length show a convexin increase pattern. 5) In the growth quantity of head width and body length, that of natural water shows the most rapid increase pattern, and that of the copper ion groups 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3ppm follows in that order. 6) The coefficient of relative growth($\alpha$) of control group is the greatest value, and that of the copper ion groups of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3ppm follows in that order. The natural water shows the positive allometry, the contaminated groups shows the negative allometry in the relative growth of the contaminated groups to the natural water. 7) Body length shows positive allometry in the relative growth to head width.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.161-172
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• 1991

The complete life cycle of Echinostoma hertense has been maintained in the laboratory, using Lymnaea persia snails and Rana nigromaculata tadpoles as the first and second intermediate hosts. ICR mice was used as the definitive host. Within the egg of 5. hotense, the miracidium was fully matured in 13 days of incubation at $29~30^{\circ}C$. The miracidium was $93.8{\times}53.6{\;}{\mu\textrm{m}}$ in average size, covered with numerous cilia of $7~11{\;}{\mu\textrm{m}}$ length. The epidermal plates were arranged in 6-8-4-2 formula. The first generation rediae ($1.19{\times}0.27{\;}mm$ in average size) were observed in 14 days after miracidial challenge to the snails, and the second generation rediae ($1.40{\times}0.26{\;}mm$ in average size) in 30 days. The average sixte of the cercaria was $295.5{\times}145.0{\;}{\mu\textrm{m}}$. Their head crown was poorly developed, and collar spines were not yet observed. After a cercarial challenge to the tadpoles, all of the tadpoles became infected and the average worm recovery rate was 88.5%. The majority of the metacercariae (75.5%) were recovered from the muscle of the tadpole's posterior body and the rest (24.3%) from their gills. The metacercariae from the tadpoles were elliptical, and $167.7{\times}129.9{\;}{\mu\textrm{m}}$ in average size. The recovery rate of adults from the mice was difFerent by the age of the metacercariae grown in the tadpoles. The metacercariae younger than 5 hrs could not infect mice whereas those older than 6 hrs could infect mice. The recovery rate became higher as the metacercaria matured, with the peak recovery rate of 90.0 % at the metacercarial age of 9 days. Thereafter the recovery rate decreased to 55.0% at the age of 50 days. As shown by the above results, the whole life cycle of E. hcrtense has been completed in the laboratory. At least 55~58 days were required to maintain one egg-to-egg cycle of E. hortense.