DNA barcoding of Euphorbiaceae in Korea

Kim, Kyeonghee,Park, Ki-Ryong,Lim, Chae Eun The National Institute of Biological Resources 2020 Journal of species research Vol.9 No.4

The Euphorbiaceae family features some of the most economically important plants that are sources of foods, oils, waxes, and medicines. The accurate identification of Euphorbiaceae species is critical in sustainable utilization of plant resources. We examined 234 sequences of nrDNA ITS, cpDNA rbcL and matK loci from 20 species in Euphorbiaceae in Korea and three outgroup taxa to develop efficient DNA barcodes. The three barcode loci were successfully amplified and sequenced for all Euphorbiaceae species. nrDNA ITS locus showed the highest mean interspecific K2P distance (0.3034), followed by cpDNA matK (0.0830), and rbcL (0.0352) locus. The degree of species resolution for individual barcode loci ranged from 75% (rbcL and matK) to 80% (ITS). The degree of species resolution was not enhanced with the different combinations of three barcode loci. The combined data set of the three loci(ITS+rbcL+matK) provided 80% of species resolution. These results confirm that ITS locus, as a single barcode, is the best option for barcoding of the Euphorbiaceae in Korea.

Brief description of newly recorded eight ciliate species (Protozoa, Ciliophora) collected from South Korea

Kim, Ji Hye,Jung, Jae-Ho The National Institute of Biological Resources 2019 Journal of species research Vol.8 No.4

We collected ciliate species from diverse habitats (brackish water, marine water, and terrestrial ecosystems) composed of estuarine, coast, and moss samples during 2017-2018 in Korea. The morphology and infraciliature of these species were examined and identified based on the observations of living cells and protargol impregnated specimens. Of the ciliates we identified, we described eight unrecorded species in Korea as followings: class Heterotrichea - Condylostoma vorax, Peritromus kahli; class Protocruziea - Protocruzia labiata; class Spirotrichea - Hemiamphisiella granulifera; class Litostomatea - Loxophyllum chinense; class Phyllopharyngea - Trochilioides recta; and class Oligohymenophorea -Cohnilembus verminus, Uronemella filificum. Among them, Protocruzia labiata is a poorly known species. In this paper, we provide the improved diagnoses and brief descriptions of the species with their microphotographs. The taxonomic classifications of the eight species are summarized as six classes, eight orders, five families, and eight genera. These voucher slides with protargol impregnated specimens have been deposited in the National Institutes.

Neotypification of Veronica pusanensis (Scrophulariaceae)

Jang, Hyun-Do,Noh, Tae-Kwon The National Institute of Biological Resources 2020 Journal of species research Vol.9 No.4

A type specimen is the specimen originally used to name a new species; thus, it is one of the most significant materials for taxonomic study. In our study on the inventory and management of endemic species in Korea, we checked the type materials for Pseudolysimachion pusanensis (Y. Lee) Y. Lee, combination name Veronica pusanensis Y. Lee, recorded as deposited at the herbaria of the Ewha Womans University and the National Institute of Biological Resources, and failed to find any specimens. Thus, we concluded that all type specimens of V. pusanensis have since been misplaced. According to articles 9.11 and 9.13 of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants, it is necessary to select a neotype if the holotype is missing and no other original material exists. Therefore, we designate the neotype maintained in the herbarium of the National Institute of Biological Resources of the Republic of Korea.

Four new records of the gammarids (Crustacea, Amphipoda) from Korean waters

Kim, Young-Hyo,Heo, Jun-Haeng The National Institute of Biological Resources 2016 Journal of species research Vol.5 No.3

Four new Korean records of the gammarid (Crustacea, Amphipoda), Grandidierella fasciata Ariyama, 1996; Moolapheonoides acutifalcatus Kobayashi and Ishimaru, 2005; Guernea terelamina Hirayama, 1985; and Gordonodius zelleri (Berge, Vader and Coleman, 1999) were reported from the Korean indigenous species survey project funded by the National Institute of Biological Resources (2014-2015). Each of these species is well accorded with the original description for the species except for some minor morphological differences. The genera Moolapheonoides Barnard, 1974 and Gordonodius Ariyama, 2011 are reported for the first time from Korea.

Eight unrecorded bacterial species isolated from soil and marine sediment in Korea

Kim, Minji,Lee, Ki-Eun,Cha, In-Tae,Lee, Byoung-Hee,Park, Soo-Je The National Institute of Biological Resources 2020 Journal of species research Vol.9 No.4

The Earth contains billions of microbial species, although the vast majority cannot be cultured in laboratories and are thus considered unidentified and uncharacterized. Extremophiles are microorganisms that thrive in extreme conditions, including temperature, salinity, and pH. Extremophilic microorganisms have provided important insights for biological, metabolic, and evolutionary studies. Between 2017 and 2019, as part of a comprehensive investigation to identify bacterial species in Korea, eight bacterial strains were isolated from marine and non-marine environments in Jeju Island. These strains were cultured under extreme salinity or pH conditions. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA) gene sequencing indicated that all eight strains belonged to the phyla Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Alphaproteobacteria. Based on their high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities(>98.7%) and the formation of strong monophyletic clades with their closest related species, all isolated strains were considered as an unrecorded strain, previously unidentified species. Gram stain reaction, culture conditions, colony and cell morphology, biochemical characteristics, isolation source, and National Institute of Biological Resources(NIBR) IDs are described in this article. The characterization of these unrecorded strains provides information on microorganisms living in Korea.

A report of four unrecorded Proteobacteria species isolated from soil in Korea

Lee, Ki-Eun,Kim, Ju-Young,Jang, Jun Hwee,Maeng, Soohyun,Srinivasan, Sathiyaraj,Subramani, Gayathri,Kim, Myung Kyum,Kang, Myung-Suk The National Institute of Biological Resources 2019 Journal of species research Vol.8 No.2

In 2015 and 2017, the National Institute of Biological Resources has isolated four unrecorded prokaryotic species designated as R-1-5, R-2-13, R-2-1, and R-1-8 from the peatland soil of Yongneup. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity determined the four strains (R-1-5, R-2-13, R-2-1, R-1-8) were most closely related to Curvibacter lanceolatus (99.93%), Massilia brevitalea (98.7%), Pseudomonas lini (99.54%), and Pseudomonas vancouverensis (99.93%), respectively. The four unrecorded strains belong to the phylum Proteobacteria, in which the genera Curvibacter and Massilia are assigned to the class Betaproteobacteria, and the genus Pseudomonas to the class Gammaproteobacteria. Since there are no publications or official reports on these four strains, these four species are new records to Korea. The strains were further characterized by Gram reaction, colony and cell morphology, basic biochemical properties, and phylogenetic position. Descriptive information of the four unrecorded species is provided.

Recent progress in studies of the Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) of South Korea with seven new records for the Korean Peninsula

Kotov, Alexey A.,Sinev, Artem Y.,Garibian, Petr G.,Neretina, Anna N.,Jeong, Hyun Gi,Lee, Wonchoel,Chae, Kyu-Seok,Min, Gi-Sik The National Institute of Biological Resources 2017 Journal of species research Vol.6 No.no.spc

A study of the Cladocera (Crustacea: Branchiopoda) from the Korean Peninsula resulted in the checklist of Jeong et al. (2014). Several sampling campaigns conducted by our team since 2014, with the framework of the programs supported by the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), have resulted in a considerable increase in the number of water bodies studied in South Korea. In this report, seven new records for the Korean Peninsula are provided: (1) Macrothrix vietnamensis Silva-Briano, Dieu and Dumont, 1999; (2) Disparalona chappuisi (Brehm, 1931); (3) Pleuroxus(Picripleuroxus) quasidenticulatus (Smirnov, 1996); (4) Acroperus africanus Neretina and Kotov, 2015; (5) Alona ossiani herricki Sinev, 2013; (6) Coronatella trachystriata (Chen, Zhang and Liu, 1994); (7) Leydigia louisi Jenkin, 1934. Most of these taxa belong to the southern thermophilic complex. In addition several populations of Pleuroxus (Picripleuroxus) denticulatus Birge, 1879 and Pseudochydorus globosus (Baird, 1843) were re-studied, and their presence in Korea is confirmed. Through increased collection efforts and the application of molecular methods we are confident that more new records of Korean fauna will be published in the near future.

New data on Limoniinae and Limnophilinae crane flies (Diptera: Limoniidae) of Korea

Podenas, Sigitas,Park, Sun-Jae,Byun, Hye-Woo,Kim, A-Young,Klein, Terry A.,Kim, Heung-Chul,Aukstikalniene, Rasa The National Institute of Biological Resources 2020 Journal of species research Vol.9 No.4

This study is based on crane fly specimens collected from 1936-2019 and are in collections maintained at the United States National Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA; the Snow Entomological Museum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA; the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest, Hungary, and the National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea. The genus Dicranophragma Osten Sacken, 1860 with two species D. (Brachylimnophila) transitorium (Alexander, 1941) and D. (Dicranophragma) melaleucum melaleucum (Alexander, 1933), is a new record for the Korean Peninsula. New findings of Dicranomyia (Erostrata) submelas Kato et al., 2018, Dicranoptycha venosa Alexander, 1924a, Austrolimnophila (Archilimnophila) subunicoides(Alexander, 1950b), A. (A.) unica (Osten Sacken, 1869), A. (Austrolimnophila) asiatica (Alexander, 1925), Conosia irrorata (Wiedemann, 1828), Eloeophila persalsa (Alexander, 1940), E. serenensis (Alexander, 1940), E. subaprilina (Alexander, 1919), E. ussuriana ussuriana (Alexander, 1933), E. yezoensis (Alexander, 1924b), Paradelphomyia chosenica Alexander, 1950b, and P. macracantha Alexander, 1957 are discussed. General information on genera and subgenera morphological characters, redescriptions of species based on Korean specimens, illustrations of both sexes, elevation range, period of activity, habitat information, general distribution, and a distribution map for the Korean Peninsula (including North Korea) are presented for each species.

Notes on bird species newly recorded in Korea

Kim, Hwa-Jung,Kim, Dong-Won,Hur, Wee-Haeng,Jang, Byoungsoon,Lee, Yun-Kyung,Kwon, In-Ki,Park, Jong-Hyun,Park, Jong-Gil,Kang, Chang-Wan,Kim, Eun-Mi,Choi, Soon-Kyoo,Kim, Han-Kyu The National Institute of Biological Resources 2020 Journal of species research Vol.9 No.4

A total of 527 species of birds have been recorded in Korea. We summarize the records of three genera and six species that have been newly reported in Korea, discovered through the avian monitoring programs carried out by The National Institute of Biological Resources from 2013 to 2016. These six newly recorded species are; Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris), Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis), Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), Black-winged Kite (Elanus caeruleus), Mongolian Lark (Melanocorypha mongolica) and Crested Myna (Acridotheres cristatellus). One Ring-necked Duck was observed on March 23, 2014 in Jungrangcheon Stream. One male Lesser Scaup was recorded on February 24, 2014 in Gyeongpoho Lagoon. A male bufflehead was first seen in Yeongrangho Lagoon on January 26, 2013. The Black-winged Kite was first observed on January 23, 2013 at the Gangseo Wetland Ecological Park. One Mongolian Lark was also recorded on May 11, 2016 and May 12, 2017 in Marado Island. The Crested Myna was first observed on April 20, 2016 in Seomando, Island.

Isolation and identification of 18 unrecorded prokaryotic species from the intestinal tracts of aquatic animals in Korea

Lee, Jae-Yun,Jeong, Yun-Seok,Kim, Pil Soo,Hyun, Dong-Wook,Bae, Jin-Woo The National Institute of Biological Resources 2021 Journal of species research Vol.10 No.1

Evidence highlighting the importance of gut microbiota in biodiversity conservation is growing; however, gut bacteria in South Korean wildlife have not been well identified. Using a culture-dependent isolation method, we identified the gut bacteria from Korean aquatic wildlife: the gazami crab (Portunus trituberculatus), Korean striped bitterling (Acheilognathus yamatsutae), oily bitterling (Acheilognathus koreensis), leopard mandarin fish (Siniperca scherzeri), Korean dark chub (Zacco koreanus), diving beetle (Cybister lewisianus), spotted steed (Abbottina springeri), and Korean spotted sleeper (Odontobutis obscura interrupta). We identified 18 strains previously unrecorded in South Korea by comparing 16S rRNA gene sequences of isolates against the EzBioCloud and National Institute of Biological Resources(NIBR) databases. The isolated strains belong to the phyla Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. We also assessed for phylogenetic relatedness, Gram-stain reaction, colony and cell morphology, and biochemical characteristics. Basic information and 16S rRNA gene sequences of the isolates were registered in NIBR, and NIBR accession numbers are provided.