The present study describes Philodromus paiki sp. nov., which was previously misidentified as P. fuscomarginatus (De Geer, 1778), P. poecilus (Thorell, 1872), and P. spinitarsis Simon, 1895 in Korea, as a new species with diagnosis, detailed descriptions, and taxonomic photographs. Additionally, P. spinitarsis is also described to correct previous misidentifications of Korean records of the species.

A male Spheropistha melanosoma Yaginuma, 1957 from Korea in the family Theridiidae Sundevall, 1833 is described with measurements and morphological photos of the diagnostic characteristics. This species was collected with a sweep net around arable lands in a mountainous mixed forest during the investigation of spider fauna on Ulleungdo Island in 2019.

Two species of the genus Oxytate L. Koch, 1878 have been recorded in Korea to date. The spider fauna was surveyed in the mountainous terrain of Mt. Hallasan National Park in 2019. A female of Oxytate lobia sp. nov. was collected with a sweep net between shrubs in mixed forests during a seasonal spider survey and is described with measurements, morphological illustrations, and a diagnosis. The new species can be easily distinguished from similar species within the genus by the long copulatory duct conjugated with a spermatheca, a pair of triangular pits at the bottom, and no ditches.

Two linyphiid spiders, Saitonia kawaguchikonis Saito & Ono, 2001 and Asthenargus niphonius Saito & Ono, 2001 were confirmed from Korea for the first time. Males of S. kawaguchikonis and a female of A. niphonius were collected with pitfall traps in a leaf litter of mixed forests in three National Parks (Hallyeohaesang National Park, Mt. Naejangsan, and Mt. Sobaeksan) during the seasonal surveys for the spider fauna in mountainous terrain from 2018 to 2020. These two species were formerly known from China and Japan, or only from Japan, respectively. The present study describes these two species with measurements, morphological illustrations, and a distribution map. This report adds the genus Asthenargus Simon & Fage, 1922 from Korea to the Korean spider fauna for the first time.

Four new species of the genus Alloclubionoides collected from mountain litter and hillock litter around the agricultural ecosystem of Korea are described in the present work with appropriate body measurements and morphological illustrations; A. hwaseongensis sp. nov., A. imi sp. nov., A. namhansanensis sp. nov. and A. nasuta sp. nov. Females of A. hwaseongensis sp. nov., A. namhansanensis sp. nov. and A. nasuta sp. nov. can be distinguished based on the epigyne shape and structure of internal genitalia from previously described species. Males of A. imi sp. nov. can also be distinguished based on the shapes of retrolateral tibial apophysis, embolus tip and conductor from previously described species. Also, a key to the Korean Alloclubionoides spiders is provided. Alloclubionoides gajiensis Seo, 2014 is newly synonymized with Alloclubionoides cochlea (Kim et al. 2007).

한국고유종인 밭고랑거미과의 봉화밭고랑거미Agroeca bonghwaensis (Seo, 2011) 수컷을 측정치 및 형태학적 도해와 함께 처음으로 기재한다. 봉화밭고랑거미의 수컷은 A. brunnea (Blackwall, 1833) 수컷의 더듬이다리기관과 유사하나 끝부분이 뭉뚝한 후측면돌기와 기부가 넓고 끝부분이 넓은 갈고리 모양의 중부돌기로 쉽게 구분된다.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) produces a variety of insecticidal crystal proteins and widely used as one of the most successful biological control agents. Recently, studies that introduce cry genes into crops to create pest resistance have made much progress, and the total area of land planted with Bt crops has increased substantially. In this study, pest resistance of 8 transgenic Bt rice events with a synthetic cry1Ac gene linked to rice rbcS-tp sequence were assessed under laboratory conditions. Bioassays were performed against Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, which is a significant pest of rice in Asia. C. medinalis larvae were shown to be susceptible to all eight events, even though there were differences between the causes of death. The results differed between developmental stages of the larvae, despite the fact that all 8 events led to high mortalities. These results may be a significant foundation for the evaluation of improved transgenic Bt rice.

This studies was conducted to compare functional diversity of terrestrial arthropods in commercial apple orchards under conventional and organic practices. We collected terrestiral arthropods using pitfall traps in four conventional and seven organic apple orchards from April to October, 2012-2014. Sampled arthropods were identified at the species level and then classified three functional groups (detritivores, herbivores and beneficial arthropods included pollinators, parasitoids and predators). Biodiversity was analyzed with species richness, abundance and shannon index for each group and compared between conventional and organic orchards. In results, species richness of detritivores and benefical arthropods were higher in organic orchards than in conventional orchards (detritivores: t=-2.68, df=9, P=0.03; beneficial arthropods: t=-3.98, df=9, P=0.003). Organic orchards showed significant difference at abundance of beneficial arthropods (t=-3.33, df=9, P=0.008) and higher shannon index at detritivores (t=-2.36, df=9, P=0.04) than conventional orchards. However, all biodiversity indices of herbivores were not significantly different between conventional and organic orchards at 95% confidence level.

This study was conducted to investigate the distributional characteristics of ground beetles and to provide basis information for biodiversity management including the ground beetles in the Naejangsan National Park area. Pitfall traps were installed throughout 20 sites within Naejangsan National Park during 2008 to 2011 to collect ground beetles. A total of 2,409 collected ground beetles were identified with 35 species belonging to 19 genera of 8 subfamilies. Coptolabrus jankowskii jankowskii, Eucarabus sternbergi sternbergi, and Pterosticus audax were dominant at the core area, while Pheropsophus jessoensis, Synuchus nitidus, Synuchus cycloderus, and Chlaenius naeviger were dominant at the border of the National Park and adjacent to the road or grassland. These differences of dominant species also affected to the similarity of species composition between core and border area, and caused increasing dissimilarities between sites with cluster analysis. Although the result of the present study was a case study using ground beetles, it will be helpful to develop a management strategy of biodiversity conservation in Naejangsan National Park and its surroundings.

This studies was conducted to define community structure and diversity of epigeal spiders in apple orchards under different farming practices (organic and conventional). In 11 commercial apple orchards, epigeal spider community structure was investigated during 2012-2014 (3 orchards, 2012; 3 orchards, 2013, 5 orchards, 2014). Epigeal spiders were collected by pitfall traps from April to October, 2012 in Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do; 2013 in Muju-gun, Jeollabuk-do; 2014 in Cheongsong-gun and Uiseong-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. Sampled spiders were identified to the species level. Biodiversity was analyzed with species richness (total numbers of spider species), abundance (total numbers of individuals) and Shannon-Wiener diversity index (H΄) for each site and compared between organic and conventional orchards. In all regions, abundance of the spider communities were relatively higher in organic orchards than in conventional orchards. But, no significant difference in species richness and specie diversity (H΄) between organic and conventional orchards. Lycosidae was the most dominant family in all orchards regardless farming practices. However, Linyphiidae dominated in organic orchards only. The most dominant species were Pardosa laura (Lycosidae), Erigone koshiensis (Linyphiidae) in organic, Piratula procurvus (Lycosidae) in conventional orchards.