During the ichthyoplankton survey around the Chilsan Island (previously known as the biggest spawning ground of the Sciaenidae) in the southwestern sea of Korea from April to June in 2019 using ring nets, we collected a total of 12 individuals belonging to the family Sciaenidae. Using molecular methods, we identified five sciaenid species (Collichthys lucidus, Collichthys niveatus, Johnius grypotus, Nibea albiflora, and Pennahia argentata), and described and compared them on the basis of the preflexion larval stage. C. lucidus was well distinguished by the presence of occipital crests at preflexion stage. Although there were no occipital crests, preflexion larva of C. niveatus was distinguished by the absence of melanophore except for the upper part of the abdominal cavity. J. grypotus and N. albiflora were very similar morphologically, but were distinguished by myomere height (15.22-15.53% in J. grypotus vs. 11.66-12.78% in N. albiflora) in the percentage of notochord length, and eye diameter (32.58-33.37% in J. grypotus vs. 40.32-42.53% in N. albiflora) in the percentage of head length between specimens of similar size (J. grypotus: 3.22-3.23 mm, N. albiflora: 3.04-3.13 mm). P. argentata were distinguished by distribution of ventral caudal melanophore (one row of small spot in P. argentata vs. irregular patches on the central part of caudal in J. grypotus and N. albiflora). Comparative morphological studies using more diverse species must be conducted for more comprehensive understanding of the morphogenesis of Sciaenidae.

Species composition and seasonal variations of fish in the Five West Sea Islands in Korea, were investigated by using otter trawls and bongo nets from 2014 to 2015. During the surveyed period using an otter trawl, a total of 53 species, 147,253 ind./km2 and 2,721,296 g/km2 of fish were collected by otter trawls. The individual dominant species were Chaeturichthys stigmatias (30.3%), Coilia nasus (18.2%), Engraulis japonicus (12.3%), and Setipinna tenuifilis (12.2%). Moreover, the biomass dominant species in biomass were Liparis tanakae (21.3%), Beringraja pulchra (18.5%), Engraulis japonicus (8.3%) and Okamejei kenojei (8.1%). Eggs by bongo nets included 1,748 ind./1,000 m3 of Engraulis japonicus and 64,691 ind./1,000 m3 of unidentified species. A total of 15 species and 2,015 ind./1,000 m3 of fish larvae were collected, and the dominant species were Johnius belengerii and Pholis fangi.

In order to illustrate the flora of vascular plants distributed in the Five West Sea Islands, the authors collected vascular plants intensively in Baengnyeongdo and Socheongdo from May 2015 to August 2015. Also, voucher specimens from the previous investigations (Daecheongdo, Yeonpyeongdo and Soyeonpyeongdo) deposited at the Korean National Arboretum (KH) were re-identified. All of them were comprised of 108 families, 420 genera, 728 species, 6 subspecies, 86 varieties and 14 forms, totally 834 taxa. There were 8 endemic taxa, 19 rare taxa, 27 taxa for floristically specific to Korean floral zone except the species of their 1st and 2nd degree, and 107 naturalized taxa among the collected plants. Owing to their unusual phytogeography and low number of populations, the taxa Rosa maximowicziana Regel, Allium anisopodium Ledeb., Bistorta pacifica (Petrov ex Kom.) Kom., Scorzonera austriaca subsp. glabra (Rupr.) Lipsch. & Krasch. ex Lipsch., Iris dichotoma Pall., Amsonia elliptica (Thunb.) Roem. & Schult. were considered the most important. Based on these results, it is clear that appropriate plants to conserve the natural habitat of the Five West Sea Islands must be made immediately.