Macrofungi remain underexplored in various regions of the world. Because macrofungi play an important role in terrestrial ecosystems, it is essential to investigate their biodiversity in such regions. In this study, we aimed to comprehensively investigate the macrofungal diversity of Taebaeksan National Park, South Korea. We sampled macrofungi from the park in 2023 and conducted detailed morphological observations and molecular analyses of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA. Our analysis revealed six previously unknown species: Cortinarius iliopodius, Cotylidia fibrae, Fulvoderma australe, Lyophyllum infumatum, Russula velenovskyi, and Strobilomyces cingulatus. Herein, we provide detailed morphological descriptions, high-resolution photographs, and molecular phylogenetic analyses to support the taxonomic placement and identification of these taxa. Our findings enable a more comprehensive understanding of macrofungal biodiversity in this region.

2023년 경상남도 함안군 소재 포장내 재배중인 적갓의 지제부위의 줄기와 잎자루에서 흰비단병 증상이 발생하였다. 병징은 적갓의 지제부위의 줄기와 잎자루 아랫부분이 수침상으로 물러져 부패되어 서서히 시들고 결국 식물 전체가 말라 죽는다. 토양과 맞닿은 부위의 줄기와 잎자루에서 흰색의 곰팡이 균사체가 발생하였고 갈색의 작고 둥근 균핵이 많이 형성되었다. 감자한천배지에서 배양한 균총 역시 흰색을 띠고 시간이 지남에 따라 갈색의 작고 둥근 균핵이 형성되었다. 균핵의 크기는 1-3 mm이며 균사의 폭은 4-9 μm였다. 균사 성장과 균핵 형성의 적온은 30℃이었다. 흰비단병 균사특유의 clamp connection이 관찰되었다. 적갓에서 발생한 병징과 병원균의 균학적 특징, ITS rRNA 영역의 염기서열을 비교 분석한 결과, 이 병을 Athelia rolfsii에 의한 적갓 흰비단병으로 동정하였다. 병원성 검정은 코흐의 가설을 바탕으로 수행하였는데, 접종 6일 후 적갓 지제부위의 줄기와 잎자루가 서서히 수침상으로 물러지면서 부패하였다. 접종부위에 솜털모양의 흰색 균사가 왕성하게 자라면서 균핵 시원체가 생기고 시간이 지남에 따라 다시 갈색의 작고 둥근 균핵이 많이 형성되어 흰비단병 특유의 병징이 나타났고 무처리에서는 아무런 이상 증상이 유도되지 않았다. 코흐의 가설에 따라 병징이 있는 부위에서 병원체 재분리를 수행하였다. 이 연구는 국내 적갓에서 발생한 A. rolfsii에 의한 흰비단병의 최초 보고로 병 발달에 대한 역학조사 및 병 방제를 위한 전략 수립에 귀중한 정보를 제공하리라 여겨진다.

The genus Pleurastrum is a coccoid green alga comprising 10 species worldwide. Pleurastrum exhibits simple morphology and high polymorphism, which complicates the understanding of its diversity. We examined the morphological and ultrastructural characteristics of Pleurastrum using light, confocal, and transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, we performed phylogenetic analysis based on multigene sequences (nuclear SSU rDNA, 5.8S, internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) region, and plastid rbcL and tufA genes) from Pleurastrum strains to report two previously unrecorded freshwater species (Pleurastrum insigne and Pleurastrum microstigmatum) in Korea. The vegetative cells were predominantly spherical, with a few being ellipsoidal, and each cell contained a chloroplast with one pyrenoid. The sporangia produced several daughter cells, while the biflagellate zoospores were ellipsoidal and motile. Phylogenetic analysis confirmed that P. insigne and P. microstigmatum form well-supported monophyletic clades. Analysis of ITS2 secondary structures revealed similar patterns, with several differences in nucleotide sequences and insertions between the two species. The findings of this study expand the known distribution of Pleurastrum and enhance our understanding of its species diversity in Korea.

In this study, we report the first occurrence of the filamentous green macroalga Basicladia okamurae (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta) from Korea. This species was originally described as Chaetomorpha okamurae by Ueda in 1932 in Japan and was later transferred to the genus Basicladia. Basicladia okamurae (Ueda) Garbary 2010 has also been found in China and the Netherlands, supported by morphological and molecular evidence. We collected several filamentous green algal individuals from the freshwater stream Sanhocheon (Changwon-si, Republic of Korea) and identified the species as B. okamurae based on morphological characteristics and nuclear ribosomal large subunit (LSU) rDNA sequence analysis. The LSU rDNA sequences of the Korean B. okamurae exhibited 99.8-100% similarity with those of B. okamurae deposited in GenBank (NCBI) and could be distinguished from other species in the order Cladophorales, which showed less than 91.2% similarity. Based on this morphological and molecular evidence, we confirm the species identification as an unrecorded B. okamurae (Ueda) Garbary.

리시안셔스 (Eustoma grandiflorum)는 세계적으로 널리 재배되는 경제적으로 중요한 원예작물이지만 다양한 병원균에 의한 피해를 입고 있다. 2023년 12월 김해시에서 재배되고 있는 리시안셔스 잎이 어둡게 변색되고 시드는 병징이 발견되었다. 국내 리시안셔스 재배지에서 현재까지 이러한 질병은 보고된 바 없는 것으로 알려졌다. 본 연구에서는 리시안셔스의 병든 잎에서 병원균을 분리하였고, 형태학적, 분자생물학적 동정을 실시하였다. 병원균의 비교적 느리게 성장하며, 형태학적 특성은 균사가 밀집된 형태의 균총과 얇고 긴 형태의 분생포자(39.6 × 2.82 μm)를 형성하였다. 병원균의 분자생물학적 동정을 위해 ITS, LSU 영역 염기서열 분석을 실시하였고, GenBank 데이터와 비교한 결과 병원균은 Pseudocercospora eustomatis로 동정되었다. 추가적으로 리시안셔스에 대한 P. eustomatis의 병원성 검정을 실시한 결과, 포장에서와 동일한 병징이 관찰되었다. 본 논문은 국내에서 P. eustomatis에 의해 발생한 리시안셔스 점무늬병에 대한 최초 보고이다.

Strains of epiphytic and toxic dinoflagellates were collected from the seawaters surrounding Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands in Korea, and their morphology, molecular phylogeny, and toxicity were analyzed. Each dinoflagellate strain was examined under a microscope for genus-level identification, while species-level confirmation was achieved for Amphidinium operculatum, Ostreopsis sp. (type 1), Protoceratium reticulatum, Coolia canariensis, and C. malayensis through molecular phylogenetic analysis. The genera Gambierdiscus, Heterocapsa, and Prorocentrum were identified based on morphological traits, with Gambierdiscus characterized by a round-flattened shape with distinct thecal plates, Heterocapsa exhibiting a fusiform to oval shape, and Prorocentrum showing an oblong-to-ovate shape. Toxicity assessments for five species involved exposing Artemia salina nauplii to concentration-dependent extracts of the dinoflagellates. At a concentration of 100 ppm, P. reticulatum, A. operculatum, C. canariensis, and Ostreopsis sp. resulted in significant mortality among the nauplii, with survival rates dropping to as low as 0% over a 24-hour period. These findings underscore the potential ecological and toxicological impacts of these species and highlight the necessity for further research to evaluate their behavior under varying environmental conditions. This study marks the first documentation of subtropical epiphytic dinoflagellates in the waters around Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands, encompassing twelve strains from eight epiphytic species. Additionally, we investigated the toxicity of five species, including a toxic planktonic dinoflagellate. The results suggest a potential northeastward shift in their distribution, likely originating from Jeju Island, and being transported by the Tsushima Warm Current through the East Sea. This shift has enabled the successful establishment of populations in these areas under favorable conditions influenced by changes in the oceanic climate.

Rapid morphological changes in fish larvae during growth make adult classification criteria ineffective for identifying larval fishes. Therefore, species identification of fish larvae requires understanding morphological changes during growth stages within and between species. However, for many fish larvae, the lack of morphological trait information, along with physical damage or protein degradation that occurs during specimen collection and preservation in the wild, creates obstacles for morphology-based identification. A fish larva (10.0 mm SL) collected from the coastal waters of the western Korean Peninsula in August 2019 exhibited morphological characteristics and melanophore distribution patterns closely matching those of an unidentified species of the family Platycephalidae (sp.5). Its MT-CO1 amplicon sequences identified it as Cociella crocodilus, through genetic similarity with MT-CO1 reference sequences and phylogenetic analyses of related species. This study provides significant insights into the early life stages of Cociella crocodilus, marking the first identification of this species at the larval stage.

본 연구를 통해 미기록종 Acronicta gigasa (큰뿔무늬저녁나방, 신칭)를 한국에 최초로 보고한다. 이 종에 대한 진단과 분류학적 기재문을 작성 하였고, 성충과 생식기 도해사진을 함께 제공하였다.

본 연구를 통해 국내 미기록속인 그물나비속(Neope)의 검은눈그물나비(Neope muirheadii)를 처음으로 보고한다. 이 종의 채집지 정보와 간단 한 논평을 포함하여, 성충과 생식기의 사진을 함께 제시한다.