Borrelia, which is transmitted by arthropod, is known as an infectious agent to vertebrate, such as Lyme disease (LD) Borrelia and Relapsing fever (RF) Borrelia. LD Borrelia is only transmitted by hard-bodied ticks classified into the Ixodes ticks. In contrast, almost of RF Borrelia was transmitted by soft-bodied ticks, Argasid ticks. Thus so far, the co-evolution was thought to be established between Borrelia and tick. In this study, we found unknown borreliae from imported reptiles and its associated ticks (we preliminary named as ‘REP Borrelia’). Ticks were introduced into Japan with world-wide trading of reptiles. Ticks were classified into genus Amblyomma or Hyalomma. Out of 82 ticks, 76 were positive for PCR of tickmitochondrial gene for 16S rRNA, and we used these 76 ticks for our examination. From 57 ticks (75%), Borrelia turcica and unknown three Borrelia spp. were detected or isolated. In addition, we examined imported reptiles which were infested exotic ticks. A total of 15 reptiles including 5 of Testudo graeca, 1 of T. horsfieldii, 2 of Phelsuma dubia and 7 of Geochelone pardalis were used for isolation study of Borrelia. Borrelia was isolated from 11 reptiles (73.3%) as follows: T. graeca, T. horsfieldii, G. pardalis. It suggested that, these imported reptiles and exotic ticks were highly infected with Borrelia. Phylogenetic analysis based on the DNA sequences of Borrelia, it was indicated that REP Borrelia constituted a cluster which was independent from RF and LD Borrelia. Surprisingly, this REP Borrelia was expected that was transmitted by hard-bodied tick, although it was thought to be diverged from ancestor RF Borrelia. From quantitative analysis of divergence based on 16S rRNA gene, it was expected that REP and RF Borrelia were differentiated around 50 million years ago (MYA). On the other hand, the oldest soft-bodied tick fossil from New Jersey amber was indicated that soft-bodied tick was speciated since ~92 MYA. In fact, soft-bodied tick was already diverged into genus level when RF and REP Borrelia were diverged. This may suggest that the vector switching event was occurred in ancestor REP/RF Borrelia.

월악산국립공원의 송계계곡 일대의 양서 파충류 노상상해 현황을 파악하기 위하여 송계계곡을 300m간격으로 50개구간을 나눈 후 구간별로 2003년 1월부터 2005년 12월까지 조사를 실시하였다. 그 결과 송계계곡에서 확인된 양서류 10종중 4종이, 파충류는 12종중 7종이 차량에 의해 노상상해된 것으로 확인되었다 또한 가장 많이 차량에 의해 죽는 종은 북방산개구리(Rana dybowskii)로 전체 노상상해 개체수중 94.9%를 차지하였으며, 시기로는 4월~5월경에 가장 많은 피해가 있는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 북방산개구리를 보호하기 위해 생태이동통로 설치가 필요하며, 북방산개구리와 다른 양서류의 보호를 위해서 지속적인 모니터링을 실시해야 한다.