Fungal contaminant in the indoor air is one of risk factors that could damage valuable paper-based records preserved in libraries. In the process of monitoring airborne fungi at the Nara Repository, the National Archives, Seoul, Korea, three fungal strains, DUCC 16098, DUCC 17764, and DUCC17767 were isolated from the archive’s air samples. Fungal identification was performed based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), the 28S LSU rDNA, and β-tubulin gene (BenA), and TEF1-α gene. These DUCC 16098, DUCC 17764 and DUCC17767 strains were identified as Clonostachys farinosa, Penicillium cosmopolitanum, and Cephalotrichum purpureofuscum. These species have not been recorded before in Korea. Information on these fungi will help the monitoring and management of airborne fungi in the archival facilities.

Air conditioner filters purify the air of indoor environments by removing air pollutants and supporting the efficiency of the unit’s cooling function. However, an air conditioner filter can become a microenvironment in which some fungi can grow as dust continues to accumulate and favorable humidity conditions are formed. Fungal growth in air conditioner filters could lead to fungal allergies or fungal diseases, in addition to emitting a foul odor. In an effort to understand what species causes this malodorous problem, we investigated the diversity of fungi found in air conditioners. Fungi were sampled from the collected air conditioner filters and grown on DG18 agar media. After purification for pure isolates, species identification was undertaken. Colony morphology was observed on PDA, MEA, CYA, and OA media. Microstructures of fruiting body, mycelia, and spores were examined using a light microscope. Molecular identification was performed by PCR and sequencing of PCR amplicons, and molecular phylogenetic analysis of sequenced DNA markers, including the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS), the 28S large subunit of the nuclear ribosomal RNA (LSU rDNA), the β-tubulin (BenA) gene, the Calmodulin (CaM) gene, and the DNA-directed RNA polymerase II subunit 2 (RPB2) gene. Through this identification process, we found two fungal species, Aspergillus miraensis and Dichotomopilus ramosissimus, which are unrecorded species in Korea. We will now report their morphological and molecular features.

To understand microorganism effects on wild mushroom fruiting bodies, we investigated the fungi in hyphosphere soil supporting wild mushroom species Cortinarius violaceus, Amanita hemibapha, Laccaria vinacelavellanea, and Amanita verna found in the Gotjawal area of Jeju Island. Fungal species identification based on morphological traits and molecular analysis of ITS, LSU rDNA, and -tubulin gene sequences resulted in isolation and identification of eleven fungal species previously unrecorded in Korea. These newly-recorded species are: Arthrinium kogelbergensis, Kalmusia longisporum, Keithomyces carneum, Neopyrenochaeta cercidis, Penicillium ranomafanaense, Phomatodes nebulosa, Pyrenochaeta nobilis, Tolypocladium album, Talaromyces kendrickii, Talaromyces qii, and Umbelopsis gibberispora, and their morphological characteristics and phylogenetic positions are described.

In the genus Acrobasis Zeller, 1839, there are 14 species known in Korea. In this study, we present Acrobasis rubrizonella (Ragonot, 1893) and Acrobasis subceltifoliella Yamanaka, 2006 from Korea for the first time. We hear provide diagnoses, descriptions, and images of the adults and genitalia of the two species.

This study investigated unrecorded freshwater bacterial species in Korea. Water and sediment samples were collected from the Nakdong River basin from 2020-2022. Bacterial isolates obtained through the conventional culture method with commercial media were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing to identify unrecorded bacterial species. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing of the bacterial isolates revealed that a total of 44 bacterial isolates shared 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities of more than 98.65%, with validly published bacterial species not reported in Korea yet. These isolates were phylogenetically assigned to 4 phyla, 7 classes, 21 orders, 33 families, and 42 genera. A total of 2, 6, 12, and 24 species belonged to phyla Bacillota, Bacteroidota, Actinomycetota, and Pseudomonadota, respectively. Here, we provide details of these 44 unrecorded bacterial species, including Gram staining, colony and cellular morphologies, biochemical properties, and phylogenetic position.

In 2022, research for native prokaryotic species in Korea reported 10 unrecorded bacterial strains affiliated to phyla Actinomycetota, Bacillota, and Pseudomonadota. The strains formed monophyletic clades with the most closely related species (with ≥98.7% sequence similarity) in the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among them, four species of the phylum Actinomycetota, two species of the phylum Bacillota, and four species of the phylum Pseudomonadota have not been reported in Korea, suggesting unrecorded species in Korea. Information on strains such as Gram staining reaction, colony and cell morphology, biochemical characteristics, and isolation sources were provided in the species description.

A total of 31 bacterial strains were isolated from the Geum River basin in the Republic of Korea during our investigation of indigenous prokaryotic species. The isolated bacterial strains had high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (>98.7%) with those of validly published bacterial species, which have not been reported in Republic of Korea. The 31 bacterial strains were phylogenetically diverse and assigned to 4 phyla, 8 classes, 18 orders, 21 families, and 27 genera. At the genus level, the unreported species were affiliated with Kineococcus, Pedococcus, Rhodoluna, Salinibacterium, Rhodoluna, Arthrobacter, Williamsia, Nakamurella, Nocardioides of the class Actinobacteria, Patulibacter of the class Thermoleophilia, Pontibacter, Hymenobacter of the class Cytophagia, Flavobacterium of the class Flavobacteriia, Geomicrobium of the class Bacilli, Brevundimonas, Gellertiella, Rhizobium, Paracoccus, Taonella, Sphingomonas of the class Alphaproteobacteria, Burkholderia, Polaromonas, Hydrogenophaga, Chitinilyticum, Azospira, Zoogloea of the class Betaproteobacteria, and Pseudomonas of the class Gammaproteobacteria. The unreported bacterial species were further characterized by examining their morphological, cultural, physiological, and biochemical properties. The detailed descriptions of the 31 bacterial strains were provided.

Suncheon Bay Ecological Park, possessing abundant fisheries and biological diversity, was registered as a Ramsar wetland in Korea. Approximately 300 bacterial strains were isolated from the Suncheon Bay in a comprehensive study of indigenous prokaryotic species conducted during 2019-2020 in South Korea. A total of 12 bacterial strains were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, demonstrating >98.7% sequence similarity with validly published species. These species were determined to be unrecorded bacterial species in Korea. A total of six strains were isolated from brackish water and Phragmites communis Trin (reed) species. These unrecorded species were phylogenetically diverse and belonged to three classes, six orders, and ten genera. Regarding the genus and class levels, the previously unrecorded species belonged to Jiella, Martelella, Rhizobium, Paracoccus, Rhodovulum, and Altererythrobacter of the class Alphaproteobacteria; Mycolicibacterium, Demequina, and Microbacterium of the class Actinobacteria; Confluentibacter of the class Flavobacteria. The twelve species were further characterized by gram staining, colony and cell morphology, biochemical properties, and phylogenetic position.

Fungi that infect mushrooms and cause diseases are called mycoparasitic fungi. Understanding the diversity of mycoparasitic fungi in wild mushrooms is important for the mushroom industry, as they can parasitize cultivated mushrooms. However, few studies have been conducted on the diversity of mycoparasitic fungi in wild mushrooms in South Korea. Upon surveying mushroom flora, we found a mycoparasitic fungus and analyzed its strain using molecular phylogeny and morphological examination. The strain was identified as Sepedonium laevigatum, which is an unrecorded species in South Korea. In this study, we described the cultural and microscopic characteristics of this strain of fungus.

Free-living nematodes feed on bacteria, algae, fungi, dead organisms, and living tissues. They release nutrients for plant use and improve soil structure and water holding capacity. They are usually the most abundant type of nematodes in soil and marine environments. This study has been conducted to survey the distribution and identification of soil nematodes from rhizosphere soil of plant for investigation of indigenous species according to Convention on Biological Diversity. Three species of free-living nematodes belonging to the order of Dorylaimida were found from paddy soil and soybean fields, Miryang, Gyeongsangnam-do and one species was found from soil, Dokdo island, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. Aporcelaimellus obtusicaudatus, Eudorylaimus arcus and Mesodorylaimus spengelii are newly collected from Korea. A. obtusicaudatus can be recognized by its large body, short odontostyle being much thicker than cuticle at the same level, well developed gonads, shape and length of the tail. E. arcus is distinctive because of the wide lateral field, tail form and supplement arrangement. M. spengelii is smaller species with short odontostylet, simple guiding ring. Female tail more or less uniformly attenuated, tip is not swollen, nor curved dorsally.

A single juvenile malacanthid specimen (Hoplolatilus chlupatyi) was collected from the South Sea of Korea and identified by DNA barcoding. This species is readily distinguished from other malacanthid species in having well developed rostral spine and elongated spines in the posttemporal and preopercle. A molecular analysis based on mitochondrial DNA COI sequences showed that this species is matched to adult H. chlupatyi (genetic distance = 0.005). Therefore, this is the first record of H. chlupatyi in Korea. We propose new Korean names, “Mu-ji-gae-og-dom-sog” for the genus Hoplolatilus and “Mu-ji-gae-og-dom” for the species H. chlupatyi.

Nine fish and one clam species were collected from freshwater environments in Korea, including four lakes, two streams, and the Nakdong River, to investigate the host-associated bacteria. Hundreds of bacterial strains were isolated from the samples using a cell sorter and a dilution plating method. After identification of the bacterial strains using 16S rRNA gene sequences, 42 strains with greater than 98.7% sequence similarity with validly published species were determined to be unrecorded bacterial species in Korea. These strains were phylogenetically diverse and assigned to four phyla, six classes, 17 orders, 27 families, and 32 genera. At the genus level, the unrecorded species were classified as Corynebacterium, Mycobacterium, Mycolicibacterium, Gordonia, Williamsia, Modestobacter, Brachybacterium, Sanquibacter, Arthrobacter, and Mycolicibacterium of the class Actinobacteria; Empedobacter, and Flavobacterium of the class Flavobacteriia; Fictibacillus, Psychrobacillus, Cohnella, Paenibacillus, Rummeliibacillus, Enterococcus, and Vagococcus of the class Bacilli; Aquamicrobium, Paracoccus, and Sphingomonas of the class Alphaproteobacteria; Achromobacter, Delftia, and Deefgea of the class Betaproteobacteria; and Aeromonas, Providencia, Yersinia, Marinomonas, Acinetobacter, and Pseudomonas of the class Gammaproteobacteria. The 42 unrecorded species were subjected to further taxonomic characterization using gram staining, cellular and colony morphological determination, biochemical analyses, and phylogenetic analyses. This paper provides detailed descriptions of the 42 previously unrecorded bacterial species.

As part of the research program “2018 Rapid screening and identification of freshwater microorganisms using MALDI-TOF/MS library” freshwater samples were collected from a branch of the Nakdong River. Almost 300 antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains were isolated from freshwater samples and subsequently identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Seventeen strains among the isolates shared high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (>99.0%) with known species that were not previously recorded in Korea, and each of the isolates also formed a robust phylogenetic clade with the closest species. These species were phylogenetically diverse, belonging to four phyla, seven classes, 10 orders, and 13 genera. At the genus and class level, the previously unrecorded species belonged to Rhodovarius, Xanthobacter, and Shinella of the class Alphaproteobacteria; Ottowia, Simplicispira, and Zoogloea of Betaproteobacteria; Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, and Shewanella of Gammaproteobacteria; Arcobacter of Epsilonproteobacteria; Sphingobacterium of Sphingobacteriia; Trichococcus of Bacilli; and Leucobacter of Actinobacteria. The previously unrecorded species were further characterized by examining their gram-staining, colony and cell morphology, biochemical properties, and phylogenetic position.

2016년과 2017년 서천, 장흥, 부여, 여주에 소재하는 표고 재배사에서 진균성 병원균을 모니터링 하는 과정에서 Acrodontium crateriforme, Naganishia friedmannii, Pestalotiopsis trachicarpicola, Penicillium wollemiicola, Trichoderma thailandicum 등 5 종의 국내 미기록 진균을 재배사내 실내 공기, 버섯 파리, 버섯 배지재료 등에서 분리하였다. 이들 진균은 PDA 배양하여 생장시키면서 형태적 특성 조사하고 26S rDNA, 28S rDNA, β-TUB 유전자, TEF 유전자 등을 PCR 기술로 증폭하고 그 염기서열 분석을 수행하여 동정하였다. 본 논문에서는 이들의 분류학적 위치와 위해성에 대해 보고하고자 한다.

Ostrea denselamellosa and Eriocheir japonica samples were collected from the Seomjin River in 2019 as part of the “Research of Host-Associated Bacteria” research program. Almost 200 bacterial strains were isolated from the O. denselamellosa and E. japonica samples and subsequently identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among the bacterial isolates, ten strains possessed greater than 98.7% sequence similarity with published bacterial species that had not previously been recorded in Korea. These species were phylogenetically diverse, belonging to three phyla, four classes, seven orders, and eight genera. At the genus and class level, the previously unrecorded species belonged to Pseudoalteromonas, Aliivibrio, Rheinheimera, Leucothrix, and Shewanella of the class Gamma-proteobacteria, Olleya of the class Flavobacteriia, Algoriphagus of the class Cytophagia, and Lactococcus of the class Bacilli. The previously unrecorded species were further characterized by examining their Gram staining, colony and cell morphology, biochemical properties, and phylogenetic positions.

선충포식성 곰팡이는 선충을 포획하기 위하여 다양하고 특수한 기관을 사용한다. 국내 성주지역의 참외 경작지 뿌리 주변의 토양에서 3차원 접착 고리를 형성하여 선충을 포획하는 곰팡이를 분리하였다. 곰팡이의 미세형태 구조를 관찰한 결과 분생포자병은 직립형으로 길이는 290~528 (342.8) μm으로 길었으며, 계란형의 30.5 × 20.3 μm 크기를 가진 1~3개의 분생포자를 형성하였다. 균주의 rDNA의 5.8 S 영역의 염기서열을 분석한 결과, Arthrobotrys속의 계통군에 속하였으며, 특히 Arthrobotrys sinensis와 99%의 유사성을 보였다. 형태적 특징과 분자생물학적 계통 분석을 바탕으로 본 균주는 A. sinensis로 확인되었으며, 이는 국내 미기록종으로 식물기생성선충의 생물학적 조절을 위한 하나의 자원이 될 수 있다.