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Distribution

Dae-Min Kim

* Please stop by "The Major River Systems of South Korea".

Korean Freshwater Fishes Distribution Patterns

My approach mainly depends on the objective species distribution.
Freshwater fishes distribution patterns are essence of biogeographic divisions. Freshwater fishes could colonize only by swimming through freshwater rivers and lakes. This is because they cannot cross dry land and most of them cannot tolerate salt water. Freshwater fishes obviously show how dispersal and vicariance were occurred by physical barriers including mountain ranges and sea. However, they cannot generally show clearer and narrower distribution in divisions and less according to geographic divisions.
Before start, please see "Huanghe - Amur Border" section. This section is about super-brief history of the ancient geography related to the Korean waters since the last Ice Age.

* Species Selection
This working is tended to omit from analysis those extremely wide ranging fishes that give little information on zoogeographic divisions and also poorly known species for similarly providing poor information on zoogeography.
The unsuitable species are :

a. Species with extensive distributions. For example, Carassius auratus(Goldfish), Pungtungia herzi, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, and Lefua costata.
b. Species that can live in salt water, including anadramous and catadromous fishes.
c. Species with poor information. For example, Gobio cynocephalus, Coreius heterodon, Eleotris oxycephala.

* Results
1. Species selected for this analysis are : Lampetra reissneri, Cyprinus carpio, Rhodues ocellatus, Rhodeus uyekii, Acanthorhodeus macropterus, Pseudorasbora parva, Hemibarbus labeo, Hemibarbus longirostris, Pseudogobio esocinus, Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, Rhynchocyprinus steindachneri, Zacco temmincki, Zacco platypus, Misgurnus mizolepis, Pungitius sinensis, Monopterus albus, Macropodus ocellatus, and Channa argus.
A Region : East to the mountain chains that run through Beakdoo Daegan and Nakdong Jeongmaek and Hyeongsan River, or Taehwa River. South to south coast or Jeju Island(when considering Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, Monopterus albus).
B Region : West to Baekdoo Daegan. South to Gokgang River in Yeongdok, Gyeongsangbuk-do.

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2. Species selected for this analysis are : Acheilognathinae(excluding several species), Gobioninae(excluding several species), Aphyocypris chinensis, Siluridae, Siniperca scherzeri, Coreoperca herzi, Odontobutis platycephala, and O. interrupta.

A Region : East to Baekdoo Daegan(mountain range) and Nakdong Jeongmaek(mountain range).
B Region : West to Baekdoo Daegan and Nakdong Jeongmaek. South to Gijang County, Gyeongsangnam-do.

3. Results based on some species from 'exceptions' of Results No.2.
Species selected for this analysis are : Acheilognathus signife, A. koreensis, A. yamatsutae, and A. majusculus.

  A-1 Region : A. signifer and A. yamatsutae
  A-2 Region : A. koreensis and A. yamatsutae(except Seomjin River)
  A-3 Region : A. majusculus

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4.Results based on some species from 'exceptions' of Results No.2.
Species selected for this analysis are : Pungtungia herzi, Pseudopungtungia nigra, and P. tenuicorpa

  A Region : Pungtungia herzi
  A-4 Region(Han River Basin) : Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa
  A-5 Region(Woongcheon, Keum, Mankyeong River Basin) : Pseudopungtungia nigra

5. Results based on some species that live in only Han River Drainage and Keum River Drainage
Species selected for this analysis are : Hemibarbus mylodon, Gobiobotia macrocephala, G. brevivarba, Microphysogobio longidorsalis, Saurogobio dabryi, Rhynchocypris kumgangensis, Squaliobarbus curriculus, and Leiocassis longirostris(extirpated). All of them are endangered or threatened species. Saurogobio dabryi also occurs in Mankyeong River.

6. Results based on Cypriniformes - Cobitidae species(loaches, excluding Misgurnus spp.)
Species selected for this analysis are : Iksookimia koreensis, I. pumila, I. choii, I. longicorpa, I. hugowolfeldi, I. yongdokensis, Koreocobitis rotundicaudata, K. naktongensis, Cobitis hangookensis, C. lutheri, C. tetralineata, C. pacifica, Niwaella multifasciata, Kichulchoia brevifasciata

A-6 Region : Iksookimia koreensis
A-7 Region : Koreocobitis rotundicaudata
A-8 Region : Iksookimia choii
A-9 Region : Iksookimia pumila
A-10 Region : Iksookimia hugowolfeldi
A-11 Region : Iksookimia longicorpa
A-12 Region : Koreocobitis naktongensis
A-13 Region : Iksookimia yongdokensis

A-14 Region : Cobitis lutheri
A-15 Region : Kichulchoia brevifasciata
A-16 Region : Cobitis tetralineata
A-17 Region : Niwaella multifasciata
A-18 Region : Cobitis hangookensis
B-1 Region : Cobitis pacifica

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7. Results based on Siluriformes - Bagridae species
Species selected for this analysis are : Pseudobagrus fulvidraco, P. koreanus, P. brevicorpus, Leiocassis ussuriensis, L. nitidus, L. longirostris(extirpated).

A-19 Region : Leiocassis longirostris
A-20 Region : Leiocassis ussuriensis
A-21 Region : Leiocassis nitidus
A-22 Region : Pseudobagrus fulvidraco
A-23 Region : Pseudobagrus koreanus
A-24 Region : Pseudobagrus brevicorpus

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Mysterious Distribution Patterns

* Micropterus swinhonis
The original description of Micropterus swinhonis is from China. Since then, chinese researchers had said this species is emdemic to China.
   However, in 1984, Dr. Kim, Ik-soo(김익수), professor of Chonbuk National University, found populations of Micropterus swinhonis from Gobu River, a triburary to Dongjin River in Jeollabuk-do, South Korea and from a small pond which flows into the Upper Seomjin River(Unit 1).
   This species was collected from about 10 localities only in Jeollabuk-do, especially Mankyeong River, Dongjin River, Incheon River and their tributaries by several researchers and their common advisor, Dr. Choi, Ki-cheol(최기철) who was a professor of Seoul National University at that time.
For a decade, the father of Korean Ichthyology, Dr. Choi had wondered why this species are distributed only in Jeollabuk-do, such a small part of S.Korea, although this species is distributed across almost all Chinese river systems from Jiujiang River in southeastern China, to Liaohe River in northeastern China, and N. Korea - China border, Apnok River.
  The early spring of 2004 was the first time when Micropterus swinhonis is found outside of Jeollabuk-do. Kim, Dae-min(김대민) collected this speceis from Botong Creek(Unit 4) in Siheung County, Gyeonggi-do(Kim, Dae-min 2004). Also in 2005, this species was found from Upper Hwangooji River, a tributary to Jinwi River, in Gyeonggi-do, by freshwater fish hobbyists.
Since 2005, Jo, Seong-jang(조성장), head of Boryeong Exibition Hall of Freshwater Ecology, and Jeon, Hyeong-bae(전형배) also have found this species from Keum River system, many tributaries of Mankyeong, Dongjin Rivers, and several other creeks or drains in Chungcheongnam-do, Jeollabuk-do, and Jeollanam-do.
  Something occurred to us are :
   A. There are many plain areas that consist of rice-paddies, drains, and rich-vegetated resorviors (ideal habitats for Micropterus swinhonis!):
   * between Seomjin River of Jeollabuk-do(Unit 1) and a drain in Jido Island(Unit 2) of Jeollanam-do,
   * between Keum River(Unit 3) of Chungcheongnam-do and Botong Creek(Unit 4) in Gyoenggi-do.
       However, they have not been found in these areas. Why?
   B. Two out of thirds of Botong Creek(less than 12km long) in Siheung City are running through the reclaimed areas that have been turned into the rice paddies for about 200 years. Where did M. swinhonis live before reclaiming? Where did they come from?
   C. A lot of rice paddies, drains, and rich-vegetated ponds - ideal habitats for Micropterus swinhonis - dot along Seomjin River from estuary to upper river region. However, In Seomjin River drainage, this species had occurred only in a single small pond near the river body in Jinan County, Jeollabuk-do, until early 1990s(now this species is extinct from Seomjin River drainage due to reclaiming). Why?

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Yangsan Fault and Endemic Species

Japanese Islands and Korean Peninsula are known to be separated about 40 million years ago along with opening the Korean Strait. Yangsan Faults and Donghan Fault also have helped out sea's extension. In early 8th century, a huge earthquake(MM 8~9) was occurred by Yangsan Faults' movement and it caused more than 100 people to be dead in Gyeongju County, Gyeongsangbuk-do.
< Left : Faults' distribution, Right : Faults and 3 Species Distribution >

  A-25 Region : Iksookimia yongdokensis. South to Hyeongsan River at Gyeongju and North to Songcheon River at Yongdok
  A-26 Region : Squalidus multimaculatus. South to Hoeya River at Ulju and North to Gagok River at Samcheok
  B-2 Region : Pungitius sinensis sinensis. South to Songcheon River at Yongdok and North to Heilongjiang River in northern China.

Endemic species Squalidus multimaculatus and Iksookimia yongdokensis are distributed in the east of Yangsan Faults ranged south to Sooyeong River in Busan and north to Wangpicheon River in Uljin.

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So many interesting things that Korean Freshwater Fishes have are allowing us to touch them. These things and many cocktail issues from them are worth investigating and doing research.