Jong-Gil Park

Morphometrics and Sexual Dimorphism of Chinese Goshawks (Accipiter soloensis)

Abstract Sex determination is a key component in many ecological and evolutionary studies, and morphological measurements, based on reversed sexual size dimorphism (RSD), are the most widely used means of sexing raptors. We studied morphometrics and sexual dimorphism of the poorly documented Chinese Goshawk (Accipiter soloensis) in the Republic of Korea, where we measured 54 birds and developed discriminant functions to allow sexing. The species showed apparent, but small, RSD in all of eight measured parameters, with the dimorphic index ranging from 1.39 for tarsus to 16.09 for body mass. A stepwise discriminant procedure, followed by discriminant function analysis (DFA), indicated that tail, bill, and head lengths were all reliable parameters for sex determination of goshawks with an accuracy of 100% among 30 individuals. Head length is often unavailable from museum specimens; however, a discriminant function using tail and bill lengths classified the sex of 44 goshawks with an accuracy of 95.5%. Our morphometric data and discriminant function may benefit further studies on the Chinese Goshawk by allowing easy sexing of most birds. MEDIDAS MORFOMÉTRICAS Y DIMORFISMO SEXUAL DE INDIVIDUOS DE ACCIPITER SOLOENSIS La determinación del sexo es un componente clave en diversos estudios ecológicos y evolucionarios, y las medidas morfométricas, basadas en el dimorfismo sexual invertido (DSI) son los medios más utilizados para determinar el sexo de las rapaces. Estudiamos las medidas morfométricas y el dimorfismo sexual de la especie rapaz poco documentada Accipiter soloensis en la República de Corea, donde medimos 54 aves y desarrollamos funciones discriminantes para permitir la determinación del sexo. La especie evidenció un DSI aparente pero pequeño en los ocho parámetros medidos, con el índice de dimorfismo variando de 1.39 para el tarso a 16.09 para la masa corporal. Un proceso discriminante paso a paso, seguido de un análisis de función discriminante (AFD), indicaron que las longitudes de la cola, el pico y la cabeza son todos parámetros confiables para la determinación del sexo de individuos de A. soloensis con una precisión del 100% en 30 individuos. El largo de la cabeza a menudo no se encuentra disponible en especímenes de museo; sin embargo, una función discriminante usando las longitudes de la cola y del pico clasificó el sexo de 44 individuos de A. soloensis con una precisión del 95.5%. Nuestros datos morfométricos y la función discriminante pueden beneficiar a otros estudios de A. soloensis al permitir una fácil determinación del sexo de la mayoría de las aves.

Ticks collected from soil/nest litter and live and dead nestlings of migratory seabirds during their breeding season at six uninhabited Islands, Republic of Korea during 2009 and 2014–2017

Abstract The 65th Medical Brigade (MED BDE)/Medical Department Activity-Korea (MEDDAC-K), in collaboration with the Migratory Birds Research Center, National Park Research Institute, conducted migratory bird tick-borne disease surveillance at six small, remote, uninhabited islands near the western (Nan Island), southwestern (Chilbal, Gugul, Gaerin, Hong, and Sogugul islands) and southeastern (Hong Island) coastal areas of the Republic of Korea (ROK) during 2009 and from 2014–2017. Ticks were collected from nest soil/litter of the Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus), Japanese Murrelet (Synthliboramphus wumizusume), Swinhoes Storm Petrel (Hydrobates monorhis), Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris), Pacific Swift (Apus pacificus), and Streaked Shearwater (Calonectris leucomelas) using Tullgren funnels. Ticks also were collected from recently dead nestlings of Swinhoes Storm Petrel and Black-tailed Gull at Gugul, Sogugul, Gaerin, Nan, and Hong islands, and single ticks were collected from vegetation (tick drag) and a human bitten on Chilbal Island. A total of 1,578 ticks (61 females, 122 males, 290 nymphs, and 1,105 larvae), belonging to four genera and six species, were collected. Ornithodoros capensis (73.00%; 1,152) was the most commonly collected tick on migratory seabirds, followed by Ornithodoros sawaii (26.55%; 420), Ixodes uriae (0.19%; 3), and Ixodes signatus (0.13%, 2). One (0.06%) Haemaphysalis flava was collected by tick drag and one (0.06%) Amblyomma testudinarium was collected while biting one of the survey members. Ornithodoros species were identified morphologically and confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. This is the first record of O. sawaii collected from nest soil/litter during the 2017 nesting season of the Pacific Swift and Streaked Shearwater in the ROK.

Mitochondrial genome of the black-throated loon, Gavia arctica (Gaviiformes: Gaviidae): phylogeny and evolutionary history

Abstract We sequenced the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of Gavia arctica. The circular mt genome is 17,065 bp long, consisting of 37 genes (13 proteins, 22 transfer RNAs, and two ribosomal RNAs) and a control region. Phylogenetic analysis based on the full mt genome sequences confirmed that the genus Gavia is a monophyletic group, containing the G. stellata, G. arctica, and G. pacifica. These data can provide insights into the phylogenetic relationships for inferring the pattern and degree of mt genome evolution among the loon species.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Grey-capped Greenfinch subspecies, Chloris sinica ussuriensis (Passeriformes: Fringillidae)

Abstract We sequenced the complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of Chloris sinica ussuriensis. The circular mt genome is 16,813 bp long and encodes 13 proteins, 22 transfer RNAs, and 2 ribosomal RNAs. Phylogenetic analysis based on full mt genome sequences confirmed that the C. s. ussuriensis is monophyletic group of the Chloris sinica. The complete mitochondrial genome of C. s. ussuriensis can provide a valuable data for resolving geographical distribution of evolutionary subdivision within the C. sinica species in East Asia.

Intraspecific variation and phylogeographic patterns of the grey-capped greenfinch Chloris sinica ssp. (Passeriformes: Fringillidae)

Abstract To study the intraspecific variation of the grey-capped greenfinch Chloris sinica (Passeriformes: Fringillidae), we sequenced complete mitochondrial (mt) genome of the C. sinica ssp. prevalent in Ulleung Island, Republic of Korea. The full length of the genome is 16,812 bp, containing 37 genes (2 rRNAs, 13 proteins, and 22 tRNAs) with a putative control region (D-loop). A total of 98 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the full mt genome were retained for Ulleung Island population and these SNPs were greater than those of inland population compared to the reference China subspecies. The analysis of the SNPs revealed 18 SNPs for ND4 gene, with a dominant haplotype shared by Ulleung population compared to the reference China population. The phylogenetic analysis of the C. sinica subspecies showed that they are monophyletic, however, there is clear phylogenetic separation between China and Korea subspecies with strong support (100% bootstrap). These data will provide new insights into reconstruct the intraspecific phylogeographical patterns of C. sinica species.