Variations in the Distribution and Genetic Relationships among Luciola unmunsana Populations in South Korea

Tae-Su Kim, Kwanik Kwon and Gab-Sue Jang
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Tae-Su Kim: Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Science, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea
Kwanik Kwon: Research Center for Endangered Species, National Institute of Ecology, Yeongyang 36531, Korea
Gab-Sue Jang: Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Science, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Korea

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 7, 1-18

Abstract: The firefly species Luciola unmunsana was first discovered on the Unmunsan Mountain in Cheongdo-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea and consequently named after the mountain. The population and habitats of this once-abundant species have recently decreased significantly due to light and environmental pollution caused by industrialization and urbanization. This study investigated the distribution and density of L. unmunsana around the ecological landscape conservation area of the Unmunsan Mountain. Additionally, we conducted molecular experiments on regional variations, genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships among the various populations of L. unmunsana in South Korea. The genetic relationships among populations were also analyzed using mitochondrial DNA by collecting 15 male adults from each of the 10 regions across South Korea selected for analysis. Differences were observed between populations in the east, west and south of the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range. The firefly populations collected from the eastern region, which included Gyeongsang-do, showed a close genetic relationship with fireflies collected from the Unmunsan Mountain. Thus, the findings of this study can be used as baseline data for re-introducing L. unmunsana to the Unmunsan Mountain.

Keywords: firefly; Luciola unmunsana; spatial distribution; mitochondrial DNA; genetic relationship (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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