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New species of insects discovered in Korea

Posted March. 05, 2019 07:34,   

Updated March. 05, 2019 07:34

한국어

“Odaesan-Teolbo-Basuyeombannalgae” is a new species that a research team led by Ahn Kee-jeong, professor at the Bioscience and Biotechnology Department of the Chungnam National University, discovered for the first time near Mount Odaesan last year. A new species is usually named by a researcher who has first found it, and the site of discovery is often attached to the name to distinguish it from existing species.

“There are as many as 50,000 species of Basuyeombannalgae around the world, and Korea is home to 650 species,” Ahn said. “With the species not having been studied much in Korea, new species are being discovered every year.” Still, the newly found insect is unlikely to be spotted by ordinary passersby, as it is small in size and usually lives in the woods. The appearance of a large number of Basuyeombannalgae causing inconvenience for citizens had been reported in the past, and it was apparently all in Gangwon Province, surrounded by mountains.

Odaesan-Teolbo-Basuyeombannalgae was registered as one of the native creatures in Korea by the National Institute of Biological Resources last Tuesday. Three other new species were discovered in Korea for the first time in the world last year alone.

Since the National Institute of Biological Resources started a survey in 1996, the number of registered native creatures exceeded 50,000 first the first time last year, recording a total of 50,827. It’s nearly the double the number registered in 1996 (28,462). It is estimated by academia that there are some 100,000 species of native creatures in the country. Around half of them have been found out, according to the theory.


Ho-Kyeong Kim kimhk@donga.com