Part 4

Specimens examined (9).--Central National Forest, near Pup´yong-ni, 1 (KU); 2 mi. S Ch´orwon, 1 (KU); 4 mi. W Ch´ungju, 1 (KU); 1 mi. N Oho-ri, 1 (KU); 5 mi. ESE Seoul, 3 (KU); Yongp´yong, 2 (KU).

Remarks.--One individual of R. a. coreana (KU 38698) and one of Rana temporaria dybowskii (KU 38715) were collected on May 29 along a stream in the Central National Forest in association with R. rugosa and R. nigromaculata. Specimens of coreana from the vicinity of Seoul were found in rice fields. The earliest date of collection was April 13 at Yongp´yong. Our largest specimen of coreana measured 47 in snout-vent length.

Because R. a. coreana and Rana temporaria dybowskii are sympatric in central Korea and closely resemble one another, the two species were not distinguished in the field and the following observations may pertain to either (or both) species. Wood frogs were observed 2 mi. E Songdong-ni on July 12 in paddies (rice fields) along with individuals of Hyla arborea, Rana rugosa, and Rana nigromaculata. At Chip´o-ri on April 6, individuals (probably R. t. dybowskii) were seen in a seepage pool from an abandoned rice field; R. nigromaculata also was seen there. Six or seven egg masses (some having small tadpoles) were observed in the shallow water, but it was not certain to which species the eggs belonged. Completely metamorphosed young (probably R. a. coreana) were first seen 1 mi. N Oho-ri on June 9. At Taehoesan-ni on November 12, several sluggish frogs were seen in a small pool that was covered by a thin layer of ice.

On September 26 in the Central National Forest, many wood frogs of various sizes were observed. R. amurensis and R. temporaria probably have extended breeding seasons that correspond to those of R. rugosa and R. nigromaculata. Judging from our observations, amurensis prefers the proximity of water, whereas temporaria may occur some distance from permanent water.

In our specimens, R. amurensis coreana differs from R. temporaria dybowskii in having (1) smaller maximal size, (2) more slender body, (3) shorter legs, (4) incompletely webbed toes, (5) no mottling or barring on lips, (6) no contrasting barred pattern on hind legs, (7) dark brown stripes (usually) between dorsolateral folds, (8) a dark brown, linear mark below canthus, and (9) an immaculate ventral surface. Two additional distinguishing characters, which we found difficult to evaluate, are the nearly straight, dorsolateral folds, and lack of vocal sacs or ostia in males of R. a. coreana (Shannon, 1956:38). Some of the differences between the two species were illustrated by Okada, 1931:107, fig. 48, R. temporaria temporaria [=R. t. dybowskii] and 123, fig. 54, R. temporaria coreana [=R. amurensis coreana].

=Rana temporaria dybowskii= Günther

Rana Dybowskii Günther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 4, 17:387, May, 1876 (type locality, Abrek Bay, near Vladivostok, Siberia).

Rana temporaria dybowski, Shannon, Herpetologica, 12:38, March 6, 1956.

Specimens examined (20).--Central National Forest, near Pup´yong-ni, 7 (KU); Chip´o-ri, 2 (KU); 1 mi. SW Inje, 6 (KU); 8 mi. SW Kangnung, 1 (KU); Taegwang-ni, 1 (KU); 1 mi. SW Tangjonggok, 3 (KU).

Remarks.--On October 9 in the Central National Forest, five individuals were found in a concrete-walled pit in old ruins on a wooded hillside; no specimens of Rana amurensis coreana were taken there. R. t. dybowskii was most often taken on high, moist slopes, and seemed to be especially common in forests. The specimen from 8 mi. SW Kangnung was obtained in a wooded area along a mountain stream. The earliest date of collection of a specimen of dybowskii was March 7 at Taegwang-ni. See also the remarks under the preceding account of Rana amurensis coreana.

The largest male among our specimens measured 65 in snout-vent length and the largest female, 79. Five gravid females had snout-vent lengths of 64, 68, 69, 69 and 70.

=Trionyx sinensis= Wiegmann

Trionyx (Aspidonectes) sinensis Wiegmann, Nova Acta Acad. Leopold.-Carol., 17:189, 1835 (type locality, near Macao, China).

Specimen examined.--Han River, 5 mi. ESE Seoul, 1 (KU).

Remarks.--Our only specimen was purchased from a man who had captured it by hand in the Han River; it was the only turtle seen during our stay in Korea. Koreans eat turtles, and the elaborate (and relatively permanent) fish-traps that they construct across streams and small rivers probably reduce the size of populations of T. sinensis and other species.

=Eremias argus= Peters

Eremias argus Peters, Monatsber. preuss. Akad. Wiss., Berlin, p. 61, fig. 3 (for 1869), 1870 (type locality, Chefoo, China).

Specimens examined (23).--Chip´o-ri, 1 (KU); 5 mi. E Seoul, 3 (KU), 3 (UMMZ); 5 mi. ESE Seoul, 4 (KU); 6 mi. E Seoul, 10 (UMMZ); 7 mi. ESE Seoul, 2 (KU).

Remarks.--Individuals of E. argus were most often seen on dry hillsides having a relatively sparse cover of vegetation. The first lizard of this species was taken on April 2. In 1954 the last part of March and early part of April were generally warm, with temperatures above 70° F. on several occasions; probably some E. argus were active in late March. KU 38773 (snout-vent length, 51) laid three eggs between June 4 and 14; KU 38768 (snout-vent length, 58) obtained on May 8 was gravid, containing four eggs. Testes of lizards in the breeding season measure approximately 4.0 x 2.5 (KU 38772, obtained on June 16).

The snout-vent length of our largest female is 61, that of the largest male, 57. The snout-vent length of 11 specimens averaged 77 (67-96) per cent of length of tail.

=Tachydromus amurensis= Peters

Tachydromus amurensis Peters, Sitzungsber. Gesell. naturf. Freunde Berlin, p. 71, 1881 (type locality, Kossakewitcha, Amurland).

Specimens examined (3).--Central National Forest, near Pup´yong-ni, 1 (KU), 1 (UMMZ); Majon-ni, 1 (KU).

Remarks.--One of our specimens was found among grasses along a small stream in the Central National Forest. The other two were obtained by other persons and we lack knowledge of conditions of their capture.

A juvenile (KU 39416, snout-vent length, 25) that was obtained on September 9 is tentatively referred to this species. There seem to be three femoral pores on the left leg but the number is indistinct on the right. The specimen is dark and lacks a pattern. Its condition precludes counts of ventral scales (not keeled), but scalation is otherwise the same as a male (KU 40120, snout-vent length approximately 47, length of tail, 124). The third specimen, a male (UMMZ 113442, snout-vent length, 51, length of tail, 115), agrees with KU 40120, except in having 32 instead of 29 dorsal scales at midbody, 4-4 instead of 3-3 femoral pores, and in lacking a pale stripe from eye through ear to shoulder.

=Tachydromus wolteri= Fischer

Tachydromus Wolteri Fischer, Jahrb. Wiss. Anst. Hamburg, 2:82 (for 1884), 1885 (type locality, Chemulp´o, Korea).

Specimens examined (2).--Yongp´yong, 2 (KU).