Systematic Studies of Korean Rodents

Abstract

Samples of Siberian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus borberi ) from Korea were analyzed by multivariate, air-drying , and blot-hybridization methods in order to determine the degree of variations of morphological characters, chromosomal karyotype, and mtDNA restriction fragment patterns, respectively, Moreover, morphometric characters of samples of Siberian chipmunks from Manchuria(T.sibiricus orientalis) were also analyzed in order to clarify the taxonomic status of the subspecies barberi. Siberian chipmunks from six localities in Korea were in morphometric characters more or less similar with one another and Siberian chipmunks from Manchuria were not so distinct enough to from a subgroup. Siberian chipmunks from Four localities in Korea were identical in their karyotypes (2n=38) : samples from three localities in Korea were nore or less similar in their mtDNA fragment patterns. Siberian chipmunks from Korea appeared to be a omogeneous population and as noted by Corbet (1978) subspecies barberi is the synonym of subspecies orientalis. The scientific name of Siberian chipmunks from Korea and Manchuria is T. sibiricus orientalis, although systematic studies with the samples from North korea, Manchuria and China will be necessary for their taxonomic reconsideration.