Endemic Animals of South Korea








Korean crevice salamander
The Korean crevice salamander (Karsenia koreana ) is a species of lungless salamander. It dwells under rocks in limestone forest areas of the Korean peninsula. It was discovered by Stephen J. Karsen, an American science teacher working in Daejeon, South Korea, in 2003, and described in 2005. Although plethodontid salamanders comprise seventy percent of salamander species worldwide, Karsenia koreana is the first member of this taxon known from ...
Asia. Like other plethodontids, it lacks lungs and breathes through its moist skin. It is the only species in the genus Karsenia.
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Korean crevice salamander
Hynobius yangi
Hynobius yangi, the Kori salamander, is a species of salamander endemic to southeastern South Korea. It is a lentic-breeding species similar to the Korean salamander (H. leechi ) but is distinguished by factors including tail shape and dorsal coloration. The species is known from the vicinity of the type locality in Gijang County in northeastern Busan and from the nearby Ulju County in western Ulsan.
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Hynobius yangi
Hynobius quelpaertensis
Hynobius quelpaertensis, the Jeju salamander, also spelled Cheju salamander, is a species of salamander found on various islands and peninsulas off the southwestern coast of the Korean Peninsula, including Jindo, Geojedo, Jejudo, and Namhae. It inhabits moist mountain forests.Jeju salamanders are speckled brown in color. Adult males are 8–14 cm (3–6 in) in length, and adult females 7–11 cm (3–4 in). Males are also distinguished by their thick front legs ...
and black coloration on their backs. This species mates from March to late April, laying eggs under small rocks and leaves in mountain pools.The Jeju salamander was previously considered a subspecies of the Korean salamander, and was classified as Hynobius leechii quelpaertensis.
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Hynobius quelpaertensis