Habitat Use, Home Range, and Hibernaculum of the Mongolian Racerunner, Eremias argus (Lacertidae, Reptilia) in a Coastal Sand Dune in South Korea

Information on habitat use is critical in sizing protected areas for endangered reptile species. To investigate habitat use, home range, and hibernaculum of the endangered Mongolian Racerunner(Eremias argus), we radio-tracked 40 specimens in a coastal sand dune in South Korea. Of the 163 locations recorded during the breeding season, 150(92.0%) were in grass sand dunes, and the rest(8.0%), all associated with the same lizard, were in shrub sand dunes. All of the 123 locations recorded during the non-breeding season were in grass sand dunes. No lizards were found in the grasslands abutting the dunes. The four lizards with identifiable hibernation sites were found under an average of 17.8 cm of sand and were all located in grass sand dunes. The lizards moved approximately 5 m daily and used 162 m2of home range(computed by minimum convex polygon, MCP) during the breeding season, and they moved approximately 2 m and used 68 m2of home range during the non-breeding season. However, the mean daily moved distances and MCP home ranges were not statistically significantly different between the seasons or between males and females. Our results suggest that in coastal sand dunes, E. argus uses grass sand dunes as its main habitat throughout the year. This finding could be used to determine the appropriate habitat size and to designate for the conservation of this endangered species.

Can an Invasive Prey Species Induce Morphological and Behavioral Changes in an Endemic Predator? Evidence from a South Korean Snake(Oocatochus rufodorsatus)

Introduction of an invasive prey species into an ecosystem may affect an endemic predator＇s fitness by altering the prey-predator system. Successful adaptation may allow the endemic predator to eat and control the invasive species, while unsuccessful adaptation may result in extinction of the predator. We examine the possible effects of the invasive North American bullfrog （Rana [Lithobates] catesbeiana） on the endemic Red-backed rat snake （Oocatochus rufodorsatus） in South Korea. We do so by comparing the morphology and behavior of adult and hatchling snakes from bullfrog-exposed （Taean） and bullfrog-unexposed （Hongcheon） populations. Among the seven morphological characteristics investigated, relative tail length （tail length/snout-vent length） of both adults and hatchlings from Taean was significantly greater than that of adults and hatchlings from Hongcheon. Also, adult snakes from Taean had a signiifcantly shorter latency of ifrst tongue lfick in response to prey compared to adults from Hongcheon. This difference was not observed in hatchlings. In other snake species, a longer relative tail length and shorter latency of ifrst tongue lfick are known to improve foraging efifciency, and these characters may be adaptations ofO. rufodorsatus to prey on bullfrogs. This study provides preliminary evidence that the presence of an invasive prey species may cause morphological and behavioral changes in an endemic predator.

Report of a Dicephalic Steppes Ratsnake (Elaphe dione) Collected in South Korea

In this report, we describe morphological characteristics of a dicephalic Steppes Ratsnake （Elaphe dione） collected from the wild in 2011 in South Korea. The specimen has two heads and two long necks. Unlike normal individuals, the dicephalic snake has divided ventral scales under the necks of the bifurcated columns. The snout- vent length （SVL） and overall total length of the individual are shorter than those of normal snakes of the same age. Nevertheless, the counts of nine different scale types that are often used for classification are all within the ranges of normal individuals. As far as we know, this is the first detailed morphological description of a dicephalic E. dione in the scientific literature.

First Record of the Blue-banded Sea Krait(Laticauda laticaudata,Reptilia:Squamata:Elapidae:Laticaudinae)on Jeju Island,South Korea

We report the first recorded capture of a blue-banded sea snake（Laticauda laticaudata Linnaeus, 1758, Jobeuntti Kun Badabam in Korean） in South Korea based on one male specimen collected from Marado-ri, Seogwiposi, Jeju-do on 20 October 2016. The morphological features of the lateral nostrils, the much wider ventrals than adjacent dorsals, the horizontally undivided rostral, the two prefrontals, and the uniform black bands on the body indicate that the specimen is L. laticaudata. An analysis of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence indicated that the specimen fits well into the known L. laticaudata phylogenetic group, which confirms that the sea krait is L. laticaudata. Including this report, five species of sea snakes（L. laticaudata, L. semifasciata, Hydrophis platurus, H. cyanocinctus, and H. melanocephalus） have now been reported in Korean waters.