Korean Peninsula
The
following account covers only species that are known to occur in both North Korea and South Korea. For additional
Korean Peninsula endemics that are restricted to a single nation see
the individual country accounts.
Mammals unique to the peninsula include the Korean Red-backed Vole (iNaturalist)
and a bat of dubious validity: Kobayashi’s
Serotine (IUCN)
(Google
Books).
Endemic
amphibians include the Gold-spotted Pond Frog Pelophylax
chosenicus (yangpakor)
(iNaturalist)
and
the
Suweon Tree Frog Hyla
suweonensis
(yangpakor).
Freshwater fish restricted to the Korean Peninsula include the
Korean Rose Bitterling (FishBase),
the Korean Striped Bitterling
(FishBase), the Dark
Sleeper (iNaturalist),
the
Kumgang
Fat Minnow (FishBase), the
Big-headed Gudgeon (FishBase),
the
Northern Loach (FishBase),
and the
Korean
Torrent Catfish
(PlanetCatfish).
Invertebrates known only from the Korean Peninsula include a dragonfly Asiagomphus coreanus
(NAVER),
a shining leaf chafer Mimela
fusania (NIBR),
a soldier beetle Hatchiana
glochidiata (iNaturalist),
a ground beetle Carabus semiopacus
(iNaturalist),
a darkling beetle Anaedus
mroczkowskii (iNaturalist),
the rove beetles Atheta
kangsonica
and Atheta hamgyongsani
(both at ZooKeys),
a flea beetle Argopus
koreanus (iNaturalist),
a grasshopper Arcyptera
coreana (Orthopteroids
of Korea WM), a groundhopper Formosatettix slivae
(ISEZ
PAN WM pdf), a moth Belosticta parki (NIBR),
a jumping spider Kishidaia
coreana (iNaturalist),
a land snail Nesiohelix
samarangae (iNaturalist),
and the freshwater mussels Aculamprotula
coreana (iNaturalist)
and Lanceolaria acrorrhyncha
(iNaturalist).
Among about 300 species of vascular plants found nowhere else (KJPT
pdf)
are Forsythia ovata (doopedia),
a willow Salix hallaisanensis
(Asian
Flora WM),
an orchid Liparis
koreana (NIBR),
Pseudostellaria setulosa
(NAVER),
Aconogonon microcarpum
(NIBR),
Heloniopsis koreana
(iNaturalist),
Clematis trichotoma
(Clematis
Int'l), Patrinia
saniculifolia (iNaturalist),
Lonicera
subsessilis (Woody
Plants of Korea), Weigela
subsessilis (iNaturalist), Leontopodium leiolepis
(iNaturalist),
Sophora koreensis
(iNaturalist),
Anemone koraiensis
(iNaturalist),
Cirsium setidens
(iNaturalist),
Vicia chosenensis
(iNaturalist),
Prunus choreiana
(Asian
Flora WM), Dioscorea
coreana (iNaturalist), Aconitum pseudolaeve
(iNaturalist),
Deutzia paniculata
(NAVER),
Stewartia koreana
(iNaturalist),
and a sedge Carex
okamotoi (iNaturalist).
Endemic
vascular plant genera include Megaleranthis
(NIBR)
and Hanabusaya (iNaturalist). Echinosophora (Flora
of Korea) is sometimes recognized as being an endemic genus
distinct from the more widespread Sophora.
A book on the endemic species of
Korea can be found at (NIBR
pdf).