ABSCH Genetic Resources Information Center

1,801 Korean indigenous species newly reported in Korea

NIBR announced that a total of 52,628 species are recorded and compiled in “National Species List” as of December 2019. 

Since 1996, NIBR has carried out research on Korean indigenous species under “ The Compilation of Inventory of National Biological Resources” project.

Last year, NIBR newly reported a total of 1,801 species in Korea and 466 species were described for the first time in the world. 

Building upon the results, as of today, the National Species List compiles 2,009 vertebrates (including 125 mammals), 28,666 invertebrates (including 18,638 insects), 6,158 algae, 5,517 plants, 5,421 fungi and lichens, 2,018 protozoa, and 2,839 bacteria.

As a result of this project, NIBR conducted DNA sequencing of Halenia corniculate, which had been managed as Endangered Species Class II since 2012, and determined that the plant were actually Korean endemic species. Therefore, the scientific name of this species has been changed into Halenia coreana. 

All the updated national species list and relevant information are available at NIBR’s websites: www.kbr.go.kr and www.spieces.nibr.go.kr. You can freely download the species data (file format) from the websites.