A saseon doljeom, a newly discovered species of rock bristletail found on Dolsando Island in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. [National Honam Institute of Biological Resources]
A saseon doljeom, a newly discovered species of rock bristletail found on Dolsando Island in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. [National Honam Institute of Biological Resources]

The National Honam Institute of Biological Resources said Wednesday it had discovered a new species of rock bristletail — an insect known as a "living fossil" — in a broadleaf forest on Dolsando Island in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province.

Rock bristletails are wingless insects with long antennae and externally protruding mouthparts. They live for about three years and are called "living fossils" for their primitive traits: they continue to molt even after reaching adulthood and reproduce without direct mating.

About 500 species exist worldwide. The newly found species brings the number known to live in South Korea to 13.

The discovery marks the first new rock bristletail species found in the country in 25 years, since 2001. It is also the first time the species has been identified anywhere in the world.

The new species has been named "saseon doljeom."

A research team led by Kim So-ra, a professor at Jeonbuk National University, made the discovery as part of the institute's project to identify native species on islands and coastal areas. The team named the species after the diagonal stripes on its body — "saseon" meaning diagonal line in Korean.

The findings are set to be published in an international academic journal this month.


thlee@heraldcorp.com