Macrozoobenthos of Korean tidal flats: A review on species assemblages and distribution

• Overviewed the macrozoobenthos study in Korean tidal flats, with scientific efforts analyzed.
• Ecological checklist of the Korean macrozoobenthos provided, highlighting biogeography.
• Characteristics of macrofaunal assemblages and distribution identified and discussed.
• Long-term ecological response against the changes in environmental conditions addressed.
• Future research direction in Korea carefully suggested by emphasizing systematic approach.

A comprehensive review of benthic macrofaunal studies conducted along the west coasts of Korea over the last 40 years has been made by providing the most updated checklist of the Korean marine benthic invertebrates. Tidal flats were the very habitat of interest with inclusion of subtidal areas. As part of review, a critical re-identification of taxa is provided together with the analysis of faunal assemblages and the regional distribution of the species. A total of 624 species belonging to ten phyla has been compiled from 72 references. The phylum Annelida was found to comprise most taxa (n = 248) followed by Mollusca (n = 196) and Arthropoda (n = 135). While annelids prevailed in the subtidal area compared into intertidal, mollusk and arthropod species prevailed in the intertidal. Among 17 regions across the west coast of Korea, the Incheon exhibited the largest number of macrobenthic animals (n = 272) followed by the Jeonjupo where 173 species have been reported over the past 30 years. More than half of all species compiled are reported from one region only while certain opportunistic polychaetes e.g. Heteromastus filiformis widely distributed across the coast. Overall, we suggest that future macrozoobenthos studies in Korea should focus on long-term changes by broadening target species and regions that fully covered along the entire coast of Korea.