Geographical distribution of Phagocata vivida in the Far East

Phagocata vivida (Ijima et Kaburaki, 1916) is common in cold-water habitats in mountainous and hilly regions in Japan; in Northern Japan it occurs in lowland areas. Comparative studies of the material from South Korea and Primorskiy in Northeast Siberia, Russia, show that Ph. vivida is distributed widely in these geographic areas. Phagocata miyadii Okugawa, 1939, reported from North Korea and Northeastern China is a synonym of Ph vivida. Geographical distribution of this species in the Japanese Islands now becomes very clear. Judging by its geographical and vertical distributions, the species probably is a preglacial faunal element that entered Japan by the northern route to Old Honshû Island along the coast of the Old Sea of Japan.