Kazuki Kimura, PhD                                                                                                          Japanese / English

Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University, Kawauchi 41, Aobaku, Sendai, 9800862, Japan.

Contact: k.kimura.000(at-mark)gmail.com

Link to my ORCID

---Employment & Education---

May 2021 - present: Post-doc, Center for Northeast Asian Studies, Tohoku University

Apr 2018 - Apr 2021: Research Fellow, Department of Biology, Kyungpook National University

Jun.2012 - Mar 2018: Post-doc, Laboratory of Conservation Biology, Department of Environmental Life Sciences, Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University

Apr.2012 - May.2012: Visiting Research Scholar, University of the Philippines

Oct.2008 - Mar.2012: Research Assistant, The GCOE program J03 (Ecosystem management adapting to global change)

Apr.2008 - Mar.2012: Ph.D., Tohoku University

Nov.2009: Visiting Researcher, Vrije University

Apr.2006 - Mar.2008: M.Sc., Tohoku University

Apr.2002 - Mar.2006: B.Sc., Tohoku University

---Research Interests---

・Conservation of land, freshwater, and marine molluscs

・Sexual selection and sexual conflict in simultaneously hermaphroditic molluscs

・Ecological and morphological diversification and interspecific interaction

・Community structure in land snails

---Publications---  

(*: Corresponding, †: equal contribution)        Google Scholar Citations,  ResearchGate

          ・Peer-Reviewed papers

[25] Shun Ito*, Daishi Yamazaki, Yuichi Kameda, Osamu Kagawa, Bin Ye, Takumi Saito, Kazuki Kimura, Van Tu Do, Satoshi Chiba, Takahiro Hirano (2023)

Taxonomic insights and evolutionary history in East Asian terrestrial slugs of the genus Meghimatium

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 182: 107730 [Link]

[24] Kimura, K*, Chiba, S, & Pak, J (2023)

Molecular investigation on diversity of the land snail genus Aegista (Gastropoda, Camaenidae) in South Korea

Biodiversity Data Journal 11: e96800 [Link]

[23] Sano, I*, Saito, T, Ito, S, Ye, B, Uechi, T, Seo, T, Do, VT, Kimura, K, Hirano, T, Yamazaki, D, Shirai, A, Kondo, T, Miura, O, Miyazaki, J & Chiba, S (2022)

Resolving species-level diversity of Beringiana and Sinanodonta mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) in the Japanese archipelago using genome-wide data

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 175: 107563 [Link]

[22] Kimura, K*, Chiba, S, Prozorova, L & Pak, J (2022)

Long-distance dispersal from island to island: Colonization of an oceanic island in the vicinity of the Asian continent by the land snail genus Karaftohelix (Gastropoda: Camaenidae)

Molluscan Research 42 (2): 168-174 [Link]

[21] Shibuya, K†, Chiba, S & Kimura, K*† (2022)

Sexual inactivation induced by the mucus that covers love-darts of a land snail: Sexual selection and evolution of allohormones in hermaphrodites

The Journal of Experimental Biology 225(4): jeb238782 [Link]

[20] Saito T*, Hirano T, Ye B, Prozorova L, Shovon MS, Do VT, Kimura K, Surenkhorloo P, Kameda Y, Morii Y, Fukuda H & Chiba S (2021)

A comprehensive phylogeography of the widespread pond snail genus Radix revealed restricted colonisation due to niche conservatism.

Ecology & Evolution 11(24): 18446-18459 [Link]

[19] Kimura K*, Chiba S & Pak JH* (2021)

Discovery of Gastrocopta armigerella (Reinhardt, 1877) (Gastropoda: Gastrocoptidae) from Jeju Island, South Korea.

Molluscan Diversity 6(1): 47-49. (in Japanese) 

[Abstract: The maritime gastropod Gastrocopta armigerella (Reinhardt, 1877) was found from Jeju Island, South Korea. This is the first record from the island.]

[18] Kimura K*, Hirano T, Chiba S & Pak J (2020)

Note on occurrence of the land slug family Rathouisiidae Heude, 1885 from South Korea and its DNA barcode.

Biodiversity Journal 11(4): 1015-1019. [Journal website]

[17] Kimura K* & Noseworthy RG (2020)

First record of the little-known land gastropod genus Nobuea Kuroda et Miyanaga, 1943 (Gastropoda Diplommatinidae) from Jeju Island, South Korea.

Biodiversity Journal 11(1): 289-292. [Journal website] 

[16] Kimura K*, Sano I, Kameda Y, Saito T & Chiba S (2020)

Phylogenetic position of the Japanese land slug genus Granulilimax Minato, 1989 based on preliminary analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear genes.

American Malacological Bulletin 37(2): 53-61. [Abstract]

[15] Kimura K*, Chiba S & Pak JH (2019)

First record of the land gastropod genus Otesiopsis from South Korea (Helicarionoidea Bourguignat, 1877).

Biodiversity Data Journal 7: e46984. [Abstract]

[14] Kimura K*, Saito T, Chiba S & Pak JH (2019)

An updated checklist of land and freshwater gastropod fauna on Ulleung Island, South Korea.

American Malacological Bulletin 37(1): 35-39. [Abstract]

[13] Shimizu K*, Kimura K, Isowa Y, Oshima K, Ishikawa M, Kagi H, Kito K, Hattori M, Chiba S & Endo K (2019)

Insights into the evolution of shells and love darts of land snails revealed from their matrix proteins.

Genome Biology and Evolution 11(2): 380-397. [Abstract]

[12] Richards, P.M., Morii, Y., Kimura, K., Hirano, T., Chiba, S. & Davison, A.* (2017)

Single-gene speciation: Mating and gene flow between mirror image snails.

Evolution Letters 1(6): 282-291. [Abstract]

[11] Kimura, K.*†, Shibuya, K.† & Chiba, S. (2016)

Effect of injection of love-dart mucus on physical vigor in land snails: can remating suppression be explained by physical damage?

Ethology Ecology & Evolution 28(3): 284-294. [Abstract]

[10] Kimura, K.*, & Chiba, S. (2015)

The direct cost of traumatic secretion transfer in hermaphroditic land snails - individuals stabbed with a love dart decrease lifetime fecundity.

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 282: 20143063. [Abstract]

[featured in National Geographic, Discover Magazine, The Economist]

[9] Kimura, K.*, Hirano, T. & Chiba, S. (2015)

Assortative mating with respect to size in the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Bradybaena pellucida.

Acta Ethologica 18: 265-268. [Abstract]

[8] Hirano, T.*, Kameda, Y., Kimura, K. & Chiba, S. (2015)

Divergence in the shell morphology of the land snail genus Aegista (Pulmonata: Bradybaenidae) under phylogenetic constraints.

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 114: 229-241. [Abstract]

[7] Kimura, K.*, Chiba, S. & Koene, J.M. (2014)

Common effect of the mucus transferred during mating in two dart-shooting snail species from different families.

The Journal of Experimental Biology 217: 1150-1153. [Abstract]

[featured in INSIDE JEB section of The Journal of Experimental Biology]

[6] Hirano, T.*, Kameda, Y., Kimura, K. & Chiba, S. (2014)

Substantial incongruence among the morphology, taxonomy, and molecular phylogeny of the land snails Aegista, Landouria, Trishoplita, and Pseudobuliminus (Pulmonata: Bradybaenidae) occurring East Asia.

Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 70: 171-181. [Abstract]

[5] Kimura, K.* & Chiba, S. (2013)

Strategic ejaculation in simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails: more sperm into virgin mates.

BMC Evolutionary Biology 13: 264. [Abstract]

[4] Kimura, K.*, Shibuya, K. & Chiba, S. (2013)

The mucus of a land snail love-dart suppresses subsequent matings in darted individuals.

Animal Behaviour  85(3): 631-635. [Abstract]

[featured in Our Amazing Planet]

[3] Kimura, K.* & Chiba, S. (2013)

Delayed spermatophore removal in the land snail Euhadra peliomphala.

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 108(4): 806-811.  [Abstract]

[2] Kimura, K.* & Chiba, S. (2010)

Interspecific interference competition alters habitat use patterns in two species of land snails.

Evolutionary Ecology 24(4): 815-825. [Abstract]

[1] Chiba, S.*, Okochi, I., Ohbayashi, T., Miura, D., Mori, H., Kimura, K. & Wada, S. (2009)

Effects of habitat history and extinction selectivity on species-richness patterns of an island land snail fauna.

Journal of Biogeography 36: 1913-1922. [Abstract]

          ・Non Peer-Reviewed papers

[5] Kimura K* (2021)

Note on the sequence data of “Fruticicola koreana” deposited in the GenBank

Molluscan Diversity Journal 2: 2021004.

[4] Kimura K* (2020)

Notes on the reproductive biology of the endangered land snail Karaftohelix adamsi

Molluscan Diversity Journal 1: 18160420. (in Japanese)

[3] Kimura K* (2020)

DNA barcoding of rathouisiid slugs on the Ryukyu Islands, Japan

Molluscan Diversity Journal 1: 16140120. (in Japanese)

[2] Kimura K* & Ohira H (2019)

First record of the pseudoscorpion Garypus japonicus from the Korean Peninsula.

Edaphologia 105: 25. (in Japanese)

[1] Kimura K* (2015)

Interference effect of the alien land snail Macrochlamys sp. on the native land snail Bekkochlamys perfragilis.

Research Bulletin of Environmental Education Center, Miyagi University of Education 17: 59-61. (in Japanese)

          ・Books

[1] Kimura K (2016) 

Chapter 1. Uncontrollable Love - Mating and love darts in land snails. 

In "Seven mysteries of molluscan life histories", ed: Nakashima Y, Tokai University Publishing. (in Japanese)

---Grants---

[3] Apr 2022 - Mar 2025: "" (JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number: ???), ??? JPY, Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research C, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

[2] Apr 2021 - Mar 2022: "Variation of reproductive morphology in a land snail endemic to Mt. Tsukuba" Research Grant by Mt.Tsukuba Area Geopark.

[1] Apr 2015 - Mar 2016: "Multiple evolution of reproductive behaviors with weapon traits in molluscs" Grant for natural history research, Fujiwara Natural History Foundation.

---Social contribution activities---

[2] 2019 - present: Cooperation for Conservation project of endangered species in South Korea (National Institute of Ecology, South Korea)

[1] 2006 - 2013: Cooperation for Conservation projects of World Natural Heritage, Ogasawara Islands (Ministry of the Environment, Japan; Forestry Agency, Japan; etc)

---Outreach activities---

[1] Speech "The attractiveness and values of land snails on islands - the case of the World Natural Heritage Ogasawara Islands". Public Lecture, Gyeonju, South Korea, Apr 2019.