News and Events

31 August 2008
Cynthia Ahearn Passes Away

It is with a heavy heart that we must report the passing of AWG member Cynthia Ahearn, Museum Specialist, National Museum of Natural History. Several wonderful tributes to her and her contributions to our field are found at Cindy.

23 - 25 July 2008
Fifth North American Echinoderm Conference

AWG members Sun Kim, Francois Michonneau, Gustav Paulay, Dave Pawson, John Starmer, Tim Werner and Alex Kerr presented work on aspidochirote systematics at the 11th NAEC at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. AWG presented five posters and six oral presentations, summarising work on the PEET project to date, including the most comprehensive phylogeny of the class and an overview of AWG's more general goal of performing large-scale integrative taxonomy.

12 - 21 July 2008
PEET Workshop on holothuroid systematics

AWG members Magali Honey, Sun Kim, Francois Michonneau, Gustav Paulay, John Starmer, Tim Werner and Alex Kerr, as well as two undergraduate members of Fransico Solis-Marin's lab, Alexa and Julio, met at the Florida Museum of Natural History to examine the growing holothuroid collection and learn holothuroid systematics.

7 - 11 July 2008
11th International Coral Reef Symposium

AWG members Sun Kim, Francois Michonneau, Gustav Paulay, John Starmer, Tim Werner and Alex Kerr will present work on aspidochirote systematics at the 11th ICRS in Ft. Lauderdale Florida. They will present over a dozen talks and posters on topics such as the cryptic diversity in the genera Actinopyga and Bohadschia, the evolution of ecological diversity in coral-reef holothuroids, as well as an overview of the Aspidochirote Working Group, its objectives and progress to date. Gustav Paulay and Alex Kerr will also chair a session on reef biodiversity and phylogenetics.

10 May - 2 June 2008
Collecting in Nosy Be, Madagascar

AWG members Francois Michonneau, Gustav Paulay and Tim Werner are collecting echinoderms and other invertebrates around Nosy Be, an island off the northwest coast of Madagascar. They are with a team of marine scientists who are engaged in an underwater assessment of coastal marine life in this part of the world. The project (BIOTAS) has the goal of characterizing the region's biodiversity (land and sea), and examining the natural processes that have led to the geographic distribution patterns among multiple groups of organisms inthe southwest Indian Ocean. For updates, see Tim Werner's blog of the expedition hosted by the New England Aquarium: Tim's blog.

2 - 10 April 2008
Collecting in Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands

AWG members Sun Kim and Francois Michonneau are collecting holothuroids and other echinoderms around Majuro Atoll. They will focus on obtaining representatives of the genus Bohadschia, particularly those from the B. "marmorata" complex and a recently discovered - and likely undescribed - large olive form. The photo of Majuro at left is from www.doi.gov

9 March - 1 April 2008
Collecting in Guam, western Micronesia

AWG members Sun Kim, Francois Michonneau and Alex Kerr have been collecting holothuroids and other echinoderms around Guam. Guam's reefs are among the most intensively surveyed in the world, in large part because of the collecting efforts of the faculty at the University of Guam Marine Laboratory, established in 1970. Despite the long-term collecting efforts, Guam is still chock-a-block with surprises. It is still routine to find new records of even large species. A second specimen of Holothuria (Lessonothuria) hawaiiensis, a species previously known only from Hawaii has been collected. A polka-dot, undescribed species of Bohadschia, previously known from Indonesia, Philippines and Palau, has also been found. Guam's holothuroid fauna now stands at over 50 species.

22 February - 8 March 2008
Collecting in Kosrae, Eastern Caroline Islands

AWG members Sun Kim, Francois Michonneau, and Alex Kerr helped survey the reefs around the main island of Kosrae. Technical support was provided by the Kosrae State government, who - like Yap (see below) - have requested that AWG assist Resource Management Authority with a survey of holothuroids around the island, under threat of commercial harvesting of these animals by foreign interests for export as beche-de-mer. At least four new species were found by the team, including a 50-cm long, striped Holothuria (Thymiosycia) "impatiens".

18 - 22 February 2008
Type hunting in the Zoologisches Museum Zu Universität, Hamburg

After characterisation of the collection of the Paris, London, Berlin and Moscow museum, AWG members Drs Cl. Massin & Y. Samyn of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels and Dr D. Van Den Spiegel of the Royal Museum for Central Africa in Tervuren set out to the Zoologisches Museum zu Universität Hamburg (ZMH) to score some of the historical vouchers as described by Selenka (1867), Semper (1868), Ludwig (1875), Erwe (1913) and Panning (1944). Just as with the previous museum visits, funding is well covered by PEET, Synthesys, the Belgian GTI National Focal Point and the Invertebrates Department of the Royal.

1 January 2008
Original species descriptions are now available online

A major goal of AWG is to make available electronically all species descriptions of our animals. To date, over 400 original species descriptions have been scanned, edited, rendered as pdf files; all are now available on our new webpage here. We have also begun scanning the mostly older taxonomic literature dealing with holothuroids, with the aim of providing an online library of same.

17 August 2007
New student to train at the University of Guam Marine Laboratory

The AWG welcomes aboard new graduate student Sun Wook Kim, B.Sc. cum laude, Seattle University. His research interests include the biology of nemerteans and echinoderms. Sun will pursue a M.Sc. in Biology under the advisement of AWG member Alex Kerr, University of Guam Marine Laboratory. The tentative subject of Sun's Masters thesis will be the taxonomy and phylogenetics of Bohadschia.

27 July - 10 August 2007
Collecting in Yap, Western Caroline Islands

AWG members Kris Netchy, John Starmer and Alex Kerr helped survey the reefs around the main island of Yap and the outer islands of Ngulu and Ulithi atolls. Technical support on Yap was provided by the Yap State government, who have requested that AWG assist their Marine Resources Division with a survey of holothuroids around the main island, now experiencing harvesting of these animals by foreign interests for export as beche-de-mer. Management recommendations were provided to the division and a field guide to the echinoderms is being prepared. At least four new species were found by the team, including a tiger-striped Actinopyga. Surveys in the outer islands also found several unusual species and was supported by the Yap Community Action Plan and the Nature Conservancy aboard the converted trawler Micronesian Dream.

18 July - 20 August 2007
Collecting in La Réunion Island, Indian Ocean

AWG members François Michonneau and Gustav Paulay surveyed invertebrates of Réunion Island in the Mascarene Archipelago, as part of the multi-national BIOTAS project. The objectives of BIOTAS, funded by the Agence Nationale de la Recherche of France and headquartered at the Université de la Réunion, are to compare patterns of connectivity and speciation in marine and terrestrial organisms in the SW Indian Ocean, and test hypotheses about the origin of these patterns. The survey yielded numerous new records of holothurians for the area, as well as topo-typical samples of several species that should help ascertain the correct identity of some controversial holothurian taxa. Réunion neighbors Mauritius, the type locality of several holothurian species described in the first part of the 19th century. The next planned survey of BIOTAS is in Madagascar next year.

25 June 2007
Most complete bibliography of holothuroids

AWG member Scott Smiley has compiled the most extensive bibliography of holothuroids, comprised of over 4,500 references extending to Linneaus. This is part of the PEET effort to compile all species descriptions, diagnoses, new combinations, synonomies and other nomenclatural acts of our group. The bibliography also includes papers on phylogenetics, palaeontology, anatomy, chemistry, physiology, reproduction, commercial exploitation and other areas of study. The list is divided into two sections; one on taxonomy, systematics and palaeontology and a second on other aspects of biology. Both lists will be made available on this site. To the left is pictured Ludwig (1889-1892), the last effort to compile a comprehensive list of important holothuroid references.

11 - 15 June 2007
Type hunting in the Zoological Museum, Moscow State University, Russia

AWG members Drs Cl. Massin, D. Vanden Spiegel and Y. Samyn visited the Zoological Museum of the Moscow State University, as recent communications with colleagues Smirnov and Martinov have revealed that the Moscow museum houses some of the previously thought-lost types of Semper (1868). Just as with the previous museum visits, funding is well covered by PEET, Synthesys, the Belgian GTI National Focal Point and the Invertebrates Department of the Royal. Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences

25 May - 9 June 2007
Collecting in the Mariana Islands, Micronesia

AWG member John Starmer collected echinoderms and other invertebrates during surveys of benthic invertebrates in the remote islands of the northern Mariana Archipelago while aboard the NOAA research vessel Hi'ialakai. The 68-m ship supports biologists and physical oceanographers who perform biennial rapid ecological assessments of coral reefs in American-held territories across the Pacific, including all the islands and reefs in the Mariana Archipelago.

7 - 11 May 2007
Type hunting in the Museum für Naturkunde, Universität Humboldt, Berlin

After their fruitful visits to the Paris and British Museums last year, AWG members Drs Cl. Massin, D. Vanden Spiegel and Y. Samyn continue their effort to document the remaining type material of the species described in the Holothuriidae and the Stichopodidae. They set out to tackle the collections of the 'Museum für Naturkunde an der Universität Humboldt’ in Berlin where some of the historical types of Jäger (1833), Semper (1868), Lampert (1889) are deposited.

16 - 28 April 2007
Student training in systematics at the Florida Museum of Natural History

The AWG welcomes aboard graduate student Magali Honey, a Ph.D. candidate in Zoology under the advisement of AWG member Francisco Solis-Marin, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Her research interests include the taxonomy and phylogenetics of Holothuria (Selenkothuria), the subject of her doctoral dissertation. Magali received training in phylogenetic systematics and taxonomy in Gustav Paulay's lab, Florida Museum of Natural History.

26 - 29 March 2007
PEET IV Meeting, Athens GA USA

AWG members François Michonneau, Gustav Paulay and Alex Kerr presented an overview of the progress on our project at the NSF-sponsored meeting "PEET IV: Reaching Out" at the University of Georgia. The centerpiece was a provisional phylogeny of about half of the 350 or so described species of the order Aspidochirotida and outlined the interesting questions it raises, the species complexes it identifies, and clades to be targeted for revisions.

4 - 8 December 2006
AWG Workshop, Brussels

AWG members Claude Massin, Mark O'Loughlin, Gustav Paulay, David Pawson, Frank Rowe, Yves Samyn, Scott Smiley, Fransisco Solis-Marin, Ahmed Thandar, Didier Van den Spiegel and Alex Kerr met at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science, Brussels, from 4-8 December 2006 to discuss among other things: 1) tracking down all aspidochirotid nomina and literature, 2) tracking down aspidochirotid type material across the world and 3) developing a standardized, morphological character matrix.

4 December 2006
New book on coral-reef holothuroids

AWG members Yves Samyn, Didier Van den Spiegel and Claude Massin publish a new book "Taxonomie des holothuries des Comores" on the holothuroids of the Comoros Archipelago, western Indian Ocean. Features colour plates of all species found in the region. Click on the photo at left to see a larger version of the cover. This publication is the inaugural volume of AbcTaxa, a new series "dedicated to capacity building in taxonomy and collection management." To learn more, or to order a copy, see their website at AbcTaxa.

15 November 2006
Algerian student to train in integrative taxonomy

The AWG welcomes aboard graduate student Karim Mezali. Karim is a Ph.D. candidate in Zoology at the Université de Mostaganem, Algeria. His research interests include the systematics and ecology of Mediterranean aspidochirotes, the topic of his masters thesis. Over the next year, Karim will receive training in phylogenetic systematics and taxonomy in Gustav Paulay's lab.

8 - 20 October 2006
Collecting in French Frigate Shoals, NW Hawaiian Islands

AWG members Gustav Paulay and John Starmer join other scientists and crew aboard the NOAA research vessel Oscar Elton Sette to survey the marine biodiversity of the northwestern Hawaiian chain. To our surprise, several new large species of aspidochirote holothuroids have been discovered in the main Hawaiian islands of late (see photos on John Hoover's site) and the northwestern atolls hold promise for several more. The picture of the Shoals from space at left, courtesy NASA.

4 September 2006
New student to train at the Florida Museum of Natural History

The AWG welcomes aboard new graduate student François Michonneau, M.Sc., Pierre & Marie Curie University, Paris. His research interests include the "creation and maintenance of marine invertebrate biodiversity (systematics, speciation, biogeography and community ecology)." François will pursue a Ph.D. in Zoology under the advisement of AWG member Gustav Paulay, Florida Museum of Natural History; the likely subject of his doctoral dissertation will be the taxonomy and phylogenetics of Holothuria (Lessonothuria).

17 August 2006
New student to train at the University of Guam Marine Laboratory

The AWG welcomes aboard new graduate student Kris Netchy, from the University of Florida. Her research interests include the systematics of coral-reef holothuroids. Kris will pursue a M.Sc. in Biology under the advisement of AWG member Alex Kerr, University of Guam Marine Laboratory; the likely subject of her Masters thesis will be the taxonomy and phylogenetics of Actinopyga.

7 - 11 August 2006
12th International Echinoderm Conference

AWG members Cindy Ahearn, Alex Kerr, Phil Lambert, Francisco Solis-Marin, Dave Pawson, Ahmed Thandar and Tim Werner attend the 12th International Echinoderm Conference, held on the campus of the University of New Hampshire, USA, in the picturesque town of Durham. Abstracts of holothuroid research from the meeting are due to appear in the upcoming edition of the Bech-de-Mer Bulletin.

10 - 31 June 2006
Collecting in Moorea, French Polynesia

AWG member Gustav Paulay collects holothuroids on the reefs of Moorea, Tahiti as part of the Moorea Biocode Project and Census of Marine Life. See the photo of our hero and article on the project in the journal Nature.

20 May - 20 June 2006
Collecting in the Visayan Islands, Philippines

AWG members Kris Netchy and Alex Kerr head out to the Central Philippines to Semper's type localities. Carl Semper in the 1860's described numerous species of holothuroids from the islands of Cebu and Bohol; many of these types have been lost or are in poor condition. They resurveyed the area and collected echinoderms in an effort to clarify the validity of his species. Several new species were discovered, as well as some not seen since their original descriptions over a century ago, including the large and colourful Stichopus variegatus Semper, 1868. At left, sunset in Bohol over the bow of a bangca.

24 - 28 April 2006
Tracking down type material in the Natural History Museum, London UK

AWG members Claude Massin, Yves Samyn and Didier Van den Spiegel examine the primary types deposited in the Musée national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris and the Natural History Museum, London. Claude, Yves and Didier also gave a joint presentation entitled "Systematical revision of the aspidochirotid families Holothuriidae & Stichopodidae" in the Department of Zoology at the museum. Their talk provided an overview of AWG efforts to revise the Aspidochiridotida, including a comprehensive inventory aspidochirote type specimens. The picture of the main entrance to the museum at left is courtesy of www.aviewoncities.com

6 - 10 March 2006
Tracking down type material in the Musée national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris

AWG members Claude Massin, Yves Samyn and Didier Van den Spiegel examine the primary types deposited in the Musée national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris and the Natural History Museum, London. Among the notable discoveries, were several important Semper types, long believed lost.

31 December 2005
Systema Aspidochirotidae website lauched

The website for disseminating products from the Holothuroid PEET grant goes live. The site will gather under one roof and make available the holothuroid literature and, eventually, a fully searchable database of all species in Aspidochirotida, their diagnoses, nomenclatural history, type locations and images.

18 September 2005
Award of NSF PEET Grant to train students in holothuroid taxonomy

Gustav Paulay and Alex Kerr were awarded a PEET program grant from NSF to study the systematics and phylogenetics of coral-reef sea cucumbers and train students in holothuroid systematics. The funding will be used in part to support up to three graduate students and several undergraduate research assistants to work on the project.