Publications

Presentations

Bibliography

Taxonomic descriptions

Type dispositions

Species catalogue

Morphological characters

Phylogenies

Image gallery

Directory

Products

As the project progresses and these pages begin filling out, we will reorganise and link the information via a relational database sensu that seen at Daphne Fautin's Hexacorallians of the World.

Publications A primary objective is the taxonomic revision of our focal groups, as well as of other aspidochirotes as resources allow. Revisions will be published in monographic format in taxonomic journals, and also made available online as pdfs and interactive keys.

Presentations Our work will also be dispersed via lectures and posters at international symposia, as well as NSF-sponsored workshops and colloquia.

Bibliography of holothuroid literature We will track down and assemble a bibliography of literature relevent to our group, concentrating on work providing original species descriptions and subsequent revisionary acts.

Taxonomic descriptions Based on the bibliography, we will scan all original species descriptions. We will also capture and enter subsequent combinations of species names to provide a comprehensive synonymy for each species and capture decisions about their validity, type designations, etc. Finally, as time permits, we will include diagnoses of higher level taxa within Holothuroidea.

Type dispositions Another important initial objective is to visit all major holothuroid collections at museums worldwide in order to locate remaining extant types, particularly those in our focal groups.

Morphological characters A primary objective of the first AWG meeting will be character standardization. Character standardization will not only make species easier to compare, but resulting character matrices will provide immediate material for phylogenetic analyses and interactive keys.

Species catalogue As the nomenclatural issues become sorted out, we will begin populating a database of aspidochirote species for on-line querying.

Phylogenies We are generating sequence data for all species for which we can get material, as well as to code morphological characters for the character matrices. These data will be used in phylogenetic studies, in part to assist breaking up species complexes.

Image gallery Another important goal is to identify which species and species groups can be readily identified in the field, a matter of considerable concern to reef conservationists and managers of commercially exploited species.

Directory of holothuroid biologists A directory of researchers whose primary interest is in the wider biology of holothuroids.