African Register of Marine Species AfReMas Leen Vandepitte On behalf of WoRMS data management team

Overview World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) From Masdea to the African Register of Marine Species (AfReMaS) Data flows Relationship AfReMaS - AfrOBIS AfReMaS Towards the future

WoRMS in a nutshell WoRMS aims to provide the most authoritative list of names of all marine species globally, ever published 2004: MarBEF EU FP6 => European Register of Marine Species (ERMS) 2007: further development to World Register Not just a name index, but expert-based taxonomic database – Content controlled by more than 200 taxonomic editors: – Authority over the content of the WoRMS pages – Responsible for the quality of the information – Steering Committee (12 members, by election) Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ) as permanent host institute Web-based system, including web services International standards, permanent Global Unique Identifiers (LSIDs)

WoRMS content WoRMSAfReMaS Accepted species Distributions Also: Literature references Specimen information Host-parasite relationships Habitat information (marine – brackish – fresh – terrestrial) Feeding types Images Notes …

WoRMS integrates over 100 global, regional and thematic species databases into a common IT platform, which means every species occurs in the system only once. WoRMS integration

WoRMS regional species lists ARMS (Arctic) BeRMS (Belgium) CaRMS (Canada) ERMS (Europe) Gulf of Mexico AfReMaS MSBIAS (UK) New Zealand Register RAMS (Antarctic) …

WoRMS data management Before 2009 Experts limited Additions on all levels: Data management VLIZ During projects (e.g. ODINAFRICA workshops) Direct online additions/edits Limited projects: – ERMS (European Register) – Porifera – Cumacea – RAMS (Antarctic Register) – NWARMS (North West Atlantic) Since 2009 EXPERT CONTROLLED no taxonomic information can be added by non-experts, unless approved by taxonomic expert expert wants to know if other information gets uploaded (e.g. distributions) => almost no more adding of information through online interface by non-taxonomic experts Over 100 global/regional/thematic databases of which quality has to be assured – 2007 workshops: Adding/editing of taxon & other information directly 2012 workshop + future: Offline gathering of taxon & other info Communication with expert before adding new information

From MASDEA to AfReMaS MASDEA: Marine Species Database for Eastern Africa – Focus on Eastern Africa (but not limited to this) – Use of online interface, part of VLIZ website – Adding of taxonomic information (not yet expert-controlled) – Adding of distribution information – Adding of specimen information – Adding of other information (notes, attributes, images, vernaculars …) – Options: browse – search - list AfReMaS: African Register of Marine Species – Focus on all African marine waters (but not limited to this) – Use of Excel templates – No adding of taxonomic information (=> editor needs to be consulted) – Adding of distribution information – Adding of specimen information – Adding of other information (notes, attributes, images, vernaculars …) – Options: browse – search – list – taxon match – picture gallery - statistics

Data flows Marine taxonomy Species classification Literature Marine biogeography Species distributions Datasets (lat-lon) Taxonomic backbone: QC purposes of OBIS taxa & addition of uncaptured OBIS names to WoRMS AfrOBIS MedOBIS EurOBIS Black Sea OBIS Global Biodiversity Information Facility biogeography of all realms Marine taxonomy in specific geographical region Taxonomic backbone General geographic QC

Relationship AfReMaS & AfrOBIS AfrOBIS Taxonomic backbone General geographic QC Driven by taxonomic experts General (marine) species list for the African region Emphasis on taxonomy and literature-based distribution QC check for names provided to AfrOBIS: is name correct/existing? Can provide maps combining literature information and OBIS observations (see further) Driven by scientists (research & monitoring) Distribution information on marine taxa collected by African scientists/institutes Emphasis on exact (raw) distribution information (lat-lon information mandatory!) QC check for locations provided to AfrOBIS: has species already been documented in African waters?

Editorial board WoRMS / Global species lists – Global taxonomic experts – Add/edit/delete taxon names – Add/edit/delete other information (distributions, specimens, notes, images) Regional species lists – Local taxonomic experts => collaboration with global taxonomic experts – No rights to change taxonomic information – Add/edit other information (distributions, specimens, notes, images) – Team of geographical experts, assigned in collaboration with the taxonomic editors of WoRMS – Responsible for adding (African) distribution information to the Register – Responsible for the quality of the distribution information added to the Register

Data accessibility All information freely available through online interface Search options Download: upon request, (online) re-distribution is not allowed Data policy – terms of use – Freely available, if cited (CC-BY) – If data are extracted from this website for secondary analysis resulting in a publication, the website should be cited – If any data constitutes a substantial proportion of the records used in secondary analyses, the editors/managers of the database should be contacted Disclaimer – The editorial board maintains this register, but is aware that it is not complete and undoubtedly contains errors – The board cannot be made responsible for any errors or misuse of data contained in this register – If you come across any error or incomplete information or you are willing to contribute to this initiative please contact us at …

Towards the future WoRMS: – Document the estimated accepted described marine species (+ yearly increment of newly described species) – Expand content with attributes (in progress): Benthos/plankton Fossil range of species Protection status (e.g. IUCN Red List species) … => Relevant information can also be displayed on AfReMaS E.g. also: local status of species AfReMaS: – Make the African Register as complete as possible

Thank you Questions?