1. Gaps in marine taxonomy resources in Europe Mark J. Costello Chris S. Emblow Philippe Bouchet Anastasios Legakis Leigh Marine Laboratory, University of Auckland, New Zealand. m.costello@auckland.ac.nz Ecological Consultancy Services Ltd (EcoServe), Ireland Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France National and Capodistrian University of Athens, Greece

2. Taxonomic resources People – taxonomists, identification skills People – taxonomists, identification skills Identification guides Identification guides Collections of specimens Collections of specimens Inventories of species Inventories of species

3. This talk Aim – what are gaps in taxonomic resources for marine biodiversity in Europe? Aim – what are gaps in taxonomic resources for marine biodiversity in Europe? What we did – project, ouputs, scope What we did – project, ouputs, scope Expectations Expectations What we found What we found Implications for research and management Implications for research and management

4. The project = European Register of Marine Species EU part-funded project 22 partner organisations 170+ participating scientists 385,000 euro, 2 years communication with 42 organisations * Data management plan Intellectual Property Rights Agreement * Aim of external communications data exchange awareness of project invite end-user comments maximise synergy of effort, minimise overlap stimulate related activities foster collaboration promote use of results

5. ERMS - outputs   Web site providing results   Book listing marine species *   Register of 600 experts (in 37 countries) in European marine species identification   Bibliography of 840 identification guides   Gaps in identification expertise and guides, knowledge of species groups, and marine species collections   New scientific society for the long term management of biodiversity data (intellectual property)   Model and foundation for future projects (e.g. Fauna Europaea, BIOMARE, MARBEF) * Costello, M. J., Emblow, C and White R. (editors) 2001. European Register of Marine Species. A check-list of marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Patrimoines naturels 50, 1-463. ISBN 2-85653-538-0; ISSN 1281-6213

6. ERMS scope North Pole to 26 o N North Pole to 26 o N Mid-Atlantic Ridge to Black Sea Mid-Atlantic Ridge to Black Sea 0.5 ppt to deep-sea 0.5 ppt to deep-seaExcluded Saltmarshes Saltmarshes Lichens, diatoms, cyanobacteria, bacteria Lichens, diatoms, cyanobacteria, bacteria

7. Our expectations species – total 20,000 – 25,000 species – total 20,000 – 25,000 identification guides – decreasing adequacy with smaller body size taxa identification guides – decreasing adequacy with smaller body size taxa taxonomists - most 60-70 years of age taxonomists - most 60-70 years of age collections – most in museums collections – most in museums

8. How many species? 88 experts compiled species lists 88 experts compiled species lists No Mediterranean lists for Rotifera and Brachiopoda No Mediterranean lists for Rotifera and Brachiopoda No list for non-halacarid Acarina No list for non-halacarid Acarina Listed30,000 + 4,000 omitted + 2,000 to be described 36,000 total 36,000 total Experts under-estimated by 40-60% ! Experts under-estimated by 40-60% !

9. Weaker lists Preliminary lists Crytophytes Crytophytes heterotrophic euglenoids heterotrophic euglenoids Haptophytes Haptophytes Prasinophytes Prasinophytes Compiled from literature Apicomplexa (free-living species) Apicomplexa (free-living species) Dinoflagellates Dinoflagellates Kathablepharids Kathablepharids Placozoa Placozoa Ctenophora Ctenophora Rotifera Rotifera Hirudinea Hirudinea Thermosbaenacea Thermosbaenacea Isopoda – excluding Epicaridea Isopoda – excluding Epicaridea Brachiopoda Brachiopoda Appendicularia Appendicularia Cephalochordata Cephalochordata

10. Geographic coverage may be incomplete Protists Ciliates – aloricate oligotrichs Ciliates – aloricate oligotrichs Ciliates – Chonotricha Ciliates – Chonotricha Ciliates – folliculinids Ciliates – folliculinids Ciliates – Rhynchodida Ciliates – Rhynchodida Amoebae – testate Amoebae – testate Apusomonads Apusomonads Choanoflagellates Choanoflagellates Euglenids - kinetoplastids Euglenids - kinetoplastids Bicosoecids Bicosoecids Labyrinthulids Labyrinthulids Thaustrochytrids Thaustrochytrids Stramenopiles incertae sedis Stramenopiles incertae sedis Thaumatomonads Thaumatomonads Protista incertae sedis (heterotrophic species) Protista incertae sedis (heterotrophic species) Amoebae – naked Amoebae – naked Xenophyophora Xenophyophora Non-protist Mesozoa Mesozoa Gnathostomulida Gnathostomulida Euphausiacea Euphausiacea Hemichordata Hemichordata Fungi Fungi Porifera Porifera Siphonophora Siphonophora Chilopoda Chilopoda Diplopoda Diplopoda Insecta Insecta Phoronida Phoronida

11. Geographic coverage complete Foraminifera Foraminifera Actiniaria Actiniaria Antipatharia Antipatharia Hydrozoa Hydrozoa Octocorallia Octocorallia Scleractinia Scleractinia Cubozoa Cubozoa Scyphozoa Scyphozoa Ascidiacea Ascidiacea Thaliacea Thaliacea Pisces Pisces Tetrapoda Tetrapoda Bryozoa Bryozoa Cycliophora Cycliophora Entoprocta Entoprocta EchinodermataEchinodermata Other taxa Macroalgae Macroalgae Seagrass Seagrass Chaetognatha Chaetognatha Myxozoa Myxozoa Gastrotrichia Gastrotrichia Cephalorhyncha (= Loricifera, Priapulida, Kinorhyncha, Nematomorpha) Cephalorhyncha (= Loricifera, Priapulida, Kinorhyncha, Nematomorpha) Tardigrada Tardigrada Echiura Echiura Sipuncula Sipuncula Pentastomida Pentastomida Mollusca Mollusca Arthropods Pycnogonida Pycnogonida Remipedia Remipedia Branchiura Branchiura Cladocera Cladocera Mystacocarida Mystacocarida Copepoda Copepoda Tantulocarida Tantulocarida Cirripedia Cirripedia Decapoda Decapoda Mysidacea Mysidacea Isopoda Isopoda Insecta Insecta Stomatopoda Stomatopoda Acarina Acarina Ostracoda Ostracoda Amphipoda Amphipoda Cumacea Cumacea Tanaidacea Tanaidacea Worms Cestoda Cestoda Nemertea Nemertea Acanthocephala Acanthocephala Turbellaria Turbellaria Aspidogastrea Aspidogastrea Digenea Digenea Monogenea Monogenea Oligochaeta Oligochaeta Nematoda Nematoda Polychaeta Polychaeta Pogonophora Pogonophora

12. Rates of species discovery All species

13. Major benthic, some pelagic

14. Meiofauna parasites

15. Bryozoa in Europe and New Zealand Europe New Zealand

16. Coverage of identification guides 842 guides 842 guides 43% published in special series (e.g. Synopses British Fauna) 43% published in special series (e.g. Synopses British Fauna) 58% Northern Europe 58% Northern Europe 26% Mediterranean 26% Mediterranean 11% Lusitanian - Macronesia 11% Lusitanian - Macronesia

17. Trends in publications of guides

18. More guides/number species for more conspicuous taxa

19. Expertise Database 1,200 persons in 38 countries (29 European countries) Database 1,200 persons in 38 countries (29 European countries) 614 respondents 614 respondents 80% employed in public sector (including universities) 80% employed in public sector (including universities)

20. Identification & taxonomic expertise by taxa Positive but poor correlations between species/taxa and number of identificiation and taxonomic experts

21. Age structure of all experts Average age = 47 Range 23 to 89 Taxonomists older than identification experts (=ecologists?)

22. State of specimen collections 500 questionnaires 500 questionnaires 80 institutes responsed 80 institutes responsed ½ in universities ! ½ in universities !

23. State of specimen collections 60% managed by < 4 staff 60% managed by < 4 staff ½ global coverage of species ½ global coverage of species ¼ limited to national species ¼ limited to national species 60% have type specimens 60% have type specimens 8 institutes > 10,000 specimens 8 institutes > 10,000 specimens 60% institutes < 1,000 specimens 60% institutes < 1,000 specimens How well catalogued? 20% - none 20% - none 36% - complete 36% - complete 40% - no electronic 40% - no electronic 10% - full electronic 10% - full electronic

24. Expectations and findings species species –20,000 to 25,000 taxonomists taxonomists –most 60-70 years of age identification guides identification guides –decreasing adequacy with smaller body size taxa collections collections –most in museums 36,000 ! 36,000 ! Average age 47 Average age 47 True, but also less for southern European seas True, but also less for southern European seas Most in universities, all poorly resourced, catalogues insufficient Most in universities, all poorly resourced, catalogues insufficient

25. Conclusions High rates discovery in these taxa High rates discovery in these taxa –most diverse least least well known –thousands species remain to be discovered Know less conspicuous taxa least Know less conspicuous taxa least –more guides required in these groups More ident’ guides for southern European species More ident’ guides for southern European species No evidence of taxonomists going extinct No evidence of taxonomists going extinct Collections not limited to museums, most poorly catalogued Collections not limited to museums, most poorly catalogued –Awareness, knowledge inaccessible as not in databases

26. How to fill gaps? 1. Revise and expand checklist (ERMS 2.0) 2. Fund guides to southern European taxa 3. Focus taxonomic and ecological studies on least well known taxa in least well studied places