Personeelslijst

Didier Van den Spiegel

Biologie
Biologische collectie- en databeheer
Sea cucumbers on coral reefs, systematics of aspidochirotid holothurians

The diversity of the Order Aspidochirotida (Holothuroidea: Echinodermata) is generally considered highest on tropical coral reefs where numerous “species” increasingly are recognized as complexes. As a result, species diversity is grossly underestimated and reef field guides invariably picture large, common holothuroids that do not match any known species. Reef biodiversity surveys routinely turn up undescribed species everywhere. Taxonomists estimate that less than half of the reef-associated species are already described or properly designated. Tropical aspidochirote holothuroids rank, for their size, as the most poorly known marine invertebrates. To insure that the taxonomy of reef-associated aspidochirotids is adequate, taxonomic capacity must be installed. Such is the aim of the P.E.E.T. (Partnerships for Enhancing Expertise in Taxonomy) project “Sea cucumbers on coral reefs: systematics of aspidochirotid holothurians” that aims to achieve an integrative revision of aspidochirotid sea cucumbers while installing a new generation of fully operational taxonomists. To train several promising students the PEET partners organized several capacity building workshops. The last in the series was held at the Marine Laboratory of the University of Guam (June 2010) where tutors from three different countries (the US, Mexico and Belgium) gathered to train and interact with students from five countries (France, Mexico, Bolivia, Korea, Malaysia and the Philippines).

Hoofdonderzoeker:

  • Didier Van den Spiegel
  • Datum:

    2005 2010

    Medewerkers:

    Externe partners:

    see: http://www.guammarinelab.com/peetcukes/people.html