News
1,000,000 hits every month...
Added on: 2009-10-06 11:54:54 by Appeltans, Ward
The number of visitors to the WoRMS website is increasing. September was the third month already showing over one million hits. On a regular week day, there are more than 2,000 visits. For 2009, we are approaching 200,000 unique visitors (on the basis of the IP address). If WoRMS could help each of these researchers to save on average one working day per year to find the currently valid name or correct spelling, then this would mean a total gain of 1,000 full time equivalents this year only (not to mention a.o. the scientific benefit). ...
NEW World Hydrozoa Database
Added on: 2009-08-24 15:51:44 by Schuchert, Peter
Hydrozoa are among the most diverse group of cnidarians. The World Hydrozoa database includes all extant hydrozoan species and is intended to act as a tool for anyone needing correct taxonomic information, both specialists and non-specialists alike. Visit: www.marinespecies.org/hydrozoa. ...
NEW World Placozoa Database
Added on: 2009-07-29 12:28:44 by Bernd Schierwater
This is the smallest of all animal databases yet; it contains a single valid species, Trichoplax adhaerens. This actual situation is soon to change radically. The World Placozoa Database is online at www.marinespecies.org/placozoa. ...
The Antarctic Register of Marine Species in Nature
Added on: 2009-05-07 16:15:12 by Ward Appeltans
In February 2009, an editorial appeared in Nature 'The way ahead for polar science'. The authors stressed that, although the 4th International Polar Year (IPY) has come to an end, polar research should remain a top priority. They also urged for setting up an open archive to collect all the data generated by IPY and to make these publicly available for further research. ...
NEW World Cetacea Database
Added on: 2009-03-17 11:00:56 by Bill Perrin
The World Cetacea Database containing all currently accepted scientific names for whales, dolphins and porpoises is now up and running. Visit www.marinespecies.org/cetacea. ...
NEW World Remipedia database
Added on: 2009-03-16 15:56:09 by Koenemann, Stefan
The Remipedia DB has been launched and is running on www.marinespecies.org/remipedia. It contains all currently known and recognized species (and higher taxa). ...GBIF welcomes SMEBD
Added on: 2009-03-06 13:55:11 by Costello, Mark
The Society for the Management of Electronic Data (SMEBD) was pleased to become an Associate Participant of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) on 6 March 2009. The SMEBD Chair, Mark J. Costello, and a member of SMEBD Council, Dr Thomas Pape, are the SMEBD representatives to the GBIF Governing Board.Over 31.000 links are connecting species names in WoRMS and GenBank
Added on: 2009-02-18 10:10:35 by Ward Appeltans
WoRMS provides deeplinks to external databases which hold relevant expert-validated species information. Now over 31.000 taxa in WoRMS have a direct link to the sequence data in GenBank, and in return GenBank links back to the specific taxon pages in WoRMS. ...
NEW World Asteroidea Database
Added on: 2009-02-16 12:06:53 by Chris Mah
I just wished to announce that the World Asteroidea Database containing all currently accepted starfish names (over 1,800 and counting) is now up and running! Visit www.marinespecies.org/asteroidea ...
The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) and the Encyclopedia of Life (EoL)
Added on: 2009-01-30 11:56:35 by Mark Costello, Cynthia Parr, Jim Edwards and Ward Appeltans
Today the Smithsonian Institution, on behalf of EoL and the Society for the Management of Electronic Biodiversity Data (SMEBD), on behalf of WoRMS, has officially come to an agreement to work together to develop and share biodiversity information. ...WoRMS grows as more experts from all over the world contribute
Added on: 2009-01-28 16:49:13 by Mark J. Costello
As of today 142 taxonomists from 92 institutions in 26 countries are contributing data to WoRMS (list below). The main goal in 2009 for the new WoRMS Steering Committee will be to fill the few gaps in the WoRMS Editorial board. I welcome suggestions for editors, whether to cover a taxon globally or regionally, and whether they provide nomenclatural, distribution images, or other information on species. In time, I expect our editors leading large taxa will have an increasing number of Associate Editors which they coordinate, as this will share the work of keeping the database up to date. ...Eight proposals received funding through the GBIF campaign
Added on: 2009-01-28 14:48:03 by Ward Appeltans
In late 2008, small grants were awarded to WoRMS Taxonomic Editors to assist the publication of content related to several taxa through WoRMS. We thank the Global Biodiversity Information Facility for the funding for these grants. ...
Harmful Micro Algae hands-on workshop, 17-18 November 2008
Added on: 2008-11-18 11:09:24 by Ward Appeltans
WoRMS now hosts the IOC Reference List on Toxic Algae, which provides information on more than 70 marine toxic algae. ...
1st Marine Taxonomy Workshop report
Added on: 2008-10-07 15:25:28 by Ward Appeltans
Over 55 scientists from 17 countries met at the Flanders Marine Institute and planned the completion of a World Register of Marine Species by 2010, at a MarBEF workshop. ...
Discovery of a new fish species on BBC
Added on: 2008-08-18 12:15:12 by Ward Appeltans
In a new BBC series, Kate Humble sets sail on a 2,000-mile adventure across the Pacific with a team of top natural history filmmakers and deep-water marine biologists. ...
Official logo for WoRMS
Added on: 2008-08-04 12:02:47 by Ward Appeltans
Out of 10 submissions, this logo won the competition during a plenary vote at the Marine Taxonomy Workshop in Ostend. We'd like to thank everyone for their contributions and special thanks and congratulations go to Arnaud Brecht from Paris.WoRMS now public reality after world-wide media coverage
Added on: 2008-07-24 16:49:23 by Ward Appeltans
The news was reported in at least 21 stories in 9 languages distributed by 14 newswires, which also appeared on more than 275 media websites across 27 countries. ...Funding for contributing to the World Register of Marine Species
Added on: 2008-07-24 14:33:28 by Mark Costello
Current and potential Taxonomic Editors are invited to submit short proposals to contribute to WoRMS. ...
World Register of Marine Species inaugurated with first 122,500 validated names, at VLIZ in Ostend (Belgium)
Added on: 2008-06-24 11:04:43 by Ward Appeltans
Marking the World Register's official inauguration, some 55 researchers from 17 countries met in Belgium to plan its completion by 2010. Leading World Register experts independently estimate that about 230,000 marine species are known to science. They also believe there are three times as many unknown (unnamed) marine species as known, for a grand total on Earth that could surpass 1 million. ...
Gigantic poster advertises a million species undersea, and most awaiting a name
Added on: 2008-05-08 10:00:57 by Ward Appeltans
WorMS is being showcased on a series of gigantic (75m long) one Million-Word Street Posters in Christchurch (New Zealand). ...[Add]