Symposium on squat lobster systematics and biology
Rationale and Objective:
COMARGE (Continental Margins and Ecosytems), one of the projects of the Census of Marine Life is coordinating and supporting research world-wide on the systematics and biology of squat lobsters, the decapod families Galatheidae, Chirostylidae and Kiwaidae. These are diverse and abundant taxa throughout the world’s oceans. Already, the species have been catalogued and work in progressing on electronic keys to identification of families, genera and species. The symposium will bring together researchers on many aspects of the biology of these crustaceans.
Organizers:
Gary C. B. Poore, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia (Chairman) gpoore@museum.vic.gov.au
Joanne Taylor, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australia jtaylor@museum.vic.gov.au
Shane T. Ahyong, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Wellington, New Zealand s.ahyong@niwa.co.nz
Organization:
We plan to base the symposium around the presentations already solicited and offered. Each paper will be of 20 minutes duration. Posters and additional oral presentations will be most welcomed.
Potential symposium speakers and tentative titles
1. Gary C. B. Poore, Museum Victoria, Australia gpoore@museum.vic.gov.au
Introduction to the symposium and the COMARGE squat lobster project
2. Kareen Schnabel, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand k.schnabel@niwa.co.nz
Distribution patterns of world squat lobsters (Galatheidae and Chirostylidae)
3. Shane T. Ahyong, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand s.ahyong@niwa.co.nz
Title to be confirmed
4. Ingo Wehrtmann, Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica ingowehrtmann@gmx.de
Biology of Pleuroncodes planipes in Pacific Central America
5. Kareen Schnabel, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand k.schnabel@niwa.co.nz
Are squat lobster assemblages of seamount and non-seamount habitats distinct?
6. Joanne Taylor, Museum Victoria, Australia jtaylor@museum.vic.gov.au and Nikolaos Andreakis, Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, Australia n.andreakis@aims.gov.au
Molecular and morphological phylogeny of Munidopsis and related genera
7. Gary C. B. Poore, Museum Victoria, Australia gpoore@museum.vic.gov.au and Nikolaos Andreakis, Australian Institute of Marine Sciences, Australia n.andreakis@aims.gov.au
Cryptic species in Chirostylidae and Galatheidae revealed by molecules and morphology