OCTOCORAL WORKSHOP 2003 Minutes

Participants: Juan A. Sánchez (USA/Colombia); Carlos A. Sánchez-Ortiz (Mexico); Catherine S. McFadden (USA); Jun-Im Song (Korea); Asako Matsumoto (Japan); Carlo Cerrano (Italy); Anita Mary (India); Herman Wirshing (USA); Yehuda Benayahu (Israel); Nadiezhda Santodomingo (Colombia).

1) Octocorallia classification: towards a phylogenetic understanding (July 12, 2003, 9-12 PM).

Chair: Juan A. Sánchez
Secretary: Carlos A. Sánchez-Ortiz

J.A. Sánchez introduced a number of new phylogenetic findings based on both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences that are in disagreement with the current taxonomic classification. The problem and the need for a revised classification of Octocorallia was discussed and recognized by the attendees. C. S. McFadden then presented phylogenetic results from a larger sampling of Octocorallia species using mitochondrial DNA (ND2 and MSH1 genes). These new findings support clades that have been recognized previously based on 18S and 16S ribosomal DNA sequences and suggest some new directions for classification of higher taxa. C. A. Sánchez-Ortiz then presented results of a study using different mitochondrial genes (ATPase6 and 8) that yielded similar results, corroborating the results obtained using other mitochondrial genes. A number of taxa that could be added to these studies were identified and targeted for sequencing in the near future. Collaborations among attendees were offered to collect new and fresh material for further molecular screening in search of a complete family-level Octocorallia phylogeny using mitochondrial DNA sequences.

The phylogenetic resolution of the currently available molecular markers was discussed briefly. Mitochondrial genes appear to be useful for resolving genus- and family-level relationships of Octocorallia, but cannot resolve deeper (subordinal or ordinal) or shallower (intrageneric) relationships. C. A. Sánchez-Ortiz presented results suggesting that ribosomal ITS sequences may be useful for resolving the relationships of species within some genera.

The end of the discussion, called by Y. Benayahu, was on the fact that the study of octocoral diversity can be enhanced by collaborative efforts between taxonomists and molecular systematists. This kind of collaboration was thought to be of great strength for securing funds in the future for systematic studies of Octocorallia. It was clear that we have to gather and publish information on the type specimens as part of any new systematic revisions, and also acquire DNA information from both new and old specimens. The idea of DNA "barcoding" for octocoral species could be a way to link both taxonomic and molecular work in the near future. We agreed to focus on ideas that could be presented as real proposals, and we found the Worldwide Octocoral Biodiversity (WOB) Project presented by C. Sánchez-Ortiz to be a good way to organize them.

2) Worldwide Octocoral Biodiversity (WOB) Project (July 12, 2003, 2-5 PM).

Chair: Carlos A. Sánchez-Ortiz
Secretary: Carlos Perez (Workshop organizer, could not attend), Juan A. Sánchez. (alternate).

C. A. Sánchez-Ortiz presented an idea that he summarized in a handout about the WOB. Originally the project focused on the compilation of a complete list of all octocoral species plus taxonomic information. The idea was discussed by the group and modified to include the addition of new surveys (both field and molecular) and training. Finally, we modified the original idea of a species list database into a more elaborate web-based bank of information similar to that being developed for Hexacorallia. We discussed and proposed 11 fields that every species record should ideally have:

1. Species name (link to higher classification & Tree of Life, TREEBASE, Phylogeny, etc)

2. Synonymy, authority, and references

3. Type specimens (provenance, photos) & material information (sclerites, histology)

4. Geographical distribution (link to GIS map of ranges)

5. Habitat features (depth, substrate)

6. Description (diagnostic characters)

7. Photographs (both living and preserved)

8. Variability and comparisons (link to taxon identification keys)

9. Sequences (Genbank accession numbers) (link to DNA BarCode if available)

10. Natural products chemistry

11. Natural history (reproduction & development, physiology, symbionts)

Detailed information on WOB is presented in an attached document.

We started the day with a presentation by Marymegan Daly (U. Kansas) about the NSF "Assembling the Tree of Life" (AToL) grant proposal that is currently being organized by researchers at the University of Kansas (and other US institutions). The AToL initiative funds large multi-institutional projects "to … resolve phylogenetic relationships for large groups of organisms" (e.g. phyla). The U. Kansas proposal will focus on constructing a family-level molecular phylogeny of all cnidarians, and consequently they want and need the participation of octocoral researchers. Researchers from any country can be supported as collaborators or contractors on this grant. The proposal is due in May 2004; an initial draft will be discussed at the SICB meetings in New Orleans in January, and a nearly final draft will be circulated in March. We will stay in contact with the principal investigators (Meg Daly & Paulyn Cartwright) as the proposal is developed.

Dauphne Fautin, conference organizer, together with all the participants of the bioinformatics workshop (held in parallel), joined us to discuss the database ideas for Octocorallia. After discussing the database briefly, we all decided that the Hexacoral database being developed and managed by her group at the U. of Kansas (http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/Hexacoral/) would be the best place to deposit an Octocorallia database, as only minor modifications would be necessary to include the information fields we desire. The Hexacoral database is also now being expanded to include the Hydrozoa and Scyphozoa. We suggested the possibility of adding electronic documentation (e.g., PDF files) to such a database and were told it was a reasonable goal and included in on-going plans for the database.

Overall, the value of collaborations was the main point we all agreed on. As for fund raising possibilities, we discussed, in addition to the AToL grant proposal, the possibility of applying for diverse opportunities in the U.S. (e.g., NSF taxonomic and biodiversity initiatives such as PEET grants), Mexico (CONABIO), and some others in Europe. Collaboration with researchers studying other organisms to explore whole faunas (e.g, invertebrate and vertebrate) could also be considered. An example of this kind of collaboration was presented by N. Santodomingo in the case of Colombia (Invemar). The easiest way to collaborate seemed to be to focus on specific, small projects but to follow some of the ideas already presented in order to contribute to the big picture (e.g., WOB). We also want to extend this collaboration to all Octocoral systematists currently active worldwide. We will be trying to organize another workshop during 2004-2006 following another meeting of international relevance (e.g, Coral Reef Symposium or 8^th ICCB).