Caribbean marine biodiversity

Pseudopontonides principis on black coral

The Dutch Caribbean has a long history of taxonomic research, starting with species descriptions by Pallas (1766). In the last decades much research on the natural history of the Dutch Caribbean was published by scientists affiliated with Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Most of their studies were based on collected material, while present research is focused on the phylogeny and ecology of reef organisms, for which freshly collected material is used and electronic documentation (photographs, video). 

Photograph: The symbiotic shrimp Pseudopontonides principis (Criales, 1980) on black coral. Curaçao, photo C.H.J.M. Fransen, 2013.

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Five workers in the group have a focus on this area researching marine invertebrates. Aspects of coral reef health are researched through associations between host corals and invertebrate symbionts; species communities through discovery of new species, new localities and identification of invasive species; and subterranean island fauna evolution through interstitial invertebrates in marine sand and terrestrial groundwater.

Curasub - Lisa

Curasub
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