Recent online initiatives in sharing marine biological data, such as the European Register of Marine Species (ERMS) and the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS), identified gaps in data from the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea. Such data are now being collected, formatted and disseminated by MedOBIS (the Mediterranean Ocean Biogeographic Information System) initiative involving Greece, the Ukraine and Israel (test version available at: www.medobis.org). The aim is to develop a taxon-based biogeography database and online data server with links to survey and satellite environmental data. MedOBIS is currently undergoing 4 stages of development, namely, data assembly, formatting, analysis and dissemination. The primary features of the MedOBIS application are its offline GIS (Geographic Information Systems) data formatting capabilities and its online Java-and JavaScript-enabling data server with taxon-based search, mapping and data downloading capabilities. It is an independent source of biological and environmental data, as well as an online GIS tool designed to facilitate access to historical and current data by marine researchers. As more data become available and are inserted into the system, MedOBIS will function as the eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea node of EurOBIS (the European node of the international OBIS initiative, part of the 'Census of Marine Life').
KEY WORDS: Marine biodiversity · Data management · GIS · OBISResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher
The effects of hydrodynamism on the quantitative and qualitative composition of the midlittoral hard substratum fauna of Peracarida were studied in the Euripos Straits (Aegean Sea) where a tidal current of graded intensity occurs. Overall, 22 species of peracaridans were identi ed. As hydrodynamic intensity increased, signi cant changes in the structure of the peracaridan assemblage, in terms of species mean abundance and species number, were observed. An analysis of feeding types among the species found demonstrated a dominance of detritus deposit feeders in all sampling areas, while the abundance of detritus suspension feeders seems to increase with the intensity of hydrodynamism. Modi cations in the composition of the peracaridan assemblage are related to the different levels of physical disturbance, caused by the increasing hydrodynamism, on the corresponding midlittoral communities in the three sampling areas and also with the availability of food resources.
The freshwater shrimp, Atyaephyra desmarestii (Millet, 1831) is redescribed on the basis of a topotypical population (Toulouse). Its original description by Millet (1831) is very short and inadequate. Concerning populations from the same area, no further descriptive information has been actually given. Specimens studied from a Belgian population (Ombret) did not show any important differences from the French ones.
RÉSUMÉLa crevette d'eau douce Atyaephyra desmarestii (Millet, 1831) est re-décrite sur la base d'une population topotypique (Toulouse). Sa description originale par Millet (1831) est très courte et peu adéquate. Aucune autre information descriptive n'a été proposée récemment pour les populations de la même zone d'étude. L'étude de spécimens provenant d'une population belge (Ombret) n'a montré aucune différence importante avec les individus d'origine française.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.