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Research Institute
PO Box 12559
Charleston, SC
29422-2559

217 Ft. Johnson Rd.
Charleston, SC
29412

843-953-9098
sertc@dnr.sc.gov

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	South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Marine Resources Research Institute Charleston, SC Workshop Information The staff of the Southeastern Regional Taxonomic Center (SERTC), SCDNR conducted an echinoderm taxonomy workshop, May 2-4, 2005. This workshop served to train advanced students, educators, and scientists in the systematics and identification of the Echinodermata of the southeastern United States. Emphasis was placed on diagnostic morphological characteristics and the use of keys. Over three days, participants gained practical knowledge in the identification of the echinoderms and a grasp of their diversity, systematics, ecology and reproductive biology. Instructors Dr. David Pawson, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution Dr. Stephen Stancyk, University of South Carolina Location The workshop was conducted at the Marine Resources Research Institute, SCDNR, at Ft. Johnson, near Charleston, SC. To obtain further information Contact Susan Thornton-DeVictor: DevictorS@dnr.sc.gov telephone 843-953-6843 fax 843-953-9820. Photos from the workshop (courtesy Dr. Stephen Stancyk) Instructor Dr. David Pawson (Smithsonian) entertains participants Justin McCallister (UNC Chapel Hill) and Dr. Martha Nizinski (Smithsonian) Instuctor Dr. Stephen Stancyk (USC Columbia) investigates an echinoderm. Assistants Doris Vance and Joyce McCullough (Smithsonian) work with participants (sitting, left to right) Rene Lewis (UNC Wilmington), Adele Cunningham (UA Birmingham), Stacie Crowe (SCDNR) and cara Fiore (College of Charleston). Participants Marcy Mitchell and Dr. Alan Power (University of Georgia) identify echinoderms from the Smithsonian teaching collection. Participants during one of the workshop's practical exercises. Participants (left to right, sitting) Dr. Fred Hotchkiss (Marine and Paleobiological Institute) and Pearse Webster (SCDNR) identify sea urchins. Previous workshops The Larval Fish Taxonomic Workshop, January 11-14, 2005 (instructed by Dr. John Olney, VIMS, Dr. John McGovern, NMFS/NOAA, and Dr. Joanne Lyczkowski-Shultz, NMFS/NOAA). This workshop focused on training advanced students, educators, and scientists in the systematics and identification of larval fish of the Southeastern United States. Over four days, participants were instructed on the identification of larvae of regional fish families, with emphasis on the use of keys. Students were also taught dissecting, staining and preservation techniques and given an overview of current teleostean systematics. The 6th Crustacean DELTA Workshop, October 25-29, 2004. (instructed by Jim Lowry, Australian Museum, and Terry Macfarlane, Western Australian Herbarium). This workshop served to train taxonomists to use DELTA (DEscriptive Language for TAxonomy), a windows based taxonomic database that stores morphological data and illustrations and them available in the form of natural language descriptions, illustrated interactive keys, and as output for phylogenetic analyses. Workshop on Taxonomy and Identification of Marine Fishes, with an Emphasis on Western North Atlantic Species, July 13-15, 2004. (instructed by Dr. Antony Harold, GML/CofC, and Dr. Randall Mooi, Milwaukee Public Museum). This workshop served to train participants in the systematics and identification of marine fishes of the southeastern United States. Designed for graduate students, postdoctoral investigators, other investigators studying the biology of marine fishes, and professional resource managers, the workshop provided an introduction to fish taxonomy, phylogenetic systematics, curatorial issues in research, and an introduction to the use and application of dichotomous keys and descriptive accounts. Field activities aboard the R/V ANITA of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources allowed students to obtain an array of fresh material for identification in the laboratory. Taxonomic Workshop on the Identification of Decapod Crustacea from the Atlantic Coast of the Southeastern United States, January 21-23, 2004. (instructed by Dr. Darryl Felder, UL Lafayette, Dr. Richard Heard, USM, and Dr. Elizabeth Wenner, SCDNR). This workshop served to train advanced students, educators, and scientists in the systematics and identification of decapods of the Southeastern United States. Emphasis was placed on diagnostic morphological characteristics and the use of keys.