Invertebrate Taxa

Overview

The taxa_info.inverts table provides standardized taxonomy and functional trait classifications for mobile and sessile invertebrates observed during Pristine Seas surveys. It serves as the reference backbone for invertebrate belt transect surveys harmonizing field identifications with authoritative taxonomic sources and capturing ecological roles and human use patterns.

What’s Covered

This table includes mobile and sessile invertebrates: echinoderms (sea cucumbers, urchins, sea stars), mollusks (giant clams, gastropods), crustaceans (lobsters, crabs), and other motile taxa. Benthic organisms recorded in LPI surveys (e.g., sponges, bryozoans) are documented in taxa_info.benthos.

Core Functions

  • Taxonomic Resolution

    Reconciles field-recorded names (scientific and common) with accepted scientific names. Handles identification to genus or family when species-level ID is uncertain.

  • Functional Classification

    Assigns invertebrates to feeding guilds (e.g., suspension_feeder, herbivore, detritivore) and mobility categories (sessile, motile). Supports ecological analyses of trophic structure and community composition.

  • Human Use

    Documents human use patterns—from commercial fisheries (e.g., sea cucumbers, lobsters) to subsistence harvests and cultural significance. Enables assessments of fisheries pressure and conservation priority species.

Data Sources

  • Pristine Seas Field Records

    Species lists derived from invertebrate belt transect surveys and targeted inventories. Records span Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Ocean expeditions from 2015–2024.

  • Regional Species Checklists

    Curated datasets from Pacific Island nations (SPC) focusing on culturally and commercially important species: giant clams (Tridacna, Hippopus), sea cucumbers (Holothuriidae), sea urchins (Echinoidea), and gastropods.

  • World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)

    Provides the taxonomic backbone: accepted AphiaIDs, scientific names, synonyms, and full hierarchical classification (kingdom → species). Ensures consistency with global marine biodiversity databases.

  • Literature and Expert Review

    Functional trait assignments based on peer-reviewed literature and expert consultation. Human use categories validated against regional fisheries assessments and FAO data.

Structure

Taxonomy

These fields define the accepted scientific identity and taxonomic lineage of each record (Table 1).

Table 1: Taxonomic lineage fields for invertebrate taxa in the Pristine Seas Database.
Field Type Required Description
taxon_name STRING true Original name associated with field observations.
aphia_id INTEGER true WoRMS AphiaID corresponding to the input taxon name.
rank STRING true Taxonomic rank of the record (species, genus, or family).
status STRING true Taxonomic status according to WoRMS.
accepted_name STRING true Valid scientific name (Genus species), standardized using WoRMS.
accepted_aphia_id INTEGER true Unique WoRMS identifier for the accepted name.
genus STRING false Genus of the accepted name.
family STRING false Family of the accepted name.
order STRING false Order of the accepted name.
class STRING true Class of the accepted name.
phylum STRING true Phylum of the accepted name.
kingdom STRING true Kingdom of the accepted name.

Common Names

Each record includes family-level common names to support communication, outreach, and summary reporting.

Table 2: Common names fields for invertebrate taxa in the Pristine Seas Database.
Field Type Required Description
common_group_name STRING false Generalized group name used for communication and summaries (e.g., sea cucumbers, giant clams, sea urchins).
common_name STRING false Common taxa name used for communication and summaries (e.g., Crown of stars, Coconut crab).

Functional Traits

Functional traits classify each invertebrate taxon based on ecological role and movement capability. These two traits together capture the key ecological functions and spatial dynamics.

The feeding_guild and feeding_subguild field captures ecological role, while mobility describes movement capability - together providing a comprehensive functional characterization.

Table 3: Schema for functional traits in taxa_info.inverts.
Field Type Required Description
functional_group STRING false Primary feeding guild (‘suspension_feeder’, ‘carnivore’, ‘herbivore’, ‘detritivore’, ‘omnivore’)
mobility STRING false Movement capability (‘sessile’, ‘motile’).
Functional Groups
  • Suspension feeders: Organisms which capture materials suspended in the water column for sustenance.
    • Passive - Rely on ambient water flow for particle capture (mussels, oysters, most sponges)
    • Active - Create feeding currents to capture particles (barnacles, fan worms, some tunicates)
    • Facultative:
  • Carnivores: Predators or grazers of both sessile and motile animals
    • Coralivore: Feeds predominanly on live coral
  • Detritivores: Organisms which consume dead or decomposed organic matter
    • Scavenger - Search for and feed on dead/decaying matter (many crabs, some gastropods)
    • Deposit feeder - Process sediment organic matter or mucus on a coral’s surface (many polychaetes, sea cucumbers)
  • Herbivores: Organisms that consume benthic algae and plant materials.
  • Omnivores:
Mobility Categories
  • sessile — Cannot relocate; permanently attached or fixed in place (corals, sponges, barnacles, oysters)
  • motile — Actively mobile; can move to new locations (crabs, sea stars, octopus, mobile gastropods)

Human use and importance

This field classifies each species based on its significance to fisheries and cultural practices.

Table 4: Schema for human use in taxa_info.inverts.
Field Type Required Description
human_use STRING false Economic significance in fisheries (‘commercial’, ‘subsistence’, ‘cultural’, ‘industrial’, ‘none’, ‘unknown’).
Fishery Importance Categories
  • commercial — Species with established commercial markets and trade
  • subsistence — Species primarily used for local consumption by fishing communities
  • cultural — Species with traditional, ceremonial, or cultural significance beyond food use
  • industrial — Species used for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or materials applications
  • none — No known economic or cultural use
  • unknown — Use status not determined or insufficient data

By the Numbers