Invertebrate Taxa

The taxonomy.inverts table provides a standardized reference for all invertebrate taxa observed during Pristine Seas expeditions. It harmonizes scientific names, taxonomic hierarchy, and ecological traits to support robust analysis, reporting, and integration across survey methods.

Each row corresponds to a unique accepted AphiaID from the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), and includes the scientific name, taxonomic ranks, common names, functional group and others.

This table supports three core functions:

Taxa originate from underwater visual surveys (UVS), benthic surveys, and regional species checklists compiled from both internal and external sources.

Data Sources

The table integrates multiple curated sources to ensure taxonomic consistency and trait completeness:

  • Pristine Seas Field Records
    Derived from diver-entered observations, fieldbooks, and expedition species lists across UVS. These are reconciled with accepted WoRMS entries.

  • Regional Invertebrate Checklists
    Curated datasets from Pacific region, focusing on culturally and commercially important species such as giant clams, sea cucumbers, urchins, and gastropods.

  • World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS)
    Used as the taxonomic backbone. Each taxon is linked to an accepted AphiaID, with full lineage (kingdom to species) and synonym resolution.

  • Literature and Expert Knowledge
    Supplements functional group assignments, and ecological notes from peer-reviewed sources and expert consultation.

Together, these sources provide a robust, reproducible foundation for invertebrate ecological analysis.

Structure

Taxonomy

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

All taxa are matched to an accepted AphiaID from WoRMS, ensuring global consistency and traceability. These fields enable spatial and ecological grouping, support taxonomic joins, and serve as the foundation for trait integration.

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 taxonomy.inverts.
Field Type Required Description
feeding_guild STRING false Primary feeding guild (‘suspension_feeder’, ‘carnivore’, ‘herbivore’, ‘detritivore’, ‘omnivore’)
feeding_subguild STRING false Secondary feeding guild (‘active’, ‘passive’, ‘facultative’, ‘coralivore’, ‘scavenger’, ‘deposit’)
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 taxonomy.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

Data Processing