The worldwide voyage of the HMS Challenger collected oceanographic and biological samples and the results laid the foundations of almost every... » More

The worldwide voyage of the HMS Challenger collected oceanographic and biological samples and the results laid the foundations of almost every branch of oceanography as we know it today. Biological samples included virtually all high level taxa, and many thousands of specimens, comprising over 4000 'Types'.The Ostracoda is taxonomically and ecologically very diverse, with +30,000 described species. Due to their calcified carapace, the Ostracoda have an extensive fossil record, and thus represent important proxies in palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and on studies on biodiversity patterns.Almost 150 new species and genera have been described from the Challenger samples (Brady, 1880). Brady figured different species under same name, and information on the lectotypes was very scarce prior to the present project. As a consequence, many species were recorded from distant localities, that has important implications to the biodiversity and biogeographical patterns observed (e.g. cosmopolitan distribution of deep-sea species instead of endemic distribution), which in turn influences decisions on nature conservation.For that reason, we began to revise Challenger ostracod species, verify their previous published records and finally provide online descriptions and illustrations to Encyclopedia of Life and EMU. Additionally, the revised biogeographical information of the Challenger Ostracoda will be uploaded to GBIF.

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