Field studies of seahorse population density, structure and habitat use in a semi-closed north-eastern Mediterranean marine area (Stratoni, North Aegean Sea).

The present study was carried out in the marine area of Stratoni, Greece, where two seahorse species are present (Hippocampus hippocampus and Hippocampus guttulatus). Two surveys were conducted (September 2016 and May 2019) to gather information regarding seahorse species' abundance, distribution and habitat characteristics. Four different seahorse natural and artificial habitat types were identified. The results revealed that the presence of H. hippocampus was relatively high, especially at sites with artificial structures, whereas the presence of H. guttulatus was rare. Data collected can provide baseline information for future population assessments.

Tanaidacea of Greece: a preliminary checklist.

BACKGROUND: The checklist of Tanaidacea of Greece was developed in the framework of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) project and coordinated by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research during the period 2013-2015. By applying the Greek Taxon Information System (GTIS) of this project, a complete checklist of species recorded from Greek Seas has been developed. The objectives of the present study were to update and cross-check all tanaidacean species known to occur in Greek Seas. Inaccuracies and omissions according to recent literature and the current taxonomic status were also investigated. NEW INFORMATION: The up-to-date checklist of Tanaidacea of Greece comprises 20 species, classified to 11 genera and five families.

Stomatopoda of Greece: an annotated checklist.

BACKGROUND: The checklist of Stomatopoda of Greece was developed in the framework of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) project, coordinated by the Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture (IMBBC) of the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR). The application of the Greek Taxon Information System (GTIS) of this project has been used in order to develop a complete checklist of species recorded from the Greek Seas. The objectives of the present study were to update and cross-check all the stomatopod species that are known to occur in the Greek Seas. Inaccuracies and omissions were also investigated, according to literature and current taxonomic status. NEW INFORMATION: The up-to-date checklist of Stomatopoda of Greece comprises nine species, classified to eight genera and three families.

Cumacea of Greece: a preliminary checklist.

BACKGROUND: The first attempt to compile the checklist of Cumacea of Greece was made in the context of the "Greek Biodiversity Database" project (2005-2008) coordinated by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Since then, only scattered information on new elements of the Greek cumacean fauna has been available. The objectives of the present study were to update and cross-check taxonomically all cumacean species records from Greek waters for inaccuracies and omissions according to the recent literature and current taxonomic status. NEW INFORMATION: The updated checklist of Cumacea of Greece, which was built within the framework of the LifeWatch Greece Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) project (2013-2015) coordinated by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, comprises 62 species, classified in 24 genera and 6 families. However, a few more records need further cross-checking with the current literature resources.

Mysida and Lophogastrida of Greece: a preliminary checklist.

BACKGROUND: The checklist of Mysida and Lophogastrida of Greece was created within the framework of the Greek Taxon Information System (GTIS), which is one of the applications of the LifeWatchGreece Research Infrastructure (ESFRI) resuming efforts to develop a complete checklist of species recorded and reported from Greek waters. The objectives of the present study were to update and cross-check taxonomically all records of Mysida and Lophogastrida species known to occur in Greek waters in order to search for inaccuracies and omissions. NEW INFORMATION: The up-to-date checklist of Mysida and Lophogastrida of Greece comprises 49 species, classified to 25 genera.

Polytraits: A database on biological traits of marine polychaetes.

The study of ecosystem functioning - the role which organisms play in an ecosystem - is becoming increasingly important in marine ecological research. The functional structure of a community can be represented by a set of functional traits assigned to behavioural, reproductive and morphological characteristics. The collection of these traits from the literature is however a laborious and time-consuming process, and gaps of knowledge and restricted availability of literature are a common problem. Trait data are not yet readily being shared by research communities, and even if they are, a lack of trait data repositories and standards for data formats leads to the publication of trait information in forms which cannot be processed by computers. This paper describes Polytraits (http://polytraits.lifewatchgreece.eu), a database on biological traits of marine polychaetes (bristle worms, Polychaeta: Annelida). At present, the database contains almost 20,000 records on morphological, behavioural and reproductive characteristics of more than 1,000 marine polychaete species, all referenced by literature sources. All data can be freely accessed through the project website in different ways and formats, both human-readable and machine-readable, and have been submitted to the Encyclopedia of Life for archival and integration with trait information from other sources.

Engaging the broader community in biodiversity research: the concept of the COMBER pilot project for divers in ViBRANT.

This paper discusses the design and implementation of a citizen science pilot project, COMBER (Citizens' Network for the Observation of Marine BiodivERsity, http://www.comber.hcmr.gr), which has been initiated under the ViBRANT EU e-infrastructure. It is designed and implemented for divers and snorkelers who are interested in participating in marine biodiversity citizen science projects. It shows the necessity of engaging the broader community in the marine biodiversity monitoring and research projects, networks and initiatives. It analyses the stakeholders, the industry and the relevant markets involved in diving activities and their potential to sustain these activities. The principles, including data policy and rewards for the participating divers through their own data, upon which this project is based are thoroughly discussed. The results of the users analysis and lessons learned so far are presented. Future plans include promotion, links with citizen science web developments, data publishing tools, and development of new scientific hypotheses to be tested by the data collected so far.