Online Common Names Database for Hexacorallia Dan Atwater Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Dr. Daphne Fautin, advisor

Common Names for Hexacorals Part of a large online database of hexacorals Part of a large online database of hexacorals Hexacorals include: Hexacorals include: sea anemones sea anemones stony corals stony corals black corals black corals jewel anemones jewel anemones mat anemones mat anemones tube anemones tube anemones I am working on the common names of these organisms I am working on the common names of these organisms

The Trouble with Scientific Names Have you seen Sciurus carolinensis today? Eastern gray squirrel Scientific names are impersonal In most cases only experts know them Common names are far more accessible to the general public

The Trouble with Common Names The same common name is often used to describe different species Different common names are often used for the same species Rare and cryptic organisms often do not even have common names For most taxa there is no universal system of common nomenclature

Common Names Web Site Purpose: To increase the accessibility of the hexacorals database by allowing users to get information about the common names for the organisms in the database Many of the organisms in the database are common aquarium specimens or are often seen by divers and beachcombers and have widely used common names

Common Names Web Page Allows users to search the common names database for words or sounds of words Highly flexible search parameters Grants control over display of search results

Common Reference Web Page Clicking on a reference title brings users here Contains detailed reference publication information Lists all names found in the reference

Common Name Detail Web Page Provides detailed information about the common name Shows records of other organisms with the same common and scientific name Will display photographs of the organisms when applicable

Species Detail Web Page Clicking on the scientific name takes users here On this page users can access detailed information about the scientific name including synonymies and localities

Common Names Web Entry Form Here, users can enter their own common names for the organisms in the database We can check all records for mischief before they are web published

Conclusion Scientists rarely learn common names, but they are often the only nomenclature understandable by laypersons The common names web site is designed to enhance the accessibility of the Hexacorallian web site to users who are not coral and anemone experts Users can enter common names to the database via an online form

Acknowledgements This research was supported by an REU supplement to NSF grant DEB to Daphne G. Fautin as part of the program Partnerships to Enhance Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET), and a research grant from the KU Division of Biological Sciences I would like to thank Dr. Daphne Fautin, Keith Hunsinger, Meg Daly, Adorian Ardelean, and Ganesh Shankaran for their guidance and assistance on my project