A Searchable Cnidae Database: A Potential Resource for Taxonomic

Determination in the Phylum Cnidaria

Ryan Schulze (schulze@ku.edu)

The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Division of Biological Sciences

Advisor: Dr. Daphne G. Fautin, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

What are Cnidae?

• Specialized capsules unique to members of the phylum Cnidaria

• Many purposes

• Defense

• Attachment

• Immobilization of prey

• Single-use

What are Cnidae?

• Abundant!

What are Cnidae?

What are Cnidae?

(Scale Bar = 0.1mm)

• Variability from species to species

Good candidate for aiding classification

• Capsule Type

• Capsule Length

• Capsule Width

• Relative Abundance

• Location Obtained

Data collected from the literature is integrated into tables linked to the larger database

Future Functions

• Combine data from multiple sources

• Use statistics to identify species-specific tendencies

• Display images from original literature

This project is funded by an REU supplement for NSF grant DEB-99-78106 to Daphne G.

Fautin as part of the Partnerships to Enhance Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET) program.

Hexacorallians of the World:

http://hercules.kgs.ku.edu/hexacoral/anemone2/index.cfm

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Adorian Ardelean for SEM photography; Ganesh Shankaran and Keith

Hunsinger for programming assistance; and to Daphne Fautin, Ha-Rim Cha, and Meg Daly for

their helpful ideas and suggestions.