Welcome
"I sometimes think that general and popular Treatises are almost as important for the progress of science as original work." - Charles Darwin, in a letter to T. H. Huxley, January 1865
Corallosphere.org is a web application developed with the aim of
exploring new approaches to compiling taxonomic information on extant and extinct scleractinian
corals. Main areas covered in Corallosphere.org include text descriptions for diagnoses of valid
genera, as well as tools for managing taxonomic synonymies, image databases, a bibliography, and
an illustrated atlas of morphological terms. A flexible work-flow allows users of the system
to be assigned roles with differing levels of access and functionality. Contributors may compile,
edit, and review generic diagnoses directly from the internet, whereas all other users may post
comments as part of an informal review process. The ultimate aim is to produce a system that will
facilitate the rapid publication of the next version of the Treatise of Invertebrate Paleontology
based on community-wide consensus, and help remove the taxonomic impediment that slows progress
towards an increased understanding of the biology, ecology, and evolutionary history of the
Scleractinia.
Please note that this site is a work in progress, please contact Ken Johnson at the Natural History Museum, London if you see any mistakes or
would like to suggest improvements.
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