A Searchable Cnidae Database: A Potential Resource for Taxonomic Determination in the Phylum Cnidari

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A Searchable Cnidae Database A Potential
Resource for Taxonomic Determination in the
Phylum Cnidaria
Ryan Schulze (schulze_at_ku.edu) The University of
Kansas, Lawrence, Division of Biological
Sciences Advisor Dr. Daphne G. Fautin, Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology
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What are Cnidae?

• Specialized capsules unique to members of
  the phylum Cnidaria
• Many purposes
• Defense
• Attachment
• Immobilization of prey
• Single-use

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What are Cnidae?

• Abundant!

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What are Cnidae?
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What are Cnidae?
(Scale Bar 0.1mm)
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• Variability from species to species
• ? Good candidate for aiding classification

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• Capsule Type
• Capsule Length
• Capsule Width
• Relative Abundance
• Location Obtained

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

• Combine data from multiple sources
• Use statistics to identify species-specific
  tendencies
• Display images from original literature

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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.k
u.edu/hexacoral/anemone2/index.cfm
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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.