Nothing in (sponge) biology makes sense – except when based on holotypes

• DOI: 10.1017/s0025315415000521
• Publication Date: 2015-05-04T10:33:27Z
• Authors: Dirk Erpenbeck; Merrick Ekins; Nicole Enghuber; John N.A. Hooper; Helmut Lehnert; Angelo Poliseno; Astrid Schuster; Edwin Setiawan; Nicole J. De Voogd; Gert Wörheide; Rob W.M. Van Soest
• Keywords: Identification; Nothing; Species Identification

Sponge species are infamously difficult to identify for non-experts due their high morphological plasticity and the paucity of informative characters. The use molecular techniques certainly helps with identification, but unfortunately it requires prior reference sequences. Holotypes constitute best material however usage in systematics taxonomy is scarce frequently not even attempted, mostly antiquity preservation history. Here we provide case studies which demonstrate importance using holotype answer phylogenetic taxonomic questions. We also possibility sequencing DNA fragments out century-old holotypes. Furthermore propose deposition sequences conjunction new descriptions.