Inventory of scleractinian corals of the Pacific Coast of the Philippines part 1: Eastern Visayas and north-eastern Mindanao

Objectives

• The main objective of the study is to undertake an unprecedented inventory of scleractinian corals along the country's eastern seaboard. In addition, it seeks to develop reference collections both in Manila and regional institutions.

Research Theme

• Taxonomy and Systematics

Activities

• Survey possible sites like eastern Mindanao, Surigao del Norte, Samar, Catanduanes, Pollilo Islands, and Aurora.
  
• Collection of taxa that cannot be recognized underwater. This will be done using SCUBA equipment.
  
• Compile the species lists for individual reefs where exploratory dives will be made.
  
• Processing of samples.
  
• Identification of samples. Identifying corals involve determining corallum (coral colony) morphology, corallite type and morphology; and description of morphologic and meristic features of the septa, costae and columella.
  

Expected Outcomes

• Inventory of scleractinian corals in the Pacific Coast of the Philippines
  
• Coral reference collection at the Marine Biodiversity Centre of the University of the Philippines, Marine Science Institute, and satellite collections at selected universities and colleges along the Pacific seaboard to serve the country's research and training needs.

Indicative Budget

• 23,400 euro

Duration

• Sixteen months

Project site

• Eastern Mindanao, Surigao del Norte, Samar, Catanduanes, Pollilo Islands, Aurora, Philippines

ARCBC Remarks

• ARCBC will arrange for a suitable supervisor. Efforts will be made to link the project with an EU collection or failing that with Singapore Institute of Marine Studies.

Coordinator