BERRIO-CARDENAS Claudia Isabel, Colombia

Abstract (as taken from original proposal)

The purpose of this project is to increase knowledge about the presence of freshwater Oligochaeta and their biogeographic range in Antioquia, Colombia. This project will identify specimens collected in 2002-2009 from different locations within the Department of Antioquia. These samples were taken from a variety of environments at many different altitudes and freshwater lotic and lentic habitats. It is anticipated that the classification process may identify members of taxa Naidinae, Pristininae, Tubificinae, Enchytraeidae. Identification will be carried out based on the specialized techniques of Taxonomy to be learned at Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, training provided by the Belgian National Focal Point to the GTI. The results of this project will be presented in an article offered for publication as a paper in an international journal.

Key Words: inventory, new records, freshwater, Annelida, Oligochaeta, North Andean, Neotropical.

Training location: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Brussels.

Dr P. Martin explains the basics of oligochaete taxonomy to Mrs C. Berrio-Cardenas by imaging microscopic structures via a digital camera connected to a laptop.