Cypriniformes Tree of Life

The CToL participants have made every effort to coordinate multiple meetings among laboratories. Every year the group meets at the annual American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) meeting to review, coordinate, and determine future directions of the initiative. Since the funding of this proposal in September 2004 the group has met in several different venues that have targeted specific aspects of the research or topics. In addition, Project Director Richard L. Mayden has also traveled to different laboratories around the world to coordinate aspects of the project.

Shortly after the announcement of the funding of the project, the first meeting of all USA PIs was in New Orleans to review the project plan and further develop ideas and plans for incorporating researchers from around the world into this important study. In this meeting the individual PIs provided digital presentations of different aspects of the study and nearly every aspect of CToL was discussed as it was currently conceived. One important outcome of this meeting was the first edition of the CToL Policy Manual.

These have included research and coordination trips to St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia; Shizuoka, Japan; Beijing, Kunming, and Wuhan, China; Taipei, Taiwan; Sibenik, Croatia, Singapore, and Brunei to present the CToL initiative to prospective participants and meet with international participants already involved in CToL.

Several additional meetings and conferences have since been arranged that have involved various groupings of participants of the project. These are identified below along with meeting information and presentations (as Powerpoint presentations for your viewing)

International CToL Symposium and Meeting
European Ichthyological Congress, September 2004 and CToL
In September the CToL held its first symposium and first meeting of nearly all participants from around the world at the European Ichthyological Congress in Tallinn, Estonia. The symposium was a tremendous success with 27 presentations. At the Tallinn meeting the CToL group also met for one day to discuss many aspects of the project (Tallinn meeting information).

Coordinated USA CToL PI meetings in St. Louis, Missouri, 2005
Following the Tallinn meeting the USA PIs have met in St. Louis, Missouri in February and April 2005 in different coordinated groups to discuss taxon sampling, molecular data, morphological data, data standards, and data analysis.

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists and CToL
Tampa, Florida 2005
The CToL group convened for two days prior to the 2005 ASIH meeting in Tampa, Florida in July 2005. This meeting involved all USA PIs, students, and some foreign collaborators and interested parties. At this meeting researchers discussed their progress in individual and collaborative studies and discussed future directions for the project based on the current status.

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists and CToL
New Orleans, Louisiana 2006
The CToL group convened for two days prior to the 2006 ASIH meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana in July 2006. This meeting involved all USA PIs, students, and some foreign collaborators and interested parties. At this meeting researchers discussed their progress in individual and collaborative studies and discussed future directions for the project based on the current status. The various contributions presented at this meeting can be viewed here.

American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists and CToL
St. Louis, Missouri USA 2007
The CToL group convened for two days prior to the 2006 ASIH meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana in July 2006. This meeting involved all USA PIs, students, and some foreign collaborators and interested parties. At this meeting researchers discussed their progress in individual and collaborative studies and discussed future directions for the project based on the current status. The various contributions presented at this meeting can be viewed here.

International CToL Symposium and Meeting, July 2007
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists and CToL
St. Louis, Missouri USA
In July 2007 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists various members of the international CToL initiative will participate in a symposium on the systematics of Cypriniformes fishes through both oral and poster presentations. The list of presentations and abstract is provided here.

3rd International Conference
Loaches of the Genus Cobitis and Related Genera
Biology, Systematics, Genetics, Distribution, Ecology, Conservation
Sibenik, Croatia 24-29 September 2006
This conference brought together researchers from around the world to synthsize information on the current understanding of this major group of Cypriniformes species. PI Mayden provided information to the participants of the conference as to joining in on the development of the phylogenetic relationships of the Cypriniformes, of which the genus Cobitis and related genera are members.

International CToL Symposium and Meeting
Wuhan, China October 2006
In October 2006 the CToL held its second international symposium and second meeting of nearly all participants from around the world at the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China. The symposium and meeting among various participants and interested parties was a tremendous success. The symposium included several targeted areas for presentations and several oral and poster presentations. The participants also participated in discussions on the diversity of Cypriniformes, aspects of species recognition, targeted areas for expeditions in the future, impact of invasive Cypriniformes species, and proper method of fixation and preservation of materials for morphologial and molecular studies. At this meeting it was decided that the 2007 annual international meeting would be held in Thailand.

The program and presentations, where available, can be viewed here.

First International Tree fo Life Symposium and CToL
Beijing, China, 2007
In June 3-7 2007 the first international meeting on the global Tree of Life meeting was held at the Wofo Hotel at the Sleeping Budah adjacent to the Beijing Botanical Garden in Beijing, China. Participants of this symposium and other interested parties convened for a 3-day meeting to present the findings of the different initiatives from around the globe to resolve the tree of life. The CToL initiative was represented by PI Director Richard L. Mayden and Senior China Collaborator Dr. Shunping He, Instittue of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan. The program of contributions and abstracts from the meeting can be downloaded here.

Symposium on the Systematics and Biodiversity of Cypriniformes
American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists Meeting
St. Louis, Missouri, USA

A symposium was held at the 2007 ASIH meetings reviewing the advances in the our understanding of the genetic diversity, taxonomy, and systematics of Cypriniformes.

Systematics, Biodiversity, and Biogeography of Cypriniformes
European Ichthyological Congress Meeting XII
10-14 September 2007
Cavtat, Croatia

A two-day symposium was held at the XII Congress meetings reviewing the advances in genetic diversity, taxonomy, systematics, and biogeography of Cypriniformes. The conference and syposium information is availalbe here.

Third International CToL Symposium and Meeting
Thailand, 2007
The Cypriniformes Tree of Life Initiative (CToL), in collaboration with WWF and the Department of Fisheries of Thailand will host an international conference 10-16 November. The details of this conference are available here.