Project Description

The Census of Marine Zooplankton (CMarZ) is a field project of the Census of Marine Life. CMarZ works toward a taxonomically comprehensive assessment of biodiversity of animal plankton throughout the world ocean.

Collection Requests

CMarZ is coordinating collection of zooplankton samples from planned oceanographic research cruises, fisheries surveys, and ships of opportunity. CMarZ can assist in identifying taxonomic experts who will confirm difficult species identifications and/or recognize and describe new species. CMarZ welcomes requests for zooplankton samples and/or identified specimens.

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Census of Marine Life

CMarZ Data

Photo: Russ Hopcroft

Dissemination of data and information resulting from CMarZ is accessible through the CMarZ data management system. A distributed database for the project is being created, with species-level, specimen-based, geo-referenced entries.

Access or provide information to CMarZ Species Pages.

CMarZ Activities

Check here for information on upcoming meetings and workshops, publications and presentations, and other project activities.

Join the CMarZ Network!

The CMarZ Network is an association of zooplankton taxonomists, ecologists, oceanographers, and others who are committed to working toward the goal of completing a global biodiversity of holozooplankton by 2010.

Cooperating Projects

Sampling zooplankton in many ocean regions are accomplished during the first years of the CMarZ project by coordinating with ongoing, planned, and proposed programs, surveys, and initiatives.

CMarZ Related Cruises

CMarZ maintains a list of research cruises, fisheries resource and environmental surveys, ships of opportunity, and commercial fishing or shipping vessel tracks.

DNA Barcodes for Zooplankton

Laboratories associated with CMarZ and equipped for molecular analyses coordinate to ensure storage, archiving, and molecular systematic analysis of specimens sent by CMarZ researchers, who are focused on taxonomic, morphological, or ecological studies.