On March 15, 2025, at Jornadas do Mar 2025 the SponBioDiv team hosted the “Deep Sea: Be a Taxonomist for a Day” workshop, an initiative designed to engage participants in the study of deep-sea sponges and cold-water corals biodiversity.
During the workshop, participants learned about:
Deep-sea ecosystems, habitats, and exploration technologies
Taxonomic methods, including morphological and molecular identification techniques
The importance of biodiversity data and species modeling in deep-sea research
In the practical session, participants examined sponge spicules and coral sclerites under a microscope and identified species using taxonomic guides. A concluding mini quiz helped reinforce learning in a fun and interactive way, while also highlighting the importance of collaborative research for marine biodiversity conservation.
