THE FUTURE OF MARINE INVERTEBRATE 

 SYSTEMATIC RESEARCH 



By 



Fenner a. Chace, Jr. 



Curator, Division of Marine Invertebrates 

 U. S. National Museum 



During my oral examination 20 years ago, one question produced the 

 intended disquieting reaction so effectively that inadequate answers to 

 it still chase themselves through my mind. The question was: "What 

 is the future of systematic research?" Obviously we do not know the 

 answer. Neither do our colleagues in other branches of biology, or in 

 most other professions, know the future of their chosen fields. As far 

 as the invertebrate groups are concerned, it matters little ; there is a 

 tremendous job to be done and far too few workers are trying to do it. 



A perusal of many recent books, magazine articles, and even movies 

 and comic strips would indicate that the average American is becoming 

 increasingly interested in the sea and its inhabitants. We are told that 

 this environment, covering more than 70 per cent of the earth's surface, 

 is the last frontier awaiting exploration and exploitation. Yet where 

 can we turn to obtain reliable information about many of the animals 

 living in this vast world of water? 



AVho can provide us with accurate data on jellyfishes whose poison 

 may be more deadly than that of the most dangerous snake? 



Where is there today a specialist on the sipunculid worms, of which 

 some are the chief food of many of our northern fishes and others are 

 probably instrumental in breaking down the coral reefs of the tropics? 



