8 September 2003

All Catfish Species Inventory Participants: 

We are extremely pleased to announce that our proposal to discover and describe the catfishes of the world is to be fully funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation!  We appreciate all of the support that you provided to make this  project a reality.

The All Catfish Species Inventory (ACSI) was proposed as Phase I of a long-term inventory of the Otophysi, the largest clade of freshwater fishes. The inventory is expected to result in the discovery and description of up to 1,750 new species of catfishes and, ultimately, in the description of between 2,300 and 4,600 new species of freshwater fishes. It will result in the completed taxonomy of a globally diverse taxon, Siluriformes, and later in the completed taxonomy of Otophysi, the clade containing over two-thirds of all freshwater fishes.

Products of ACSI will include a completed taxonomy of catfishes with up-to-date identification guides, atlases, catalogues and checklists of species, phylogenetic studies of higher-level relationships among catfishes and an improved predictive classification, large samples of freshwater fishes from poorly collected regions added to permanent collections, and enhanced international communication among fish taxonomists.  The project's website <http://clade.acnatsci.org/allcatfish/> and electronic mail listserver are available for dissemination of ACSI data and products, and to provide for better communication among taxonomists about research, educational and outreach opportunities.

An exceptional feature of ACSI is the large number of taxonomists and students (over 200 participants from 31 counties) who will participate in the project.  Each participating ichthyologist, including graduate students and advanced undergraduates, is eligible for small awards from ACSI to support completion of the species inventory of catfishes.  Please see information below or on the ACSI website about how to request funding.  We welcome your requests for funding to participate in ACSI.

Larry Page, Principal Investigator
John Lundberg, co-Principal Investigator
Carl Ferraris, co-Principal Investigator
John Friel, co-Principal Investigator
Jonathan Armbruster, co-Principal Investigator
Mark Sabaj, co-Principal Investigator