The origin and history of the International Polychaetology Association and the triennial International Polychaete Conferences together with a summary of other polychaete symposia and meetings

摘要

The history of the International Polychaetology Association and the triennial International Polychaete Conferences is reviewed. The first conference was held in Sydney, Australia, in July 1983; there have been nine subsequent meetings with the latestin Lecce, Italy, in June 2010. Venues have now spanned five continents and nine countries. Each conference has produced a peer-reviewed publication of the proceedings. The proceedings to date have included papers on a wide variety of topics including ecology, reproduction and development, morphology, phylogeny, and systematics. A total of 186 new species of polychaetes were described in the first nine proceedings. The International Polychaetology Association (IPA) was established at the second conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in August 1986. A Constitution was drawn up that included a slate of officers (President, Secretary-Treasurer) and an Executive Council with membership selected from participants of countries represented at the Conference. The IPA was intended to encourage research on polychaetes, select venues for the triennial conference, serve as a forum among polychaetologists, and introduce new students to the field. The membership consists of the participants who enroll at individual conferences with each individual having a vote at the Business Meeting. Later amendments to the Constitution included defining instructions for proposing a venue for a conference and adding the position of Vice President to the slate of officers.