The European Register of Marine Species (ERMS) is an authoritative taxonomic list of species occurring in the European marine environment,
defined as up to the strandline or splash zone above the high tide mark and down to 0.5 (psu, ppt) salinity in estuaries. The register is actively maintained and daily updated in the framework of the MarBEF EU Network of Excellence by a board of taxonomic editors, which are world experts on the taxonomy of their relevant taxa. It is anticipated that the Register will become a standard reference
(and technological tool) for marine biodiversity training, research and management in Europe.
ERMS is served from a relational database. The most recent version of the data will always be available through this search interface. At regular intervals, a snapshot of the database will be archived; these archive copies will be kept available through the ERMS web site.
Scope of ERMS
The project covers species of the kingdoms Animalia, Plantae, Fungi and Protoctista occurring in the marine environment. Bacteria and marine viruses are not included. The area covered by the project is all the continental shelf seas of Europe,
from the Canaries and Azores to Greenland and north west Russia,
including the Mediterranean shelf, Baltic Seas and deep-sea areas. Click here to view the map covered by ERMS.
Feedback
People interested, especially those with expertise in marine taxa, are invited to contact the co-ordinator or other participants to get on the project circulation list. Also relevant ecological information and pictures of taxa, listed in ERMS, are more than welcome. Approved editors of species lists are able to access ERMS online, such that the register will be changing according to need and editorial diligence. Simultaneously, the name of the editor and the revision date for each species or taxon is shown.
Download database
We see the web interface as the main means of access to information in the ERMS database. However, in some cases this web interface might be too limited, especially for those building off-line applications. If you want to get an electronic copy of the ERMS database, please contact the Database Management Team.
History of ERMS
The European Register of Marine Species (ERMS) was created in 1998 by a project funded under the European Union MAST research programme. It resulted in a species list for European marine waters. This first version has been published as a book (Costello et al, 2001).
Citation
Usage of data from the ERMS in scientific publications should be acknowledged by citing as follows:
Costello, M.J.; Bouchet, P.; Boxshall, G.; Arvanitidis, C.; Appeltans, W. (2025). European Register of Marine Species. Accessed at http://www.marbef.org/data/erms.php on 2025-03-06
If the data from the ERMS constitute a substantial proportion of the records used in analyses, the chief editor(s) of the database should be contacted. There may be additional data which may prove valuable to such analyses.
Individual pages are individually authored and dated. These can be cited separately: the proper citation is provided at the bottom of each page.
ERMS Editorial Board
The editorial board of ERMS consists of an Executive Commitee and Associate Editors. Each taxonomic group is represented by an Associate editor, responsible for the quality and content of large taxonomic groups. Associate editors can appoint review editors who are responsible for smaller phyla and families.
Prof. Dr Artois, Tom Universiteit Hasselt; Centre for Environmental Sciences; Onderzoeksgroep Dierkunde: Biodiversiteit en Toxicologie Acoela - Kalyptorhynchia - Platyhelminthes - Proseriata - Prostoma - Rhabditophora - Turbellaria
Prof. Huys, Rony Natural History Museum; Department of Zoology Copepoda - Harpacticoida - Tantulocarida
Dr Costello, Mark Nord University; Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture Amphipoda - Biota
Dr Jaume, Damià Universitat de les Illes Balears; Instituto Mediterraneo de Estudios Avanzados Bogidiellidae - Crustacea - Eriopisidae - Melitidae - Pseudoniphargidae - Thermosbaenacea
Dr Arvanitidis, Christos Hellenic Centre for Marine Research; Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture Annelida
Dr van Soest, Rob Naturalis Biodiversity Center Alcyonium - Porifera - Thaliacea
Dr Bailly, Nicolas Quantitative Aquatics, Inc. Agnatha - Chaetognatha - Chondrichthyes - Holocephali - Osteichthyes - Pisces
Agatha, Sabine Universität Salzburg; Department of Organismic Biology Choreotrichida - Ciliophora - Oligotrichida
Dr Bellan-Santini, Denise Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Mediterranean Institute of marine and terrestrial Biodiversity and Ecology Ampeliscidae - Amphipoda
Prof. Boxshall, Geoff Natural History Museum; Department of Zoology Amphionidacea - Arthropoda - Branchiopoda - Branchiura - Cephalocarida - Copepoda - Crustacea - Mystacocarida - Pentastomida - Remipedia - Rhizocephala - Tantulocarida
Dr Bray, Rod Natural History Museum; Department of Zoology Cestoda - Monogenea - Platyhelminthes - Trematoda
Dr Gibson, David Natural History Museum; Department of Zoology Acanthocephala - Aspidogastrea - Cestoda - Monogenea - Nematoda - Neodermata - Trematoda
Gofas, Serge University of Málaga; Faculty of Sciences; Departamento de BiologÃa Animal Mollusca - Xenoturbellida
Dr Horton, Tammy University of Southampton; National Oceanography Centre, Southampton; Ocean Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems Amphipoda - Biota - Ingolfiellida - Isopoda - Lysianassoidea
Dr Hoeksema, Bert Naturalis Biodiversity Center; Department of Marine Zoology Anthozoa - Cnidaria - Milleporidae - Scleractinia - Stylasteridae
Williams, Gary California Academy of Sciences; Department of Invertebrate Zoology & Geology Pennatulacea
Stöhr, Sabine Swedish Museum of Natural History; Department of Invertebrate Zoology Asterias - Ophiuroidea
Schierwater, Bernd School of veterinary medicine Hannover; Institute of animal ecology and cell biology; ITZ, Ecology and Evolution Ctenophora - Placozoa
Sterrer, Wolfgang Bermuda Natural History Museum Biota - Gnathostomulida
Dr Nielsen, Claus University of Copenhagen; Zoological Museum Entoprocta
Dr Collins, Allen Smithsonian Institution; National Museum of Natural History; Department of Invertebrate Zoology Ctenophora - Cubozoa - Scyphozoa - Staurozoa
Dr Glasby, Christopher Northern Territory Government; Natural Sciences, Museum & Art Gallery of the Northern Territory Nereididae - Terebellidae
Sicinski, Jacek University of Lodz; Dept. Invertebrate Zoology & Hydrobiology; Laboratory of Polar Biology and Oceanobiology Polychaeta - Siboglinidae
Dr Musco, Luigi Stazione Zoologica 'Anton Dohrn' of Naples; Integrative Marine Ecology Syllidae
Smit, Harry Naturalis Biodiversity Center Pontarachnidae - Prostigmata
ten Hove, Harry Naturalis Biodiversity Center Polychaeta fossils incertae sedis - Serpulidae
Dr Picton, Bernard National Museums of Northern Ireland; Ulster Museum Heterobranchia - Porifera
