During the fifty years that have passed since the first echinoderm meeting was held in 1963, numerous scientific articles on the phylum Echinodermata have been published in conference proceedings volumes or as special symposium journal issues. In order to provide the research community with a more rapid access to the information contained within these publications, we have compiled a database that lists all abstracts and articles published following the main gatherings of the echinoderm scientific community over the past half century. This database, The Echinoderm Files, is available online and contains bibliographical data on abstracts and articles from proceedings of International Echinoderm Conferences, European Conferences on Echinoderms, and all major international echinoderm symposia. Analyses performed based on the content of the database illustrate trends related to the echinoderm scientific community, its conferences, and related proceedings. Among other aspects, these studies reveal a steady increase in conference attendance, an uneven distribution of taxonomic research foci, and a relatively low visibility of research published in conference proceedings. In addition, the article lists the additional past echinoderm conferences, provides data on future echinoderm meetings, and discusses the accessibility of echinoderm-related publications. |
