The Tardigrada Register: a comprehensive online data repository for tardigrade taxonomy

Abstract

In this paper we present the Tardigrada Register (www.tardigrada.net/register): a free, comprehensive, and standardised online data repository for tardigrade taxonomy. We outline key problems of the modern tardigrade systematics and we propose the Register as a potential solution to some of them. We then describe the idea, structure and works of the service and discuss challenges it may face. However, most importantly, we hope to convince fellow Tardigradologists that sharing their data via the Register will benefit the entire community of the contemporary and future tardigrade researchers.