AquaMaps repository

AquaMaps is a data service, currently oriented to the marine environment, that makes available species range maps plus a variety of thematic maps (taxonomic, climatologic, invasiveness, etc.). Each map is a complex information object.

All the AquaMaps collections are open source. Currently, several different communities of scientists access these collections, either through the AquaMaps user interface or through the interface of other systems (e.g. FishBase, the most widely used biological information system with over one million visitors per month; other species information systems such as SeaLifeBase and GBIF). All the maps and their data parts are downloadable under simple formats.

A generalization of the service to cover also maps from freshwater and terrestrial environments is in progress. This generalization will require access to other datasets disseminated among various institutions. The current map interface was developed by CSIRO, C-Squares, using a methodology based on latitude-longitude squares. A move to the Google Earth API is ongoing.