I am a marine ecologist and taxonomist, working on the community structure and vertical distribution of small metazoan plankton, esp. microcopepods, in tropical and warm-temperate oceanic areas since the 1980s. My specific expertise is in the field of taxonomy and ecology of marine non-calanoid copepods, esp. the cyclopoid family Oncaeidae, for which I am taxonomic editor in WoRMS. Over the years I (re)described numerous species, contributed to phylogenetic questions of the family and initiated or supported molecular genetic studies for an unequivocal identification of oncaeid species. A comprehensive review was published on the state of knowledge and perspectives of this important copepod family, which is still underrepresented in global marine ecosystem studies. To support the difficult species identification for this family an interactive identification key was constructed for female Oncaeidae in the world ocean (OncIdent), which is available online after registration under https://www.oncident.de. Based on this system, also a regional dichotomous key was built up for the ICES area: North Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.
Being a founding member of the World Association of Copepods (WAC), I served the community as member of the Executive Council for two terms (1993-1996, 1996-1999), contributed regularly to the International Conference of Copepodologists (ICOC), and worked as tutor for non-calanoid copepods in several international workshops. In 2022 I gladly received the MONOCULUS award in appreciation of my contribution to the activity of the WAC.
After retirement several years ago, I continue working on taxonomic questions as guest scientist at GEOMAR, Kiel.
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(2026). World of Copepods Database. Accessed at https://www.marinespecies.org/copepoda on yyyy-mm-dd","Title":"World of Copepods","DasType":"Data"}],"references":{"A1":[{"BRefID":367159,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R.; Schnack, D. (2023). The microcopepod family Oncaeidae: state of knowledge and perspectives. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 170(9): 110. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00227-023-04249-6","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":2023,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":1},{"BRefID":339194,"RR":"Cho, K.; Park, C.; Böttger-Schnack, R. (2021). Taxonomy of three species of the genus Spinoncaea (Copepoda, Oncaeidae) in the North Pacific Ocean with focus on morphological variability. ZooKeys 1043: 147-191. https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1043.64438","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":2021,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":1},{"BRefID":287855,"RR":"Wi, J.H.; Soh, H.Y.; Böttger-Schnack, R. (2012). Two new species belonging to the dentipes- and conifera-subgroups of Triconia (Copepoda: Cyclopoida: Oncaeidae) from the East China Sea. J. Crust. Biol. 32(5): 843-859. https://dx.doi.org/10.1163/193724012x650659","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":2012,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":1},{"BRefID":208488,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R. (2011). Taxonomic re-examination and distribution of copepods reported as Oncaea notopus Giesbrecht, 1891 (Copepoda, Oncaeidae) in the Mediterranean Sea. Mar. Biodiv. 41(2): 325-341","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":2011,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":75069,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R. (2005). Taxonomy of Oncaeidae (Copepoda, Cyclopoida) from the Red Sea. VII. Oncaea cristata, a new species related to the ovalis-complex, and a revision of O. ovalis Shmeleva and O. bathyalis Shmeleva from the Mediterranean. Cah. Biol. Mar. 46(2): 161-209","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":2005,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":1},{"BRefID":241036,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R.; Huys, R. (2004). Size polymorphism in Oncaea venusta Philippi, 1843 and the validity of O. frosti Heron, 2002: a commentary. Hydrobiologia 513: 1-5. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/B:hydr.0000018301.50664.3d","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":2004,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":32473,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R. (2003). Taxonomy of Oncaeidae (Copepoda, Poecilostomatoida) from the Red Sea: 5. Three species of Spinoncaea gen. nov. (ivlevi-group), with notes on zoogeographical distribution. Zool. J. Linn. Soc. 137: 187-226","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":2003,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":241038,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R.; Huys, R. (2001). Taxonomy of Oncaeidae (Copepoda, Poecilostomatoida) from the Red Sea: III. Morphology and phylogenetic position of Oncaea subtilis Giesbrecht, 1892. Hydrobiologia 453-454: 467-481. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47537-5_40","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":2001,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":242819,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R.; Huys, R. (1998). Species groups within the genus Oncaea Philippi, 1843 (Copepoda, Poecilostomatoida). J. Mar. Syst. 15(1-4): 369-371. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0924-7963(97)00072-9","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":1998,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":66245,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R.; Huys, R. (1997). Archioncaea arabica gen. et sp. nov., a remarkable oncaeid (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida) from the northern Arabian Sea. Cah. Biol. Mar. 38(2): 79-89","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":1997,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":1},{"BRefID":243131,"RR":"Huys, R.; Böttger-Schnack, R. (1997). On the diphyletic origin of the Oncaeidae Giesbrecht, 1892 (Copepoda: Poecilostomatoida) with a phylogenetic analysis of the Lubbockiidae fam. nov. Zool. Anz. 235: 243-261","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":1997,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":56197,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R. (1994). The microcopepod fauna in the eastern Mediterranean and Arabian Seas: a comparison with the Red Sea fauna. Hydrobiologia 292/293: 271-282","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":1994,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":142290,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R. (1990). Community structure and vertical distribution of cyclopoid copepods in the Red Sea. 2. Aspects of seasonal and regional differences. Mar. Biol. (Berl.) 106(3): 487-501","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":1990,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"1_A1","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":142304,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R. (1990). Community structure and vertical distribution of cyclopoid copepods in the Red Sea. 1. Central Red Sea, autumn 1980. Mar. Biol. 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Ser. 63(2): 137-147","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":1997,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"2_PeerRevRef","OpenAcc":1},{"BRefID":133233,"RR":"Huys, R.; Böttger-Schnack, R. (1994). Taxonomy, biology and phylogeny of Miraciidae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida). Sarsia 79(3): 207-283. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00364827.1994.10413559","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":1994,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"2_PeerRevRef","OpenAcc":0},{"BRefID":7249,"RR":"Huys, R.; Boxshall, G.A.; Böttger-Schnack, R. (1992). On the discovery of the male of Mormonilla Giesbrecht, 1891 (Copepoda: Mormonilloida). Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist., Zool. 58(2): 157-170","AutID":35056,"MonDate":null,"AnaDate":1992,"PeerRev":1,"outputType":"2_PeerRevRef","OpenAcc":1},{"BRefID":142288,"RR":"Böttger-Schnack, R.; Schnack, D. (1986). On the effect of formaldehyde fixation on the dry weight of copepods. 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