Transcript Role of the Standards Committee

The Angelfish Society:
Standards Committee
What is it? Why is it? What does it do?
A presentation for the October
18, 2009 TAS Meeting
By Tamar Stephens
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Purpose of this presentation

The founding members of TAS considered this committee to
be the most important committee in TAS, and central to the
purposes of TAS.

Every two years, on odd numbered years, elections are held to
select the members of the Standards Committee.

This presentation will tell you why this committee exists and
how it serves the purposes of TAS.

Elections for Standards Committee members will take place in
December 2009. This presentation will help you understand
the role of this committee so you can make more informed
decisions for voting, and maybe so you will enter your name
as a candidate for this committee!
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TAS has two kinds of Committees

Standards Committee (Bylaws Article VI)
– Permanent committee
– Elected members,
– May not be terminated by the Board of Directors

All Other Committees (Bylaws Article VII)
– Standing committees
– Appointed by the Board of Directors to advance the work of TAS
(such as website, newsletter, etc.), or special committees for
particular projects
– Always subject to the final authority of the Board of Directors
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Standards Committee

Five members

Two year terms (elected at annual
meeting on odd years)

Totally responsible for the
development of TAS angelfish
naming standards

Its proposed standards may be
adopted or rejected by TAS Board
of Directors, but may not be
modified by the Board
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Responsibilities
The bylaws specify these core
responsibilities:

Rule on a proposed new mutation
name within 90 days of being
submitted by either a TAS member
or the Board.
– Bylaws specify the research that
needs to be submitted for evaluation.
– Bylaws provide guidelines to the
committee for determining naming
standards.

Establish official gene notation to
be used by TAS members.
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What has the Standards Committee
done so far for TAS?

In addition to performing the core duties specified by
the bylaws, the Standards Committee has also
developed resources and materials for TAS related to
naming angelfish, genetics, identifying phenotypes and
genotypes, and supporting good breeding practices.

The next few pages describe specific accomplishments
of the committee.
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In 2001…

Genetic notation
– Developed TAS rules for genetic notation
– Identified the known mutations and their genetic
notation
– Provided methods for submitting a new gene
mutation to the committee

Created the genetic calculator

Wrote the genetics calculator guide
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In 2002…

Angelfish Growth Stages
– Defined what is meant by
egg, wigglers, fry, juveniles,
and adults

TAS Recommended Standard
Angelfish Sizes
– Defined metric and English
measurements for dime,
nickel, quarter, half dollar,
dollar and dollar plus sizes
for angelfish.
– Size is based on body size,
excluding finnage
A “quarter” size angelfish has
a body about the same
diameter as a US quarter coin.
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2003…

Conformation standards
– Defined standards for physical traits: body,
fins, color, size, and deportment

Culling guide
– Identified specific defects for which angelfish
should be culled
– Identified culling methods
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2005…

Original Phenotype Library
– Began collected photos for use in a phenotype
library
– Created volume 1 of a planned 13-volume
library
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2007…

New Phenotype Library (different
organization from what was planned for
original phenotype library)
– First section has single-locus phenotypes
– Second section has multi-locus phenotypes
– Has descriptions and photos for over 60
phenotypes
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Current work in progress…

Draft Manual for Identification and Verification of
the Genetics of a New Mutation of Pterophyllum
scalare
(Anticipated release of draft manual: January
2010)
– How to identify a new gene or allele
– What kinds of crosses to make to verify a new mutation
and how to interpret the results
– Guidelines for submitting information to the Standards
Committee
– Breeding record template to simplify record keeping
– Identifies mutations for which genetics has not been
fully documented
– Identifies suspected genetic defects for which genetics is
not fully documented
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Current work in progress (cont.)

Continued updating of the Phenotype Library

Evaluation of available data on the platinum phenotype
(anticipated completion in early 2010)

Preliminary work on drafting a Judging Manual (no
release date established yet)
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What else does the Standards
Committee do?

Fields questions from members and non-members asking
for assistance in identifying the phenotypes of angelfish.

Reviews materials for various purposes, such as
reviewing presentations. Many of the monthly meeting
presentations have been developed by Standards
Committee members.

Fields questions from members and non-members on
other angelfish related topics.
– Most recent was from a high school girl designing a senior
project to evaluate the effects of water depth on fin
development.
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Who May Serve on the Standards
Committee?

The bylaws say: “It will consist of five
members who are in good standing with
TAS” (Article VI, Section 1)
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What are the qualifications to serve
on the committee?

The bylaws don’t specify any qualifications. But here are
some common sense ones that I would look for in a
candidate:
 Has experience keeping and raising angelfish
 Is be able to evaluate the quality of the physical
characteristics of an angelfish, and have the ability to
identify defects
 Knows how to identify common phenotypes
 Has a basic understanding of genetics
 Has a basic understanding of the scientific method
 Willing to learn!
 Willing to devote some time to doing committee work!!!!!
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December 2009 Elections and You

If you believe you can contribute on this committee,
please consider running for a position.

If you know of someone you believe to be qualified,
please encourage that person to run, and come to the
December Business Meeting to nominate that person.

Vote in the December election for the people you believe
will do the best job on the Standards Committee.
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The End
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