de walt ecn_2012

Species File Software: A foundation for taxonomic

database development

R. Edward DeWaltUniversity of Illinois

Prairie Research InstituteIllinois Natural History Survey

Mission: To provide software and services to taxonomists studying the Earth’s biodiversity.

• “Provide software and services to taxonomists” and let them get back to work!

• Long-term commitmento $10 million endowment supportedo Franchise-level programmers

o Matt Yoder (MX dev.)o Dmitry Dmitriev (3i dev.)

• Growing community of users• Rich taxonomic tradition of INHS

Species File Software

• Nomenclatural and associated data• Internet-based workbench• ICZN encoded/enforced• Data checked for consistency and completeness– Real time– Post data entry» Editor driven fixes» Automated fixes

• Extensive search capabilities• Public and private SFs• Extensive help wiki

Software Features

• Global data portals• CoL: annual & more often• GBIF: IPT—DwC-A• Scratchpads• EoL

• Web services• Data standards• DwC-A• Life Science Identifiers• Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG)

• Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike license

Serving a Global Community

Total Taxon Names & Valid Species

Orthoptera

Aphid

Psoco

dea

Blattodea

Coreoidea

Plecoptera

Phasmida

Mantodea

Dermap

tera

Polyneoptera

Embioptera

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

40000

45000

Total NamesValid spp.

# N

ames

93475

56882

Citations, Images, Specimen Records

Orthoptera

Aphid

Psoco

dea

Phasmida

Coreoidea

Mantodea

Plecoptera

Blattodea

Dermap

tera

Polyneoptera

Embioptera

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

CitationsImagesSpecimens Records

37407998180

100703

Coun

t

Orthoptera Species File—Our Flagship

Full list of search categories• Data source• Ecological Relationship• Expert• Faunal list• Person• Publication• Reference• Scrutiny• Specimen record• Specimen depository• Statistics• Taxon

A “Taxon” search

And more!!

A taxon page

• URLs may be used elsewhere

• citations for specific searches possible

A “Faunal list” search

Legacy Database Migration

•Pipeline for import, Matt’s Taxonifi •Coming

o Lygaeoidea SF (from Toby) In progresso Chalcidoidea SF In progresso Lepidoptera SF (LepIndex) Plannedo Termite SF Plannedo Add your SF here

Announcing

Fossil Insect Species File• Author: Dr. Sam Heads of INHS• Global coverage• >20,000 species plus higher taxa• Type specimens• Literature• Images• Paleontological metadata—strata

The Future of Species Files• Addition of more species files• New CMS: homepage and taxon page flexibility• Expand workbench for revisionary systematics• MX & 3i features added

• Integrate with other frameworksoGlobal Names Architectureo iDigBioo i4Life

• Consult/Collaborate w/ taxonomists on proposals and use cases

Become a Species File Curator

Contact usR. Edward DeWalt dewalt@illinois.eduhttp://help.speciesfile.org