We are almost there where we want to be: To have an instant feed of new ant taxonomy publications into the Web, through linking the taxpub-converted treatmetents from EOL, Zoobank, HNS. We are not there, because we still get new publications, such as Hetericks "Ants of Western Australia". But this shows the sluggishness of our publication system. First, few people are aware of what is happening. Then it is published locally, and wouldn't there be connections, nobody besides few people in Western Australia and some ant colleagues would know about this.
[Sorry, I can't add link, because my system at the AMNH is down due to a snowstorm on the East coast of the US - we'll take care of this later]
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Taxononomist's sloppiness - a solution
I have been quiet for a long time - it was a very creative phase during which we achieved a lot regarding making taxonomic descriptions online accessible on Plazi. See following blogs.
One new tool we created at Plazi in GoldenGATE, our mark-up tool, is to find all the citations in a publications, parse its element out which then allows to link all the references within the publications to those citations the author provides.
This helps to provide, if all will goes well, to have immediate access to the original literature from within the descriptions we post on plazi.
But it also is a fantastic editorial too, since it finds all the references that are not cited at the end.
For example, Seifert's revision in Myrmecological News of the Formica rufibarbis group has three omissions: Linnaeus 1758, Latreille 1798, and Seifert 1992.
One new tool we created at Plazi in GoldenGATE, our mark-up tool, is to find all the citations in a publications, parse its element out which then allows to link all the references within the publications to those citations the author provides.
This helps to provide, if all will goes well, to have immediate access to the original literature from within the descriptions we post on plazi.
But it also is a fantastic editorial too, since it finds all the references that are not cited at the end.
For example, Seifert's revision in Myrmecological News of the Formica rufibarbis group has three omissions: Linnaeus 1758, Latreille 1798, and Seifert 1992.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Shameless self promotion.
A few years ago Donat invited me to contribute to this blog, as I was also helping with antbase.org itself. We haven't been the best at it and our posts have become thin and sparse. Apologies.
My own excuse is that I was finishing my PhD. But it is also true that, since this blog is primary associated with antbase.org, there were many topics or ideas that I felt were either to off-topic or too personal for me to write here. On the other hand, my dissertation work on ant morphology started to shift my interest from pure taxonomy to morphological evolution, cast differentiation and the role of the developmental process in the first two (i.e., Evo-Devo), all from the perspective of classical comparative anatomy.
I have therefore started my on blog called Archetype to explore some of my ideas on the subject, while at the same time to write about other silly and inconsequential topics that come to my mind.
My own excuse is that I was finishing my PhD. But it is also true that, since this blog is primary associated with antbase.org, there were many topics or ideas that I felt were either to off-topic or too personal for me to write here. On the other hand, my dissertation work on ant morphology started to shift my interest from pure taxonomy to morphological evolution, cast differentiation and the role of the developmental process in the first two (i.e., Evo-Devo), all from the perspective of classical comparative anatomy.
I have therefore started my on blog called Archetype to explore some of my ideas on the subject, while at the same time to write about other silly and inconsequential topics that come to my mind.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
100 Years of the Ant Collection at the MCZ
The ant collection at the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) turns 100 years this year.
The beginning of what has become a great legacy for ants studies is marked by the arrival at Harvard of William Morton Wheeler in the Fall of 1908 as the newly appointed professor of economic entomology[1]. Two crucial things have turned this collection into the most important ant collection in the World. On the one hand a century of steady activity by a succession of prominent myrmecologists at the MCZ. On the other, myrmecologists world-wide voting with their types: the MCZ has become one of the classical repository for type material when describing new ant taxa. In addition, credit should be given to Stefan Cover, the "guardian angel" of the ant collection over the last few decades.
A centennial celebration dinner was held on May 28, as part of a meeting organized by the EOL and CBOL that brought together ant specialist from around the globe (and your lucky blogger that happens to be in town). Guests were treated to a nice meal while listening to a brief history of the MCZ given by the current Museum director James Hanken and an entertaining account of the early days in American myrmecology through W. M. Wheeler's illustrious career given by Edward O. Wilson. All topped off with a special cake covered with tasty crawling chocolate ants.
Phil Ward and Jack Longino
E. O Wilson and Corrie Moreau
Steve Shattuck and Lloyd Davis
Fernando Fernandez and John Lattke
Mike Kaspari and Stefan Cover
Roberto Keller and Corrie MoreauReferences:
1. Evans, M.A., H.E. Evans. 1970. William Morton Wheeler, biologist. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. 363 pp.
Monday, April 14, 2008
How to Identify the Argentine Ant, Linepithema humile
Linepithema expert Alex Wild posted a succinct but thorough guide on how to identify the important Argentine ant:
The Argentine Ant (Linepithema humile), a small brown ant about 2-3mm long, is one of the world’s most damaging insects. This pernicious ant is spreading to warmer regions around the world from its natal habitat along South America’s Paraná River. Linepithema humile can drive native arthropods to extinction, instigating changes that ripple through ecosystems. In California, horned lizard populations plummet. In South Africa, plant reproduction is disrupted. Worldwide, the Argentine ant is a persistent house and crop pest. This is not a good ant.
More here.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Access to descriptions on Google
Whilst sitting at a very stimulating meeting at the Academia Sinica's National Digitization Program in Taipei and listening to talks about Web2.0, it occured to me that we are not actively making our valuable data accessible, since we don't make it easy for Google to find it. One trick, we were told, is to build RSS feeds.
And here is the result: The entire list of all the >5,600 descriptions served on plazi are now accessible through this RSS feed. For example, if you want the description of Probolomyrmex tani, you get it, including all the links to the original publications, the citation or even a Google map of its distribution. Try out on Google yourself!
And here is the result: The entire list of all the >5,600 descriptions served on plazi are now accessible through this RSS feed. For example, if you want the description of Probolomyrmex tani, you get it, including all the links to the original publications, the citation or even a Google map of its distribution. Try out on Google yourself!
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
44,614 ant names in the Hymenoptera Name Server
The ant community is in a very comfortable situation that there are two, if not three independent efforts to create a catalogue of the worlds ants. This helped us at antbase at least to cross-examine our online global ant name server with the recently published Bolton catalogue. We now have 44,614 names associated with ants, 12,359 are currently considered by the experts covering accepted species (i.e.g published record) . This includes all of them in Bolton's catalogue, and those which were different have been resolved through consulting our digital library. At least all the original descriptions are linked to the original publication.
Since January 2008, all new names are entered through Plazi's GoldenGate mark-up editor, that means that all the new names are linked to at least the original description exposed at plazi's SRS, as well as the original publication, if it is not copyrighted.
An example is the recently synonomized Pyramica aschnae.
What is clear from these exercises is that nobody is able to produce a DB that is complete and without errors, and in fact our different approaches allow each other to profit from each other, and right now update their own databases. Hopefully soon, this could go automatically through Webservices via Zoobank. This way we can continue not to talk to each other.
What is also clear is that the community should be a little bit more proactive and send error, missing or new taxon names and publications to any of the initiatives.
Since January 2008, all new names are entered through Plazi's GoldenGate mark-up editor, that means that all the new names are linked to at least the original description exposed at plazi's SRS, as well as the original publication, if it is not copyrighted.
An example is the recently synonomized Pyramica aschnae.
What is clear from these exercises is that nobody is able to produce a DB that is complete and without errors, and in fact our different approaches allow each other to profit from each other, and right now update their own databases. Hopefully soon, this could go automatically through Webservices via Zoobank. This way we can continue not to talk to each other.
What is also clear is that the community should be a little bit more proactive and send error, missing or new taxon names and publications to any of the initiatives.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
