Adequate data structure for the description of a species in the Lepidoptera catalog

Community and Forum → Taxonomy. Classification → Adequate data structure for the description of a species in the Lepidoptera catalog

Peter Khramov, 31.08.2011 0:00

I would like to discuss the data structure on the page of the type of electronic catalog of lepidoptera and the system of linking sources to published information. To simplify the question, we will assume that the information itself is available, its sources are known, and the catalog is filled with adequate people.
Below is a preliminary version, born on the basis of communication with colleagues. Please comment on it: what you think is right, what is wrong, and if possible, answer the questions that I ask below.
As a result, I would like to develop a structure that allows you to comfortably search for and perceive information about types, conveniently enter new data, and always understand which user entered what data and which sources were used in this process. Accordingly, if there is adequate data superimposed on such a structure, you should get a directory that can be trusted, or rather, information in which can be easily divided by trust levels.
So, the preliminary data structure on the page (not counting illustrations, comments, and other additional information). For a better understanding, use a specific example. At the same time, the information in the example can be a curve, oblique and have no relation to this type at all — I repeat, it is here only for a better understanding of the structure:

System
Main (valid) name
Aglais urticae Linnaeus, 1758. Primary source: Popkin, 1999. User: Fitsaev.
Question: if the information about the original source is (temporarily?) if it is not available, should I specify a different source of information (by putting a label that it is not the first one), or you might as well not specify anything?
Synonyms and generic combinations
Vanessa urticae.
Question: This information is of an additional nature, so I don't know if sources are required here, and if so, whether the primary source is as important as the main title. Please also tell us if you need to specify the author/year here. In other words, how much of this information can be considered necessary or still additional/optional. The issue is primarily caused by some technical difficulties.
Local (for example, Russian) name or names
Urticaria.
I believe that this information also has very little impact on anything. I assume that it is not necessary to specify the sources here. Please comment on whether I'm right or wrong.

Signs/Characteristics
of Adult
Appearance and differences from similar species
Brick-red wings, front wing length — 2.5 cm. Sources: Popkin, 1999; Pupkin, 2002. User: Fitsaev.
externally, the shape of ichnusoides Sel. stands out, which is characterized by a blurred and less saturated pattern of the upper wings.
We write here everything that does not fall into the "subspecies"subsection. For example, Variability Source: Ivanov, 1974. User: Fitsaev.
Distribution
Europe, east to Japan. Sources: Popkin, 1999; Pupkin, 2002. Users: Fitsaev, Andreev.
Summer time / Life time
Often gives 2 generations — from mid-June to mid-July and from August to May (goes to wintering in October). Source: Ivanov, 1974. User: Fitsaev.
In spring, the first butterflies in the southern part of the range can appear as early as the end of February, in the northern part-only in May. Sources: Popkin, 1999; Pupkin, 2002. Users: Fitsaev, Andreev.
Subspecies with descriptions
Corsica A. u. ichnusa Hb. Source: Popkin, 1999. User: Fitsaev.
Any additional information about the imago stage
And another plus to everything... Sources: Ivanov, 1974; Popkin, 1999; Pupkin, 2002. Users: Fitsaev, Andreev.
Caterpillar lifetime
Two generations — from May to June and from July to August. Source: Popkin, 1999. User: Fitsaev.
Caterpillar food plants
Only Urtica dioica. Source: Popkin, 1999. User: Fitsaev.
Not just Urtica dioica. Source: Ivanov, 1974. User: Fitsaev.
Any additional information about the caterpillar
Caterpillars are dark, up to black, with two yellowish stripes on the sides of the body, live in groups. Source: Ivanov, 1974. User: Fitsaev.
Pupa (any data)
The duration of the stage is about 14 days. Source: Ivanov, 1974. User: Fitsaev.
Egg (any data)
This very data is in free form. Source: Ivanov, 1974. User: Fitsaev.
Wintering stage
Imago. Sources: Ivanov, 1974; Popkin, 1999; Pupkin, 2002. Users: Fitsaev, Andreev.
Question: should I add a separate field for selecting views?
General description
Just in case, there is a field for a free description with an optional indication of sources and the possibility of making subjective assessments. For example, "The most beautiful moth in the vicinity of the village of Gryazevo".
I'm not sure what I need, but I added this general field to the structure just in case.

Formalized / generalized features
Formalization / generalization of features, in addition to their free-form description above, allows you to:
1. Select species based on geography, time of summer, and other characteristics
2. It is faster to search for data in abbreviated form on the view description page (for some features, such as summer time, a graphical representation (scale) is possible).
Zone Distribution

Palearctic
States
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain,Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom Estonia.
Front wing length
23-25 mm
Wingspan
40-42 mm
List of typical imago flowers for selection
Red, Orange.
List of characteristic caterpillar flowers for selection
Black.
Imago lifetime
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Track lifetime
May, June, July, August.
Forage plants
Urtica dioica.

Thus, all information is divided into data about the system with the priority of the primary source, into features and their generalized duplicates.
Information from different sources is displayed separately (if it does not completely duplicate data from another source, if it duplicates, the information is combined) with a separate indication of the user who entered this information in the catalog.

For the convenience of quoting and answering, I put all the questions in a separate list, and also add a few more:
1. If the information about the original source for the main name of the type (temporarily?) if it is not available, should I specify a different source of information (by putting a label that it is not the first one), or you might as well not specify anything?
2. Can synonyms and generic combinations be considered information so additional and optional that you don't need to specify sources and author/year?
3. Can local names be considered even more additional information and not specify sources for it?
4. Should I add the wintering stage as a separate field for selecting species?
5. Is it necessary to specify the source pages, or is more general data sufficient? The fact is that technically it is not very well implemented, and most importantly-there will be difficulties in filling it out.
6. If the source, let's say, is not very good (for example, Pedivikia), information from them (not duplicating) is better than nothing (since the source is still specified, and how much it should be trusted is a personal matter for everyone) or not better?
7. If data about the source is not available — should I accept information signed "Private message"? After all, it is true that there is a situation when a completely trustworthy person reports information, but the source (temporarily?) he can't specify it, or it's his personal observations.
8. How to quote sites — is the section address sufficient, or do you always need a specific page and date?
9. Should I indicate "citations" in the list of references to the description or only in the general list of references in the catalog?
10. And, of course, please comment on the overall structure.

Thank you.

This post was edited by Asar - 31.08.2011 01: 43

Comments

31.08.2011 17:54, Ilia Ustiantcev

About Russian names-sometimes you need to specify the source, otherwise there will be confusion. For example, I have several times encountered a situation where the names indicated on the site babochki-kryma.narod.ru and in Lampert's atlas, they don't match.

As for the "general description" - you can post quite a lot here, for example, whether the species flies to the light or not (if it is night, it is also possible that only males fly to the light), or if the species can be easily caught with bait. You can also write impressions here about what the species looks like when you catch it (for example, Orthonama vittata is not easily confused with anyone when it is spread out, but it is hard to distinguish it from Xanthorhoe when it is in the folded wing position). In the additional information about caterpillars, it would be a good idea to include information about exactly what parts of the plant the caterpillar feeds on, if these are not leaves.

Likes: 1

31.08.2011 18:23, Peter Khramov

About Russian names-sometimes you need to specify the source, otherwise there will be confusion. For example, I have several times encountered a situation where the names indicated on the site babochki-kryma.narod.ru and in Lampert's atlas, they don't match.

In general, yes, there are discrepancies. But Russian names are such a left-wing thing that they are only needed to (sometimes) search faster on the site (with auto-selection) and for people to come from search engines who are looking for Russian names. Or not?..

About the "general description" - here you can place quite a lot, for example, whether the view flies to the light or not

Obviously, "Any additional information about the imago stage"is more appropriate for this...

Likes: 1

01.09.2011 15:31, Alexandr Zhakov

For the convenience of quoting and answering, I put all the questions in a separate list, and also add a few more:
1. If the information about the original source for the main name of the type (temporarily?) if it is not available, should I specify a different source of information (by putting a label that it is not the first one), or you might as well not specify anything?
2. Can synonyms and generic combinations be considered information so additional and optional that you don't need to specify sources and author/year?
3. Can local names be considered even more additional information and not specify sources for it?
4. Should I add the wintering stage as a separate field for selecting species?
Thank you.

There are a lot of questions, I'll try it in stages.
1. The question is not clear to me. What is meant by the original source? The first description of the species, the first conversion of this combination of genus+species, the source from which this name is taken on the site. The first and second are quite difficult. At the expense of the third: if the taxonomy is taken from several specific sources, which has already been discussed, then only other sources should be cited. and those accepted for the site are moved to the beginning of the "Classification", which is almost done.
2. The same as for the first one. It is enough to give specific synonyms and names of genera where this species was mentioned, without specifying the literature. (the synonym description year and author are required.)
3. There are no generally accepted local names, so it doesn't make sense to cite sources.
4. This is quite an interesting idea, I think it's worth it, but the question is in what form? In the simplified version, there are 4 options: Butterfly, pupa, caterpillar, and egg. Or in more detail, caterpillar age, egg development stage, etc.

Likes: 1

02.09.2011 15:07, Proctos

It may come in handy, this is the content of one of the databases
The decoding of the content is not fully given
Description
Diagnostic Description
(Lists the features that distinguish this taxon from its closest relatives. May include but is not restricted to synapomorphies)
Morphology
(Description of the appearance of the taxon; e.g body plan, shape and color of external features, typical postures. May be referred to as or include habit, or anatomy.)
Size
(Average size, max, range; type of size (perimeter, length, volume, weight ...)
Taxon Biology
Behaviour
Cytology
Genetics
Growth
Look Alikes
Molecular Biology
Physiology
Ecology and Distribution
Distribution
(Covers ranges, e.g., a global range, or a narrower one; may be biogeographical, political or other (e.g., managed areas like conservencies); endemism; native or exotic; ref Darwin Core Geospatial extension. Does not include altitudinal distribution.)
Associations
(Descriptions and lists of taxa that interact with the subject taxon. Includes explicit reference to the kind of ecological interaction: Predator/prey; host/parasite, pollinators, symbiosis, mutualism, commensalism; hybridisation, …)
Cyclicity
(Description of biorhythms, whether on the scale of seconds, hours, days, or seasons. Those states or conditions characterised by regular repetition in time. Could also cover phenomena such as chewing rates. Life cycles are treated in the Life Cycle term. Seasonal migration and reproduction are usually treated separately.)
Dispersal
Ecology
Habitat
Life Cycle
Life Expectancy
Migration
Population Biology
Reproduction
Trophic Strategy
Evolution and Systematics
Evolution
Overview
Biology
Description
Conservation
Conservation
Conservation Status
Legislation
Management
Procedures
Threats
Trends
Relevance
Diseases
Risk Statement
Uses

This post was edited by Proctos - 02.09.2011 15: 12

Likes: 2