A Student’s Guide to Insect Identification Software on the Web Maggie Tai Tucker Zoology 445...
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Transcript of A Student’s Guide to Insect Identification Software on the Web Maggie Tai Tucker Zoology 445...
A Student’s Guide to Insect A Student’s Guide to Insect Identification Software on the WebIdentification Software on the Web
Maggie Tai TuckerMaggie Tai Tucker
Zoology 445 (honors project)Zoology 445 (honors project)
Spring 2003Spring 2003
Why look at web software?Why look at web software?
Several potential advantages:Several potential advantages: Databases searchable in many different Databases searchable in many different
ways (by characters, by descriptions, by ways (by characters, by descriptions, by family, etc.)family, etc.)
Can offer couplet choices one at a time, Can offer couplet choices one at a time, less confusing for beginners.less confusing for beginners.
Can link to more detailed information, Can link to more detailed information, photos, illustrations. Essentially no space photos, illustrations. Essentially no space limitations.limitations.
Potential shortcomingsPotential shortcomings
If students can find info on the web, they If students can find info on the web, they may not learn to use a written key, which may not learn to use a written key, which remains the standard.remains the standard.
Free public keys tend to specialize in one Free public keys tend to specialize in one topic or in one area, based on who topic or in one area, based on who sponsored the project.sponsored the project.
May be very shallow, e.g. only to order. May be very shallow, e.g. only to order. Creating a key is a huge undertaking – Creating a key is a huge undertaking – both building the database and making both building the database and making the links to guide users through it.the links to guide users through it.
Criteria used in this reviewCriteria used in this review
# of taxa (# of taxa (as a point of comparison, the as a point of comparison, the written key used in our class – Bland 1978 written key used in our class – Bland 1978 – includes 3200+ taxa)– includes 3200+ taxa)
Level of expertise needed to useLevel of expertise needed to use Quality of photos or illustrationsQuality of photos or illustrations Availability/accessibilityAvailability/accessibility CostCost
Programs reviewedPrograms reviewed
Bug-Net (UK) – simple, accurate IDs to orderBug-Net (UK) – simple, accurate IDs to order City Bug (Berkeley) – most suitable for childrenCity Bug (Berkeley) – most suitable for children COMTESA (Oregon State Univ.) – the most COMTESA (Oregon State Univ.) – the most
detailed of the online keys, but limited coveragedetailed of the online keys, but limited coverage DAISY (UK/Costa Rica/US) – an automated ID DAISY (UK/Costa Rica/US) – an automated ID
project for conservation use, included here only project for conservation use, included here only to let students know what a key might look like to let students know what a key might look like far in the futurefar in the future
WoodyBug 2.0 (Univ. of Florida) – not a key, but WoodyBug 2.0 (Univ. of Florida) – not a key, but photos, text, and links on some common families; photos, text, and links on some common families; strong on biology and insect life historystrong on biology and insect life history
Bug-Net: SummaryBug-Net: Summary
Web site created by a Web site created by a senior at Univ. of senior at Univ. of HertfordshireHertfordshire
Focus is on UK spp.Focus is on UK spp. Series of couplet Series of couplet
choices directs users choices directs users to correct orderto correct order
Web links to more info Web links to more info on orders, suborders.on orders, suborders.
http://www.bug-net.co.uk/index.html
Bug-Net: Best couplet interfaceBug-Net: Best couplet interface
Bug-Net FeaturesBug-Net Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES
# of taxa# of taxa 19 orders19 orders Several examples Several examples per order; focus is per order; focus is on UK insectson UK insects
Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise
LowLow
Quality of Quality of photos, illos.photos, illos.
ExcellentExcellent Photos, slides, Photos, slides, drawingsdrawings
Availability/ Availability/ accessibilityaccessibility
MediumMedium Works only with Works only with NetscapeNetscape
CostCost FreeFree
Interface designInterface design ExcellentExcellent
City Bug: DescriptionCity Bug: Description Joint project of Joint project of
Oakland Schools and Oakland Schools and UC BerkeleyUC Berkeley
Aim: To educate kids Aim: To educate kids K-12 and the publicK-12 and the public
One of its search tools One of its search tools lets you check off lets you check off known features of the known features of the insect such as habitat insect such as habitat and body typeand body type
Users can e-mail Users can e-mail queries to UC queries to UC entomologistsentomologists http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/citybugs/main.htm
City Bug FeaturesCity Bug Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES
# of taxa# of taxa 36 orders36 orders Common names Common names used; focus is on used; focus is on SF Bay taxaSF Bay taxa
Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise
LowLow
Quality of Quality of photos/drawingsphotos/drawings
__ None available None available yetyet
AvailabilityAvailability __ Most areas not Most areas not yet completedyet completed
CostCost FreeFree
Interface designInterface design GoodGood Appropriate for Appropriate for childrenchildren
COMTESA: DescriptionCOMTESA: Description
Computer Taxonomy and Ecology of Soil AnimalsComputer Taxonomy and Ecology of Soil Animals Covers mainly soil animals found in Pacific NW: Covers mainly soil animals found in Pacific NW:
Coleoptera, Isopoda, Acari, Collembola, a few Coleoptera, Isopoda, Acari, Collembola, a few HymenopteraHymenoptera
Includes some dichotomous, some synoptic keysIncludes some dichotomous, some synoptic keys Original Mac Hypercard version was designed so Original Mac Hypercard version was designed so
researchers could tailor ID process to local researchers could tailor ID process to local species. (BSA has a copy of this.)species. (BSA has a copy of this.)
Moved onto the Web in 2002.Moved onto the Web in 2002.
http://www.ent.orst.edu/comtesa/http://www.ent.orst.edu/comtesa/
COMTESA: Primitive but clear illustrationsCOMTESA: Primitive but clear illustrations
COMTESA: Most detailed list of charactersCOMTESA: Most detailed list of characters
Comtessa FeaturesComtessa Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES
# of taxa# of taxa ~ 200~ 200 Can be used to Can be used to ID to speciesID to species
Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise
HighHigh No explanations No explanations of charactersof characters
Quality of Quality of photos/illos.photos/illos.
PoorPoor
AvailabilityAvailability GoodGood
CostCost FreeFree
Interface designInterface design Clunky, but it Clunky, but it worksworks
DAISY DescriptionDAISY Description Project to develop Project to develop
automated insect ID automated insect ID software (image from a software (image from a special camera is special camera is analyzed)analyzed)
Aim: For non-specialists to Aim: For non-specialists to be able to ID insect species be able to ID insect species as a means of assessing as a means of assessing status of a local ecosystemstatus of a local ecosystem
Intended to help Intended to help implement Convention on implement Convention on Biological diversityBiological diversity
Target group is Ophioninae Target group is Ophioninae (a suborder of (a suborder of Ichneumonidae)Ichneumonidae)
Joint effort by researchers Joint effort by researchers in UK-Costa Rica-USin UK-Costa Rica-US
http://chasseur.usc.edu/pups/projects/daisy.html
DAISY FeaturesDAISY Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES
# of taxa# of taxa 300+300+ Still in pilot Still in pilot stagestage
Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise
LowLow
Quality of Quality of photos/drawingphotos/drawingss
__ It takes a photo It takes a photo and compares and compares to referenceto reference
AvailabilityAvailability __ Commercial Commercial unit in unit in developmentdevelopment
CostCost Likely to be Likely to be highhigh
Need camera Need camera unit & softwareunit & software
Interface designInterface design Likely to be Likely to be simplesimple
Designed for Designed for field conditionsfield conditions
Univ. of Florida: SummaryUniv. of Florida: Summary Not a true key, it claims to Not a true key, it claims to
be a “knowledgebase”be a “knowledgebase” Central directory photos Central directory photos
function as a simplified keyfunction as a simplified key Available both as CD-ROM Available both as CD-ROM
and on a department web and on a department web site (web site hard to find!)site (web site hard to find!)
Aim: to educate both the Aim: to educate both the general public and general public and students of pest students of pest managementmanagement
Other databases in the Other databases in the series: Bees & Wasps, Mole series: Bees & Wasps, Mole Crickets, and a Butterfly Crickets, and a Butterfly Tutorial.Tutorial. http://woodypest.ifas.ufl.edu/insect.htm
Univ. of Fla. FeaturesUniv. of Fla. Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES
# of taxa# of taxa ~ 75~ 75 Focus is on SE spp. Focus is on SE spp. e.g. cotton aphide.g. cotton aphid
Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise
LowLow Many terms defined; Many terms defined; links to glossarylinks to glossary
Quality of Quality of photos/illos.photos/illos.
ExcellentExcellent Photos of host plants, Photos of host plants, biocontrol spp., toobiocontrol spp., too
AvailabilityAvailability MediumMedium Site not findable by Site not findable by search enginesearch engine
CostCost CD: $10CD: $10
Web site: freeWeb site: free
Interface designInterface design CD: poorCD: poor
Web site: goodWeb site: goodMust click on Must click on Insect.htm file to Insect.htm file to begin using CD; it’s begin using CD; it’s not obviousnot obvious
A word on specialty web sitesA word on specialty web sites
As useful and in some cases more useful As useful and in some cases more useful than these keys are the many web sites than these keys are the many web sites devoted to a particular family or subfamily devoted to a particular family or subfamily of insect.of insect.
For example, if trying to key out a For example, if trying to key out a Coccinellid beetle with 7 spots, try typing Coccinellid beetle with 7 spots, try typing “7 spot lady beetle” into a search engine.“7 spot lady beetle” into a search engine.
Nearly 50 links appear, most providing the Nearly 50 links appear, most providing the scientific species name and some scientific species name and some providing photos or illustrationsproviding photos or illustrations
Example of a good specialty siteExample of a good specialty site
http://www.uoguelph.ca/~samarsha/lady-beetles.htmhttp://www.uoguelph.ca/~samarsha/lady-beetles.htm
ConclusionsConclusions No software key is currently as thorough as a No software key is currently as thorough as a
written general key, or as detailed as a written written general key, or as detailed as a written specialty key on a particular order or suborder.specialty key on a particular order or suborder.
If one comes out that has a comparable level of If one comes out that has a comparable level of detail, it will most likely be from the publisher of a detail, it will most likely be from the publisher of a written key.written key.
COMTESA is the most directly relevant to COMTESA is the most directly relevant to students at the Univ. of Washington, because of students at the Univ. of Washington, because of its level of detail, clear illustrations, and focus on its level of detail, clear illustrations, and focus on species found in the Pacific NWspecies found in the Pacific NW
The Univ. of Florida web sites and CDs are a good The Univ. of Florida web sites and CDs are a good general teaching resource.general teaching resource.