Taxa page

Anatomy of the taxa page

The taxa page is essentially the hub of a species file website application. On the taxa page (Taxa hierarchy as it is formally called), a user may navigate up and down the taxonomic hierarchy via hyperlinks, view detailed information associated with the “current taxon,” and modify how the information is displayed. This section will briefly outline the main navigation features as well as the various data items that can be associated with the current taxon. The discussion will follow in the order of appearance of the various items on the taxa page. How some of the information is displayed and what options are available depend on the user’s log-in privileges. Finally, the options for changing what information is displayed will be discussed.

Insert new image (Taxa page from Orthoptera)

Insert image (Taxa hierarchy) Figure 1: Orthoptera as the current taxon

Understanding the importance of the current taxon is key to navigating through the taxonomic hierarchy and recognizing the different types of taxonomic data associated with a particular taxon. The current taxon (Orthoptera in the above image) is the one that is displayed when Taxa is clicked on the navigation bar. Upon entry to a new species file, clicking Taxa for the first time will display the taxon data for the apex taxon (the taxon at the top of the hierarchy for that species file). After navigating up or down the hierarchy, the last taxon displayed on the taxa page remains the current taxon. If one of the other menu items on the navigation bar is selected, a subsequent selection of Taxa will return to the previous current taxon display.

Navigate to current taxon’s parents

In Figure 1, Orthoptera is not only the current taxon but it is the apex taxon of the Orthoptera Species File as well. Superorder Orthopterida is the parent taxon, cohort Polyneoptera is the grandparent taxon, and infraclass Neoptera is the great grandparent taxon. Clicking one of these hyperlinks will select that taxon as the new current taxon.

Please note when navigating to the upper levels of a species file, selecting one of the above hyperlinks may transport the user to a different species file. In the image above, for example, selecting cohort Polyneoptera takes one to the Polyneoptera Species File and selecting infraclass Neoptera takes one to the Arthropoda Species File. This feature of automatic links is optional, but it demonstrates the possibility of seamless navigation throughout all species files.

Data items associated with the current taxon

There are many kinds of data that may be associated with the current taxon; some may be simple nomenclatural descriptions or commentary while others may be rather complex objects such as specimen or distribution data. It is rare for a single taxon to have all such associated data, but it is possible.

Nomenclatural details

The current status of the taxon is documented by its nomenclatural details. The species file software maintains a table of related taxa based on nomenclatural status. If a related taxon has been specified, it will be displayed along with the nomenclatural information of the current taxon.

If the current taxon is a secondary homonym (for example, use synonym Pezotettixschmidti Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1861), the nomenclatural details include: “Secondary homonym (Nomennovum is fieberi), Notschmidti of Fieber.” This example shows that multiple nomenclatural details may be included.

The following table contains nomenclatural information in several categories and parenthetically displays the kind of taxon relationship that may be specified.

Junior homonym Preoccupied (Nomen novum) Primary (Nomen novum) Secondary (Nomen novum) Unspecified (Nomen novum) Emandation Required (Incorrect original spelling) Unjustified (Correct spelling) Corrected lapsus (Lapsus calami) Unavailable Subsequent misspelling (Correct spelling) Incorrect original spelling (Correct spelling) Unnecessary replacement (Unnecessarily replaced name) Nomen nudum Suppressed by ruling Lapsus calami (Corrected lapsus) Misapplied Unnamed Unavailable, other reason (should be specified in nomenclatural comment) Other Junior synonym Incertae sedis Nomen dubium Nomen oblitum (Nomen protectum) Nomen novum (Junior homonym) Nomen protectum (Nomen oblitum) For family-group names based on same genus Original name Subsequent name Other comment (should be specified in nomenclatural comment) Nomenclatural comment (400 characters) Not [this taxon name] of (200 characters)

Table 1: Nomenclatural information Common names One or more common names may be associated with a scientific name. Not only can there be several names, editors who input the taxon data may create common names in different languages. An editor may add as many different languages as necessary. The set of languages varies from one species file to another.

Figure 2: Example of several common names In the above example from the Orthoptera Species File, subfamily Meconematinae has four common names, three of which are in English, and one is in German. Images

Any type of image may be associated with a particular taxon. An image can be a photo, line drawing, even a replica of a specimen label .

Figure 3: Minimum number of images displayed on taxa page There are 14 images associated with the species Extatosomatiaratum in the Phasmida Species File. The default setting of images on the taxa page displays only six images. The order in which the images are displayed is determined by the person who entered the image data. Clicking on the “See all images” hyperlink displays all of the images associated with this taxon.