The Orthoptera Species File, a taxonomic database

David Eades

Illinois Natural History Survey

Presented at the Natural History Museum, London, 15 January 2007

Priority goals for OSF version 2

1. Conform to good database design

2. Generalize the data structure to handle more taxonomic ranks

3. Add integrity checks and fix errors

4. Provide a more convenient user interface

5. Keep the data current with new research

Raised expectations

1. Better integration with Internet resourcesa. Adopt the classification of specimen depositories as

provided by the Bishop Museum

b. Adopt the geographic classification endorsed by the Taxonomic Databases Working Group

c. Link to other websites and exchange data

d. Provide data for large scale data aggregators

2. Expanded scope, kinds of data

3. Expanded scope, taxonomic groups

Raised expectations

1. Better integration with Internet resources

2. Expanded scope, kinds of dataa. Provide interactive Internet keys for

identification

b. Generalize handling of specimen data

c. Add more types of data

3. Expanded scope, taxonomic groups

Raised expectations

1. Better integration with Internet resources

2. Expanded scope, kinds of data

3. Expanded scope, taxonomic groupsa. Phasmida Species File

b. Blattodea Species File

c. Others

Acknowledgements

• Initial database providerDaniel Otte

• Initial Internet implementer Piotr Naskrecki

• Software groupMarilyn Beckman, Rich Flood, Elizabeth Frank

• Orthoptera data groupHolger Braun, María Marta Cigliano, Lesley Deem, Mike Maehr, Fay Mayer, Patti Peek

• Members of the Orthopterists’ Society as committee members, experts, and data providers