多道检索表的研究进展

在没有利用计算机技术之前, 多道检索表停留在“穿孔卡”检索表形式, 目前, 在计算机辅助下的多道检索表已很快发展出多种检索系统, 如DELTA、Lucid和NaviKey等。本文主要比较了在国内外影响较大的6种多道检索系统在体系结构、用户界面、数据库和检索策略等方面的异同, 并从性状选取自由、容错度、模糊表达、数值型性状、最佳检索性状、保留性状未知的分类群以及检索特征等7个方面对检索策略进行了深入分析。鉴于多道检索表存在多种异名, 不便于研究交流, 我们建议使用“Multi-access keys”作为正式名称。最后本文就多道检索表的发展趋势提出了展望。     

多道检索表的研究进展

在没有利用计算机技术之前,多道检索表停留在“穿孔卡”检索表形式,目前,在计算机辅助下的多道检索表已很快发展出多种检索系统,如DELTA、Lucid和NaviKey等。本文主要比较了在国内外影响较大的6种多道检索系统在体系结构、用户界面、数据库和检索策略等方面的异同,并从性状选取自由、容错度、模糊表达、数值型性状、最佳检索性状、保留性状未知的分类群以及检索特征等7个方面对检索策略进行了深入分析。鉴于多道检索表存在多种异名,不便于研究交流,我们建议使用“Multi access keys”作为正式名称。最后本文就多道检索表的发展趋势提出了展望。     

形象检索法与形象检索表

形象检索法是采用典型的外部形态特征,辅以图片检索,对种及种以下单元进行分类的方法。该方法仅使用典型的外部形态特征对不同分类等级的多歧对应或非对应性状编制检索表,对鉴定所涉及的特征或名词术语辅以简练准确的文字以及典型特征的照片或图片予以说明。主要为非专业人员快速检索而设计。对野生动物的执法、管理、保护教育及知识普及具有理论和实践指导意义。     

自编检索表在动物分类实验教学中的应用

检索表在生物分类有着广泛的应用。在动物分类实验教学中 ,除了根据实验指导提供的分目检索表鉴定动物外 ,对学生自采、自制的一些标本 ,可让学生学会自编简单的分科检索表或由教师编制一些分种检索表进行分类鉴定。这样 ,有利于提高学生的观察分析能力 ,全面的辨认动物。自编检索表能结合当地实际进行教学 ,应用简单 ,灵活 ,效果好。1　学生自编分科检索表在昆虫分类上的应用在昆虫分类实验中 ,课前要求学生到野外或校园内采集 10个目 (不同种类 )以上的昆虫进行分类检索。对观赏园艺专业开设的“园林植物病虫害 (虫害部分 )防治”的昆虫分…     

Lucid Phoenix: 交互式多媒体网络检索表工具

Lucid Phoenix是一个编写和演示二叉检索表的计算机工具,本文详细介绍了它的组件、功能和特色。其生成的Phoenix检索表整合文本、超文本、图片等多媒体信息,采用最新的跨平台技术可直接嵌入浏览器网上传播和交互使用。它对于促进检索表资源的网络共享与利用十分有意义。     

处理植物分类学描述语言的国际标准——DELTA系统

DELTA系统是澳大利亚Dallwitz等人经过多年研究发出的一套用于分类学描述语言编码的国际标准。本文对该系统的主要功能,即自然语言描述、检索表、数据矩阵的自动生成、标本鉴定和信息检索以及分支分类运算和表征分类运算所需数据格式的转换等做了综述性介绍,以期促进该软件在我国广大植物分类学工作者中的推广与使用。     

交互式检索表提升分类学研究与应用效率:以兰科植物为例

与传统的连续检索表相比,基于计算机等数字终端的多通道交互式检索表具有很多优势,如易于携带、实时更新、界面直观、使用方便、用户广泛、产生新数据集且便于研究以及能够推动分类学知识的普及等。本文以兰科植物为例介绍了交互式检索表的特点、程序建立和应用。兰科植物是生物多样性保育的旗舰类群,具有很强的观赏和药用价值,但中国兰科植物种类繁多,分类困难。我们在自主研发交互式检索表软件MagIden的基础上,以《中国植物志》和Flora of China的描述为依据,制作了中国兰科植物交互式电子检索表,为分类学研究者和爱好者提供了一个新的、鉴定中国兰科植物的中英文双语工具;同时,交互式检索表生成的MVSP和Bayes形态特征数据集可用于聚类分析和分支分类学研究。交互式检索表在数据积累、更新和分析利用等方面具有独特的优势,是提高传统植物分类学研究与应用效率的重要工具。     

刚竹属植物非笋期营养体分类的初步研究

刚竹属(PhyllostachysSieb. et Zucc.)是一个主产于中国,大约有60种的竹亚科大属,当前其属内种间的划分和鉴定主要依据秆箨和新秆的特征。然而,本属植物的笋期大多仅持续20~30 d,其他时间很难见到鲜笋或新鲜秆箨和新秆。应用现今流行的分种检索表和形态特征来鉴别处于非笋期营养生长状态的竹种往往作用不大,这就需要重新寻找更多的证据来解决这一问题。据长期的野外调查和栽培植物的定点观察,一些性状,如秆的节内距、小枝及叶的排列方式、叶耳及繸毛存在与否及其排列方式、叶舌是否伸出、叶片背面毛被状况等可以作为本属植物非笋期分类的重要依据。如果把握得恰当,利用这些性状和其他特征的组合可以在非笋期将本属现知的所有竹种划分开来,并据此编制了此期的分种检索表。     

钝头蛇属Pareas（蛇亚目：钝头蛇科）系统分类研究进展

钝头蛇属（Pareas）蛇类形态高度保守,种间形态差异微弱。以分子系统学方法为中心的整合分类方法的应用,为本类群分类难题的解决作出了重要贡献,近8年有9个新种得以描述,其中,仅在近3年就增加了7个新种,并有6个同物异名被恢复。本文依据最新研究成果,对近期钝头蛇属蛇类系统分类研究成果进行了综述,并斟酌中文种名,整理了物种名录,并编制了分类检索表。截止目前,钝头蛇属共有26种,其中在我国有分布的18种,中国特有种9种。同时,对研究中存在的问题进行了探讨,并对下一步工作提出了建议：本属物种多样性估计过低、标本采集覆盖范围不足、证据使用不甚全面,大范围密集采样以及系统发育基因组学方法的应用有助于本类群系统关系的最终解决。     

中国特有半颖蜡蝉属名录及八通关半颖蜡蝉Semibetatropis patungkuanensis雄性外生殖器首次描记(半翅目:蜡蝉总科:颖蜡蝉科)（英文）

首次描记了八通关半颖蜡蝉Semibetatropis patungkuanensis Chen,Yang&Wilson,1989成虫的雄性外生殖器,增补了该属的雄性外生殖器特征,并给出了该属雄性分种检索表。研究标本保存于贵州大学昆虫研究所。     

Bryophytes for Beginners: The usability of a printed dichotomous key versus a multi-access computer-based key for bryophyte identification

Bryophytes are a rewarding study group in field biology and the UK bryophyte flora has international importance to biodiversity conservation. We designed an identification key to common woodland moss species and compared the usability of two formats, web-based multi-access and printed dichotomous key, with undergraduate students. The rate of correct species identification and identification speed both showed an advantage for the printed dichotomous key. Our findings suggest that, even in the digital age, printed keys remain valuable in biological education and that quality of key design is more important than presentation medium. We discuss the relative advantages of multi-access and dichotomous keys and how to approach bryophyte identification with beginners.     

Taxonomic Notes on Nasutitermes and Bulbitermes (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae) from the Sunda region of Southeast Asia based on morphological and molecular characters

The Sunda region of Southeastern Asia is rich in termite fauna, but termites from this region have been poorly described. In this study, we described eight species from two diverse genera from this region, and from the family Termitidae. We describe Bulbitermes 4 spp. and Nasutitermes 4 spp. from new field collections. Where possible we examine original holotype specimens, and describe the essential morphological characters for soldier and worker castes. We devise two new bifurcating keys to guide the field identification of each species. In addition, we develop a nucleotide sequence profile for the COI gene. From this molecular character matrix, we use Neighbour-Joining analysis to test the monophyly of each morphospecies and genus. We find that the morphological and molecular characters are highly concordant, whereby all taxa appear to represent distinct molecular clades. For termites, there is therefore agreement between the morphological taxonomic characters used to sort species from a bifurcating key and the molecular taxonomic characters used to sort species on a bifurcating tree. This joint analysis suggests that DNA barcoding holds considerable promise for termite taxonomy, especially for diverse clades like Bulbitermes and Nasutitermes for which a global morphological key would be intractable.     

The utility of internally transcribed spacer 2 DNA sequences of the nuclear ribosomal gene for distinguishing sibling species of Trichogramma

The usefulness of the internally transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of the nuclear ribosomal gene complex is tested for providing taxonomic characters to identify Trichogramma species. The ITS2 sequences of a group of sibling species of the T. deion/T. pretiosum complexes were determined. A simple and precise identification key to the species of these assemblages was constructed using as taxonomic characters the size of the ITS2 and the difference in restriction length polymorphism of species with similarly sized ITS2. Individual wasps can be identified by amplification of their ITS2 with general primers, determining the size of the PCR product using standard agarose electrophoresis, followed in some species by a DNA-digestion with a restriction enzyme. Because this system works well for a number of closely related species we are hopeful that similar PCR-based identification can be extended to all species of the genus once their ITS2 sequences have been determined. The advantage of this identification system over the morphology-based system is that non-specialists are able to quickly and cheaply identify individual specimens. In addition, species specific primers were tested for the two most common species of these groups (i.e. T. pretiosum and T. deion). These primers can be used either as a direct identification tool or as a method to confirm the identification using the general key. The phylogeny of this group of wasps was also analyzed based on the ITS2 sequence.     

Morphometric and electrophoretic study of Aphidius species (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) reared from a variety of aphid hosts

Abstract. Morphological and electrophoretic variation is evaluated in 272 female and 424 male specimens of Aphidius reared from known hosts representing seventeen aphid-host species. Much of this material was reared under experimental conditions in order to examine the effects of environmental conditions such as temperature and different host species, and to induce as much variation as is possible in known single populations. Multivariate analysis and electrophoresis are used to demonstrate the degree to which entities defined by morphological characters and electrophoretic bands correspond to collection from a common host.
Many characters commonly used in the identification of this group, e.g. sculpturing on the propodeum, are shown to be very variable. Despite this, several morphologically and electrophoretically definable groups of Aphidius are demonstrated, many of them corresponding to individual aphid-hosts, while others, especially those parasitizing pea and cereal aphids were found to occur on more than one host. The possible nominal species associated with each defined group are discussed and morphological keys given to these complexes, and to the species of of Aphidius known to parasitize pea and cereal aphids.     

Taxonomic revision of Ectyphus Gerstaecker, 1868 and Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 with a key to world Ectyphinae (Insecta, Diptera, Mydidae)

The Afrotropical Mydidae genera Ectyphus Gerstaecker, 1868 and Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 are revised. Six species of Ectyphus are recognised (Ectyphus abdominalis Bezzi, 1924, Ectyphus armipes Bezzi, 1924, Ectyphus capillatus Hesse, 1969, Ectyphus pinguis Gerstaecker, 1868, and Ectyphus pretoriensis Bezzi, 1924), of which one is newly described from Kenya, Ectyphus amboselisp. n. Two species, Ectyphus bitaeniatus Hesse, 1969 and Ectyphus flavidorsalis Hesse, 1969, are newly synonymised with Ectyphus pinguis. The monotypic genus Parectyphus Hesse, 1972 and the male of its type species Parectyphus namibiensis Hesse, 1972 are re-described while the female is described for the first time. Comments on the distribution of all species within biodiversity hotspots are given. A dichotomous identification key to the genera and species of world Ectyphinae is provided and illustrated keys to the world Ectyphinae are made available online in both dichotomous and multi-access, matrix-based formats.     

Mnemonics are an Effective Tool for Adult Beginners Learning Plant Identification

Most beginners are introduced to plant diversity through identification keys, which develop differentiation skills but not species memorisation. We propose that mnemonics, memorable ‘name clues’ linking a species name with morphological characters, are a complementary learning tool for promoting species memorisation. In the first of two experiments, 64 adults in a group-learning environment were taught species identification using mnemonics, an educational card game and a text-based dichotomous key. In the second experiment, 43 adults in a self-directed learning environment were taught species identification using mnemonics and a pictorial dichotomous key. In both experiments, mnemonics produced the highest retention rates of species identification based on vegetative characters. The educational value of these findings is discussed for vegetative plant identification and broader applications.     

Review of subgenus Compsochromia Kiriakoff 1953 (Lepidoptera: Erebidae: Arctiinae,genus Balacra) with identification keys and description of a new species from Cameroon

Summary. Subgenus Compsochromia Kiriakoff 1953 is briefly reviewed. An overview of the taxonomic history of the group is provided along with a checklist covering all synonyms. Balacra flava n. sp. is described on the basis of eight specimens of both sexes collected in Cameroon. Three separate keys, based on male and female habitus as well as on the male genitalia, are presented for the determination of Compsochromia specimens. The vesica of B. compsa is described and illustrated for the first time.     

烟粉虱寄生蜂辅助鉴定系统的研究

介绍了一种基于Web的烟粉虱[Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius)]寄生蜂辅助鉴定系统。该系统属于多路径存取检索方式,不仅提供各特征及其性状的文字描述,同时还提供各个特征对剩余物种的鉴别效力排名,以及各性状的相关图片,供用户参考。     

Plasmon analysis of Triticum (wheat) and Aegilops. 2. Characterization and classification of 47 plasmons based on their effects on common wheat phenotype

This article comprises our final remarks on the phenotypic effects of alien plasmons on common wheat. Twenty-one vegetative, reproductive, and seed characters of 551 alloplasmic lines of 12 common wheat genotypes with 46 alloplasmons, and as the control, their euplasmic lines were investigated. Effects of genotype, plasmon, and their interaction had high statistical significance for all the characters investigated, whereas phenotypic variations attributable to the alien plasmons were relatively small. Individual plasmon types are characterized by their primary effects on 21 characters. Genotype x plasmon effects on two representative characters, heading date and plant height, are described in detail. Cluster and principal component analyses of the phenotypic effects of the 47 plasmons yielded 22 groups. The relationships between these phenotype-based groups and those defined by molecular differences in organellar genomes were examined. A significant correlation was found with some explainable discrepancies. For efficient plasmon identification, use of six of the present 12 genotypes is proposed. The key for plasmon classification is provided. Our findings indicate that alien plasmons may be of limited value in future wheat breeding, but that the plasmon diversity that exists in Triticum and Aegilops species is of great significance for understanding the evolution of these genera.