A user guide for the Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) interactive key based on DELTA software
Subject Areas :Negar Fakhrzadeh 1 , Hossein Lotfalizadeh 2 , Babak Gharali 3
1 - دانش‌جوی سابق کارشناسی ارشد گروه گیاهپزشکی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی، واحد تبریز، تبریز، ایران
2 - دانشیار بخش تحقیقات گیاهپزشکی، مرکز تحقیقات کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی آذربایجان‌شرقی، سازمان تحقیقات، آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تبریز، ایران
3 - استادیار پژوهش، بخش تحقیقات گیاهپزشکی، مرکز تحقیقات کشاورزی و منابع طبیعی استان قزوین، قزوین، ایران
Keywords: Hymenoptera, identification, Chalcidoidea, DELTA, interactive key,
Abstract :
Linear printed keys are standard taxonomic means for identification of organisms in which a single pathway of character state is followed until reaching to an end point. These keys have been primary written for identification of unknown organisms for more than two centuries. However, a revolution in computer diagnosis is now developing that encourage replacement of traditional keys by matrix-based computer interactive keys in which users have many entries to do a correct identification and make extensive use of hypertext linked to images, glossaries, and other supporting materials. While, various software are available in the web and other literature to create useful and informative keys for widespread use. In the present work we used DELTA (Description Language for Taxonomy) to produce a non-linear key to the subfamilies of the Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera). Approximately 205 morphological characters were extracted from literature, entered in DELTA editor software, and coded for 86 subfamilies of Chalcidoidea. Some illustrations of morphological characters were included to clarify the character states. Then matrix was transferred to intkey generator software to create the interactive key to the subfamilies.
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