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Taxonomy
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by FSB on January 30, 2010
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I have been given the sisphean [and hazardous] task of updating the zoo's inventory list, including all scientific names, and in this age of constant revisions, this is no easy thing [not just snakes, but also lot of unusual turtles and lizards]. Is the J.C. Venter Reptile Database the most reliable source right now, or can anyone suggest any others? My desire is to make our list as current and accurate as possible, but I wish to avoid any "Hoserisms." Is Broghammerus, for example, truly accepted now as the genus for the reticulated python? Our dept. director [like me] is an old-school herper who detests a lot of the "new" taxonomy... he went off when I mentioned that, according to the CNAH listings, the genus for the black rat snake is Scotophis. He said if I ever mentioned that or any other b.s. "Russian taxonomist" name again, he'd put a snake-hook through my head, so I gotta make sure here. Thanks...
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RE: Taxonomy
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by Crotalus75 on January 30, 2010
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The Reptile Database is accurate and pretty current. I use it to compile lists for taxa fairly frequently. It doesn't always have the most updated info in every situation though. One really needs to hit the current primary lit for every group in question, including journals and books, to be sure. Especially when compiling lists of synonyms. A good resource for Amphibians is http://research.amnh.org/vz/herpetology/amphibia/
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RE: Taxonomy
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by Cro on January 30, 2010
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Fred, I would also check Wolfgang's site. Many of the PDF's there have information that is more up to date than the Reptile Database or ITIS.
ITIS really gripes me at times, as many of the animals have not been updated in many, many years.
I think I agree with Don, some of those new names are really bad, and something I do not want to have to learn, LOL.
Best Regards
John Z
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RE: Taxonomy
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by pictigaster1 on January 30, 2010
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Do not for get Ray hooser"s taxonomy he is cutting edge in his new taxonomy classifications LOL... i WOULD GO WITH ww
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RE: Taxonomy
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by Buzztail1 on January 30, 2010
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Thank you, Doug.
I know that we use ISIS accepted Taxonomy and thought that all US zoos were supposed to but didn't realize that it might make a difference when using ARKS.
Thanks for clarifying that.
R/
Karl
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RE: Taxonomy
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by Cro on January 30, 2010
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I do not know what ARKS stands for, but it is unfortunate if zoos have to use ITIS, which is often out of date by many years.
Are zoos not allowed to seek out the most up to date names ?
Best Regards
John Z
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RE: Taxonomy
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by AquaHerp on January 31, 2010
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ARKS is "Animal Record Keeping System". It is a program that keeps records for individual animals in the collection. It is soon to be replaced by ZIMS, whole other story there.
ISIS does lag a little behind seemingly. In some ways it makes sense as often nomenclature reverts back or changes again. ZIMS may alleviate some of this by being a program that is broadly networked and can update files across the board automatically. ARKS is loaded into the zoo's internal system and should a name change, the system won't recognize it as the former is already in the system. You can change this on an individual level, but one needs to be careful that all files are then upgraded including the hard copy files. When the program is upgraded the following year, new nomenclature changes are loaded in too. It sounds like an easy fix eh? Although one has to consider the number of species in this system. Mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds….(bird and fish taxonomists are as active as the herp folks- you don’t even want to go into the entomologists!) Unfortunately it is all still done on a CD and not simply going to ISIS (International Species Identification System) on the internet and updating.
Now, for labeling internal enclosures I have always stayed current with the latest "accepted" nomenclature with the former in parenthesis).
It's one of those computer snafus that should be corrected soon as the old is phased out and the new comes online.
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RE: Taxonomy
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by FSB on January 31, 2010
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Right now I seem to be getting very satisfactory results from the JC Venter Institute database [url: http://www.reptile-database.org] though I can find no connection between it and ISIS. This database is maintained by Peter Uetz, at the JCVI headquarters in nearby Rockville, MD, and Jakob Hallerman at the Zoological Museum Hamburg [Germany, not PA!]. It seems fairly up-to-date and is very well documented and easy to use. Thanks everyone for the valuable information here. The zoo's membership in ISIS may have lapsed - I'll check on that. We are not AZA, and I'm kinda glad of that since they don't seem too interested in reptiles overall. John Z, did you get my email? I think I sent it to your new address. Don's actually a really great guy and I'm honored to be working w/ him [just don't tell him I said that].
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RE: Taxonomy
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by Cro on January 31, 2010
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Fred, yes, I did get your Email at the new address.
It got bumped off the page by a bunch of new things coming in. Sorry for not answering your sooner.
Crazy times here. I am trying to play catch up.
Best Regards
John Z
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