web-based collection information from the Strickland Museum

[Felix Sperling]

>Perhaps the future will be web-based maps that are open to revision 
>as well as providing direct links between the mapped location and 
>the collection information. This way erroneous records can be 
>eliminated rather than persisting like some sort of virus. The Ohio 
>State web site has a very good example for a proctotrupid wasp where 
>one may click on a map location to get this information.
>     John Grehan


It looks like this is a good time to publicize our museum website, 
which does just what John Grehan is asking for.

For an example of a web-accessible database that allows you to check 
data for individual specimens, have a look at the U of Alberta 
Strickland Museum's "Virtual Museum of Entomology" at 
http://virtual-museum.sunsite.ualberta.ca/dig/search/ent/

We have species pages up for about 200+ lepidoptera of Alberta, and 
specimen data for all the macroleps in our collection. Most of the 
species pages have been written by Alberta Lepidopterists' Guild 
members, including Gary Anweiler (150 noctuids etc.) with substantive 
contributions by Chris Schmidt (40 arctiids) and Sherri Fownes (20 
butterflies of conservation interest in Alberta). With 1000 macro 
species in Alberta, and about 150 butterflies, this will obviously be 
a work in progress for a long time. But we have some great pages up 
now - try to enter "Catocala" to see what is there.

Species pages come with a utility that allows you to plot maps of 
specimen localities, and a second utility that allows you to plot 
histograms of seasonal distribution for museum specimens. The maps 
are slow to load, and we are working on getting the outline of 
Alberta to be a more recognizable shape, but you can use the "i" tool 
to click on dots and get the specimen number. Then copy the specimen 
number and paste it into the "fast find" feature" at the top of the 
page to get the full information on that specimen. Alternatively, you 
can just use "specimen search" to return a list of all the specimens 
in a species (or from a particular collector, or date range, or 
whatever). Then click on the specimen number on the condensed list to 
get the full record for that specimen.

Several aspects of the site are slated for improvement, but at least 
it is now quite useable. Feedback is always welcome, whether on 
content or format.

	Felix

Felix Sperling
Director, Strickland Museum of Entomology
Associate Professor - Insect Systematics
Department of Biological Sciences
cw405 Biological Sciences Centre
University of Alberta
Edmonton, Alberta  T6G 2E9  Canada

fax:   780-492-9234
phone: 780-492-3991
email: felix.sperling at ualberta.ca
http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/sperling/sperling.html
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