Syngraph, an application to manage taxonomic names

[Ardelean, Adorian]

Announcing the release of Syngraph, an application to manage taxonomic
names.

Syngraph is a relational database application that that allows linkage of
any published name to any other using a lexicon of modifiers that are
conventional in taxonomy, anchoring each use to its bibliographic reference.
Through the use of color and other symbology, the synonymies list generated
by the report function of Syngraph provides in graphic format more
information than is provided in conventional lists about the relation of the
name to other members of the list and about confidence in that usage. The
electronic application allows access to all published uses of a name, which
print lists commonly do not.

The tracking and display of names in Syngraph has two functions:
-to create the historical record of name use: this is the function that is
relevant to taxonomic publications such as descriptions and monographs.
-to allow the testing of hypotheses about the application of names: this
function has broad applications in systematics and biogeography.


Syngraph is now available for use.  It can be inspected at and downloaded
from: http://www.nhm.ku.edu/inverts/syngraph/index.htm


Adorian Ardelean

e-mail: adorian at ku.edu
http://web.nhm.ukans.edu/inverts/adorian/index.htm

University of Kansas
Division of Biological Sciences
Haworth Hall, 3002
Lawrence KS 66045

Lab page: http://web.nhm.ukans.edu/inverts/
Hexacorallians of the world page:
http://www.kgs.ukans.edu/Hexacoral/Biodata/index.html