With the rapid growth and development of wireless technology in both public and private sectors, applications utilizing this technology are steadily expanding into the field of taxonomy. Using portable, wireless devices such as Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) or tablet PCs taxonomists can collect, examine and disseminate data to Internet databases while working outside of the laboratory. For example, entomologists can use portable appliances in the field to identify species, record and compare genome sequences, upload data for review, access collections and literature, and communicate with other scientists in real time. The taxonomic software I have created for use with such portable devices has been designed specifically to: 1) provide interactive keys/field guides for identifying taxa in the field and 2) enable the taxonomist to review current databases relevant to the taxa being investigated and/or record and upload information including characters, photographs and drawings to a central database. Several taxa of insects and acarines are used as examples.
Keywords: database, taxonomy
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