Help:Species page headings

This page provides an explanation for what headings are appropriate for what kind of information. Most species have a much smaller set of things known about them so few pages will be this expansive in having so many categories of information. A number of the topics/headings given below already have information included on the page, which is typically pulled in from other sources. Do not place any text under such headings and do not delete their content.

The first text found on a edit page for a species will be the taxobox. This was generated when the species page were first made. Besides adding images, the taxabox information or field names should not be edited. To add images to a taxabox that has none, simply follow the format that you see in the taxabox given above (when seen in edit view).

This first block of text that can be placed on the page, after the taxabox and before any headings, should be thought of as the introductory biology paragraph. We like to think of this as an interesting biological teaser for the species. You might ask "What is interesting or notable about this ant?" If there is nothing particularly remarkable to include here, simply create a paragraph about some aspects of their basic biology. Also, if there is only a small amount of biological information known then simply state this here, e.g., this species is only known from type specimens.

Identification
Text that explains how to tell this species from other species (this is not the formal taxonomic description). It can be good to include other distinguishing features beyond comparative morphology between species: e.g., there are two worker castes that include soldiers and minor workers, this species only nests in the ground, etc.

This text should not shy away from stating stating identification conundrums - a species may be difficult to key out and a simple blurb of descriptive text may not be enough to explain how to distinguish one species from others. In such cases, use whatever features can be used to narrow things down to the smallest possible group of species and then provide those species names, e.g., the ant is part of a species complex that includes spxxx, spyyy, spzzz.

Field Identification
Any distinctive means of distinguishing members of the genus in the field.

Identification Keys
These can be a list of keys, with references, that are available in the literature or could be links to keys included in Antwiki or elsewhere.

To include the complete availables keys in antwiki that lead to these species use

Distribution
This is the place to enter a text based accounting of where this species can be found: countries, regions, states, etc. Antwiki suggests the use of country names as applied by the UN Statistics Division.

Distribution based on specimens
A Google world map and specimen records, as pins on the map, is preloaded here. In edit mode this shows up as the text Template:Google Map. This text is nested in double brackets. Please do not remove this text from the page.

Habitat
Text can be given here as to where the ant is found - broad or specific details.

Abundance
Is this species: common, locally abundant, rarely collected, only known from types?

Biology
Write a block of text under this single heading or you can parse out more detailed information into logical categories using sub headings. Listed below are suggested sub headings that can be used for organizing different kinds of information.

If there is very little known about a species this biology section should be blank and any text relevant to the biology of this species should be placed in the first paragraph of text on the page (as shown above).

Specimen Label Information
This heading is already in place. This section lists label information from databased specimens (this data is not managed or stored in Antwiki) and is placed here via the Template:Ecology. In edit mode this template name is shown as nested in double brackets. Please do not remove this text from the page. The information here is seperated into two parts: Environments - habitat information ..and.. Situations - nesting or other specific information detailing where the ants were collected. Please do not remove this text from the page.

Regional Information
Specific information, when appropriate, for an area less than the complete range of the species. The heading name Regional Information should be replaced with the name of the particular region being discussed under this heading. There can be any number of appropriate headings for regions where this genus occurs.

Here are three Examples

Australia
Typically found nesting in open areas with their ground nest entrances covered by a stone.

Montana
Found in lower elevations of the mountainous west and in riparian areas in the central portion of the state.

Bondo State Forest, NSW
Found in the forest and old field areas of the reserve. The few nests that have been found were all small in size (<100 workers).

Foraging/Diet
diet - predator, ominivore / scavenger, cleptoparasite, exudates, fungivore foraging strategy - solitary, group retrieval, etc. behavioral dominance at food

Colony Attributes
Size at maturity, caste distribution, queen number, colony lifespan, etc.

Nesting Biology
Nest structure, nest location(s), nest number (poly or monodomous), permanent or can move, etc.

Reproduction
Queen mating frequency, queen number in nest, colony founding methods, mating location, dispersal, sex ratio. etc.

Behavior
Territorial, work budget, unusual behaviors of note, etc.

Humans
Invasive species, damage buildings, pest species

Chemistry
Pheromones, glandular products, colony cuticular hydrocarbon profiles, etc.

Genetics
Barcode? genetic relatedness estimates, gene identification, etc.

Conservation Status
Rare or potentially threatened?

Morphology
Unusual of noteworthy traits and characteristics.

Castes
Include text of notable features about the castes and a place to include pictures of non workers here

Minor or Major?
Automontage images, where available, can be placed here.

Queen
Automontage images, where available, can be placed here.

Male
Automontage images, where available, can be placed here

Nomenclature
NGC information included here.

Worker
Description for worker.

Measurements: Presumed to be in mm unless otherwise noted. Provide the sample size or specimen used, e.g., "n = 8" or "holotype." Cite a reference as the source if these are from a different source than the original combination reference. The full citation should then be included in the references section. For example:

Measurements:(n = 8) CI 84-92; EI 22-27; EL 0.23-0.27; HL 1.12-1.26; HW 0.97-1.16; ML 1.58-1.84; MTL 0.96-1.08; SI 104-115; SL 1.11-1.25.

or

Measurements (LaPolla et al 2008): (n = 8) CI 84-92; EI 22-27; EL 0.23-0.27; HL 1.12-1.26; HW 0.97-1.16; ML 1.58-1.84; MTL 0.96-1.08; SI 104-115; SL 1.11-1.25.

Queen
Description of queen and any measurements for queens under this heading. If the description and/or measurements come from a different source, this should be noted by indication the author and year of publication. The full citation should then be included in the references section.

Male
Same as stated for queen.

Type Material


This is an example, with the text from an original description. Holotype and 5 paratype workers, 2 of them headless (MCZC, ), from Culebra Island, Puerto Rico (W. M. Wheeler). According to the collector (Wheeler, 1908: 125), the Culebra samples, which he assigned to A. testaceus, came from "several colonies nesting under stones in the shade of trees along the dry arroyos on the higher part of the island (Monte Resaca). The number of individuals in a colony varies from about thirty to one hundred". Probably more Culebra specimens exist in. An additional paratype worker, slightly darker than the (possibly faded) Culebra sample, comes from Cataño, near San Juan, Puerto Rico (S. Peck), "from epigaean carrion trap #10."

Etymology
Why was this species given this name and what does this name represent. First give the basis of the name (Morphological - from specific characters; Descriptive - often behavioral but can also include other non-morphological based descriptive names; Patronym - after a person; Toponym - after a place; Commemorative - but not a place or person) followed by the actual basis for its derivation. If the later is from a publication indicate this by using quotations. Also, if the quoted explanation of the name is not from the original description cite its source.

Example: Morphology. "Gr., epedanos, weak or feeble, so-called because of the thin, collapsible integument."