Hallo,

for a long time I was looking around for a database of character
matrices for difficult organisms/taxons. But I didn´t find someone. Is
anybody here who knows where I could find such a data collection?
Where? Or are there any projects like a "character wiki" or something
else?

Thanks a lot for your answers
Daniel

Daniel wrote:

Hallo,

for a long time I was looking around for a database of character
matrices for difficult organisms/taxons. But I didn´t find someone. Is
anybody here who knows where I could find such a data collection?
Where? Or are there any projects like a "character wiki" or something
else?

Thanks a lot for your answers
Daniel

TreeBase is what you are apparently looking for, if I understand your
request:

http://www.treebase.org/treebase/

Thanks, it is fine (if the server could be connected). But what I was
looking for are character sequences (morphological) for higher taxons
like classis, familias, etc.

Daniel wrote:

Thanks, it is fine (if the server could be connected). But what I was
looking for are character sequences (morphological) for higher taxons
like classis, familias, etc.

I'm not sure what you mean by "character sequences". Do you mean lists
of synapomorphies? One would of course find this in any published
phylogeny based on morphological characters, or if not then an
examination of the character matrix and descriptions would give you that
information. Some of those are in Treebase. What taxa are you
specifically interested in?

And the Treebase server was down for a few days but I'm assured that
it's working again.

Daniel wrote:
Thanks, it is fine (if the server could be connected). But what I was
looking for are character sequences (morphological) for higher taxons
like classis, familias, etc.

Every flora project has its own format for descriptions, but much depends on
the context in which it is used. Descriptions of families are common enough.
But nobody makes a description of a class, unless there is dire need.
PvR

In message , P. van
Rijckevorsel writes
Daniel wrote:
Thanks, it is fine (if the server could be connected). But what I was
looking for are character sequences (morphological) for higher taxons
like classis, familias, etc.

Every flora project has its own format for descriptions, but much depends on
the context in which it is used. Descriptions of families are common enough.
But nobody makes a description of a class, unless there is dire need.
PvR

The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website has synapomorphies for all sorts of
suprafamilial clades - but as often as not some members of the clade
have secondarily lost the trait.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

"Stewart Robert Hinsley" schreef
The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website has synapomorphies for all sorts of
suprafamilial clades - but as often as not some members of the clade have
secondarily lost the trait.

***
Yes, the higher the rank of the taxon, the harder it is to give a
description that is true for all its members. Synapomorphies are lost by
some members, are not present in the basal members, or are expressed
differently in the basal members.

Environment often has a major influence on morphology as well. Putting
together an accurate description is not only a lot of work, but requires
skill and experience.
PvR

Ok. I'm looking for a database of morphological character states of
animals, plants, bacteria and their stems, classis, ordos. For
example:

Animalia
Vertebrata
Mammalia
Marsupialia

And for all of these taxons character states. I hope, I could describe
my idea as good as possible.

Please excuse my bad English knowledges.

CU
Daniel

Daniel wrote:

Ok. I'm looking for a database of morphological character states of
animals, plants, bacteria and their stems, classis, ordos. For
example:

Animalia
Vertebrata
Mammalia
Marsupialia

And for all of these taxons character states. I hope, I could describe
my idea as good as possible.

Please excuse my bad English knowledges.

I don't know of such a thing, per se. If you have access to BIOSIS, put
in some search terms like morphology, ultrastructure, phylogeny, and a
taxon name. For very deep taxa there are very few morphological
characters, and most of these will be ultrastructural -- features of
individual cell anatomy. Animals, for example, have gap junctions.

You might also check out www.tolweb.org. The references there would be a
good source of morphological characters for the various groups.

Palaeos is also a good source: www.palaeos.com.

Particular databases either exist or are in preparation for some groups.
The Archosaur project is preparing one for, obviously, Archosauria and
included groups. But I'm not currently finding a web presence for it.