The odonate phenotypic database, a new open data resource for comparative studies of an old insect order

John T Waller,Beatriz Willink,Maximilian Tschol,Erik I Svensson

doi:10.1038/s41597-019-0318-9

Abstract

We present The Odonate Phenotypic Database (OPD): an online data resource of dragonfly and damselfly phenotypes (Insecta: Odonata). Odonata is a relatively small insect order that currently consists of about 6400 species belonging to 32 families. The database consists of multiple morphological, life-history and behavioral traits, and biogeographical information collected from literature sources. We see taxon-specific phenotypic databases from Odonata and other organismal groups as becoming an increasing valuable resource in comparative studies. Our database has phenotypic records for 1011 of all 6400 known odonate species. The database is accessible at http://www.odonatephenotypicdatabase.org/, and a static version with an information file about the variables in the database is archived at Dryad.

Highlights

Background & SummaryThe Odonate Phenotypic Database is an online data resource for dragonfly and damselfly phenotypes (Insecta: Odonata)
Trait information can be obtained from measurements of live and field-caught individuals, museum specimens or literature sources but often important covariates are missing, such as behavioural information or habitat data. It is in the interest of many of us working in the field to collect and curate such phenotypic data in a coherent fashion so that such data can be used in future studies and combined with multiple other sources of phenotypic information, in light of the explosion in phylogenetic comparative methods the last decades[8,9]
Integrative research practices in evolutionary biology will need access to high-quality genomic, molecular and phylogenetic resources, but will need high-quality phenotypic and biogeographic data, fossil information for time-calibration of phylogenetic trees and other general data provided by biodiversity informatics[17]

Summary

Introduction

Background & SummaryThe Odonate Phenotypic Database is an online data resource for dragonfly and damselfly phenotypes (Insecta: Odonata). Trait information can be obtained from measurements of live and field-caught individuals, museum specimens or literature sources but often important covariates are missing, such as behavioural information or habitat data.

Results

Conclusion