Using controlled vocabularies in anatomical terminology: A case study with Strumigenys (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). (September 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Silva, Thiago S.R.; Feitosa, Rodrigo M.
• Is Part Of: Arthropod structure & development. Volume 52(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-09
• Subjects: Morphology -- Ants -- Ontology -- Semantic annotation -- Terminology; Arthropoda -- Morphology -- Periodicals; Arthropoda -- Anatomy -- Periodicals; Arthropoda -- Cytology -- Periodicals; Arthropods -- growth & development -- Periodicals; 595
• DOI: 10.1016/j.asd.2019.100877
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1467-8039

Abstract

Abstract: Morphological studies of insects can help us to understand the concomitant or sequential functionality of complex structures and may be used to hypothetize distinct levels of phylogenetic relationship among groups. Traditional morphological works, generally, have encompassed a set of elements, including descriptions of structures and their respective conditions, literature references and images, all combined in a single document. Fast forward to the digital era, it is now possible to release this information simultaneously but also independently as data sets linked to the original publication in an external environment. In order to link data from various fields of knowledge, disseminating morphological information in an open environment, it is important to use tools that enhance interoperability. For example, semantic annotations facilitate the dissemination and retrieval of phenotypic data in digital environments. The integration of semantic ( i.e. web-based) components with anatomic treatments can be used to generate a traditional description in natural language along with a set of semantic annotations. The ant genus Strumigenys currently comprises about 840 described species distributed worldwide. In the Neotropical region, almost 200 species are currently known, but it is possible that much of the species' diversity there remains unexplored and undescribed. The morphological diversity in the genus is high, reflecting an extreme generic reclassification that occurred in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Here we define the anatomical concepts in this highly diverse group of ants using semantic annotations to enrich the anatomical ontologies available online, focussing on the definition of terms through subjacent conceptualization. Highlights: The group-specific anatomical terminology used for ants makes it difficult to communicate and to replicate studies. The use of controlled vocabularies will facilitate future comparisons in broader scales. New anatomical studies are needed to properly define concepts in an ontological context and to generate semantic annotations. Semantic annotations are accurate in representing hierarchical relationships between two or more anatomical classes. Highly morphologically diverse groups provide an interesting opportunity to explore disparate anatomical term usage.