AMANI is a search engine that retrieves information from the AMANI (Australian Marine Algal Name Index) database. This database was
constructed by Dr.Roberta Cowan.
Please forward any suggestions to:roberta.cowan@cbs.curtin.edu.au
Thank you!
The help file is divided into two categories. One of which is Content and the other
is Glossary. Users can search the help file using either of the two methods. When contents
is clicked, it displays further subsections which a user can choose. When the topics
on the left hand menu is chosen, the information will be displayed on the right.
If users click on the glossary, an alphabetic selection menu is displayed. Users can then
click on the link to obtain definitions for the selected words. The definitions will
be displayed on the right.
The Back, and forward button allows you to navigate front and back to the
previous page. The Print button is available for users who require the help contents
to be printed. The Exit button closes the window. If you wish to find certain
words which are not available in the Glossary menu, you can click on Find to
search for the word(s). For the find button to function, the user needs to click on the
Contents button and then click on either topics so that some information is
displayed on the right. The find button will search for possible matches in the display on
the right.
The first page that you see is the AMANI homepage. This main page displays several links in the left hand navigation bar
and an acknowledgement list. The 'Copyright' displays copyright regulations
and disclaimer. The 'AMANI Statistics' gives you the Current Statistics of the binomials loaded into AMANI.
The 'Links' leads you to a page of links to related websites.
The 'Help' opens this help window. The 'Email contact' allows you to contact us.
The 'Search AMANI' link leads you to
the main search page. There are basically 3 ways of searching the AMANI database.
At the end of the search on the
Generic Level Search
is a button which displays a report of all the
species information. See Reports
This is one of the three search paths available. This search path takes you through the
levels (ranks) of the taxonomic hierarchy.
Step 1
Select Hierarchical taxonomic level search of algal names on the Search Choices page. A list of division names
is then displayed
which is broken up into the macro-algae and protists.
Step 2
Select the desired division by clicking on the division name. This will then display a
list of families which belong to the selected division.
Users will then make their selection the same way as in the previous page. The same process
is repeated until either the taxonomic details of the selected species is
displayed. The order of the pages are as follows,
Compare this to the Direct Search or Distribution Search.
This is one of the three search paths available.
Step 1
Select Direct Search of algal names by Division, Family, Genus or Species on the Search Choices page. This will lead you to a
page where you enter a division, family, genus or a species name.
Step 2
Then select an appropriate level. Division is selected by default.
Step 3
Click on Search.
If nothing is entered in the box and the Search button is clicked, a page with
a list of division names will be displayed. From here you will be taken through a Level Search.
The software supports partial name searching. This means that you may enter just the first few
letters of a name, click on a level and then on Search. This will display a
list of all the names that matches your input. Wildcards * can also be used, to represent a
series of characters. For instance, 'Gel* ulv' can be searched on, or just the species epithet
such as, 'ulvoid'.
Compare this to Level Search or Region Search.
This is one of the three search paths available. There is Distribution search for macro-algae
and a separate one for protists.
Step 1
Select Distibution search of macro-algae or Distibution search of protists on the Search Choices page. This will display a list
of region names, and a box where you may enter a division or a family name. This enables
you to find out what are the species available in the selected regions or the distribution
of the selected species.
Step 2
Click on the check boxes of the regions.
Step 3
Select the search conjunction ('OR' or 'AND') for the regions. The default
search conjunction is 'OR'. Using 'AND', search only species found
strictly in the selected region. Using 'OR', search any species found in
the selected region.
Step 4
(Optional) Enter a division or family name to narrow the search. This will display a list
of species under the chosen division or family.
This report contains the division name, family name, genus name, species name for all accepted species names that match the selected Distribution search. The Australian Distribution and Global Distribution are given.
This report contains the division name, family name, genus name, species name, the authority and details of the reference to the authority for all accepted species names. It also gives the synonymy and misapplied or illegitimate names.
This search option allows you to step through the algae information according to its hierarchy.
Level Search starts at Division level, which is the highest
level available in the AMANI database. The Division is broken up into the
macro-algae and protists. To make a selection, click on
the desired division name. This will bring you to the next level:
the Family level.
This page displays a list of families under the previously selected
division. The selected division is displayed at the top of the page. Clicking on any of the
families will bring you to the genus level.
This page displays a list of genera (see Genus) under the family that
you have just selected. The division and family name that you have previously selected are
displayed at the top of the page. Clicking on one of the genera will bring you to the
generic level.
This page displays the Generic information, which is the result of
the search criteria you have made so far. It displays the division, family and genus names
that you have selected. It also gives the authority, reference, type and notes of the selected genus and the accepted
and non-accepted names of species under the selected genus.
Click on the links below to display the meaning for the terms below.
If one or more accepted names are available and you select on one of the
links provided, a page of Taxonomic information
pertaining to the selected species is loaded.
If you click on one of the links under the non-accepted name, a screen provides
you with a link generally to the accepted name for the non-accepted name.
You will need to click on the Accepted Name link to bring up Taxonomic information for this species.
This page displays the details of the selected species as well as information on other species
names associated with the taxon. The currently Accepted Species
name, Authority, Primary Reference details
of the species is provided. In the case of protists, Illustration and Habit and Habitat details may be
included. Similar information on the Heterotypic
Synonyms (if applicable), Homotypic Synonyms (if applicable) of the selected
species is also displayed.
You can click on the 'Distribution' button to view the species regional information.
To return to the main page, click the 'Home' button. To search again using other
search criteria, click the 'New Search' button.
Clicking on the Species Name and Authority link will take you to the Nomenclature Information screen.
Clicking on the Further Reference link will take you to the Reference screen which lists
Primary and Other References and Notes.
This page displays the nomenclatural information pertaining to the selected binomial. Click
on one of the links below to find out the meanings of the information
that is displayed.
For Macro-algae:
For Protists:
Click on the 'Taxonomy' button to view the species taxonomic information.
To return to the main page click on 'Home'. To search again using other search criteria,
click the 'New Search' button.
This page lists Primary Reference and Other References for further information and Notes.
This page displays the full-size image of the species.
The image's copyright is held by Dr John Huisman.
Contact roberta.cowan@cbs.curtin.edu.au for any queries concerning
this or other full-sized or thumb-nail images.
This page allows a user to do a direct search. In this page, users are required to type a
Division, Family, Genus
or Species name in the textbox provided and then select one of the 4
radio buttons that describes the text in the text-box. Finally, click on 'Search'
button.
This is one of the three search paths available. It allows you to search algae by their
regional location. There is Distribution search for macro-algae and a separate one for protists.
Step 1
Click on the check boxes of the regions.
Step 2
Select the search conjunction ('OR' or 'AND') for the regions. The default
search conjunction is 'OR'. Using 'AND', search only species found
strictly in the selected region. Using 'OR', search any species found in
the selected region.
Step 3
(Optional)Enter a division or family name to narrow the search. This will display a list
of species under the chosen division or family.
To return to the main page, click on the 'Home' button. To Search again using other
search choices, click on the 'New Search' button.
This page displays all the species that was found according to your distribution search
criteria. Click on the species to display further information.
To return to the main page, click on the 'Home' button. To Search again using other
search choices, click on the 'New Search' button.
This page displays the distributional information of the selected species. The species
Division, Family and Genus names are also provided. You can click on the Taxonomy
button to view the species taxonomic information.
To return to the main page, click on the 'Home' button. To Search again using other
search choices, click on the 'New Search' button.
GLOSSARY
Accepted Name
The currently recognised name of a particular species.
Accession number
The number provided for a herbarium specimen of an algal species.
AMANI
Australian Marine Algal Name Index
Authority
The surname (lastname) of the person or persons who have discovered a new species
(in this case there is no bracket and only one surname appears) or have changed the
placement of a species (in which case there will be a surname in brackets and a surname
following the brackets). In the latter case the names in the brackets and the name
following constitute the 'authority'.
Basionym
The base name or the first validly and effectively published name.
Bibliography
Information of a published work which allows you to locate the work.
Binomial
A species name consists of two parts; its genus name and species epithet.
Damperian Province
The coastline north from Geraldton, Western Australia to the tip of Cape York, Queensland.
For this database the Torres Strait Islands have been considered as part of the Queensland
Damperian. The Houtman Abrolhos Islands off Western Australia are considered separately.
The Northern Territory coast is entirely Damperian.
For further clarification see:
Womersley, H.B.S. 1981 Biogeography of Australasian marine algae. IN M. Clayton & R. King (Eds.) Marine Botany. An Australasian Perspective Longman Cheshire: Melbourne pages 292-307
Division
A classification group (rank) made up related families of plants or animals. All divisions
of plants have the ending '-phyta'.
East Australian Current
An ocean current on the east coast of Australia that rises from within the Coral Sea.
This is a warm water body which flows in a southerly direction along the east coast of Australia
with many large eddies into the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea.
For further clarification see:
CSIRO link
Eukaryote
Any cell or organism comprised of cells that possess a membrane bound nucleus, several chromosomes,
cellular organelles, and accomplishes cell division by mitosis and meiosis.
Family
A classification group (rank) made up related genera of plants or animals. All families
of plants have the ending '-aceae'.
Flindersian Province
The coastline south from Geraldton, Western Australia and east to Cape Howe, Victoria,
including Tasmania. For this database the Bass Strait Islands have been considered as
part of the Tasmania. South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania are completely within the
Flindersian Province.
For further clarification see:
Womersley, H.B.S. 1981 Biogeography of Australasian marine algae. IN M. Clayton & R. King (Eds.) Marine Botany. An Australasian Perspective Longman Cheshire: Melbourne pages 292-307
Generic level
Equivalent to the Species level.
Genus
A classification group (rank) made up related species of plants or animals.
Habit
This describes the lifestyle the organism has. For example, is the organism planktonic or is it epiphytic.
Habitat
This describes the environment where the organism lives. For example, does the organism live
along the coast – neritic, is it oceanic, is it a bottom dweller – benthic.
Herbarium
A place where a specimens of the algae are curated (stored) and are available
for comparison.
Heterotypic
This term is used in relation to synonyms. A heterotypic synonym is a name which is
known to be associated with a particular species but is based upon a different type than the accepted
name of that species.
Hierarchy
Classification levels or ranks.
Homotypic
This term is used in relation to synonyms. A homotypic synonym is a name which is known
to be associated with a particular species and is based upon the same type as the accepted name of
that species.
Illustration
An illustration in the case of a protist is usually a drawing or an electron micrograph.
See also Type Illustration.
Leeuwin Current
An ocean current on the west coast of Australia that rises off the southern boundary of the Timor Sea
and the area where the Pacific Ocean drains into the Indian Ocean. It is a warm current, that flows
strongly to the south and around Cape Leeuwin into the Great Australian Bight during the winter.
For further clarification see:
CSIRO link
Misapplied Name
A name that has been used for specimens incorrectly.
Name
Please see binomial.
Nomenclature
This is the information dealing with the name or
binomial. That information relates to a specimen called a
type. The rules governing nomenclature are published as the
'International Code of Botanical Nomenclature'.
Non-Accepted Name
A name or (binomial) which is not
accepted under the rules governing nomenclature.
Nutrition (of protists)
This describes the main food pathway for the organism.
Peronian Province
The coastline north from Cape Howe, Victoria north to Noosa, Queensland. The New South
Wales coast is entirely Peronian but the Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands are considered
separately.
For further clarification see:
Womersley, H.B.S. 1981 Biogeography of Australasian marine algae. IN M. Clayton & R. King (Eds.) Marine Botany. An Australasian Perspective Longman Cheshire: Melbourne pages 292-307
Protists
The collective name for the large, heterogeneous group of (mainly) unicellular organisms — some plant-like, some animal-like,
some with features of both kingdoms — which comprise the 'lower' eukaryotes.
Protologue
The first published account of a name. This account includes all text, illustrations
and references to earlier designations and includes the type statement.
Reference
A published account of interest concerning the authority and/or the latest published
work.
Solanderian Province
The coastline north from Noosa, Queensland to the tip of Cape York, Queensland. For
this database the Great Barrier Reef has been considered as part of the the Solanderian.
No attempt was made to separate mainland coastal Solanderian from the Great Barrier Reef, e.g., Species found off Townsville are recorded as present in the Great Barrier Reef.
For further clarification see:
Womersley, H.B.S. 1981 Biogeography of Australasian marine algae. IN M. Clayton & R. King (Eds.) Marine Botany. An Australasian Perspective Longman Cheshire: Melbourne pages 292-307
Species
A distinct group (rank) of living things.
Taxonomy
The discipline that deals with the classification of organisms.
Temperate
The distribution of protists, reflects the ocean currents and the major climatic zones. In this case tropical represents all zones with latitude greater than 20oS. For example, Western Australian temperate would be coastal organisms living from the South Australian border and conceivable all the way around the western coast to Broome.
Tropical
The distribution of protists, reflects the ocean currents and the major climatic zones.
In this case tropical represents all zones with latitude less than 20oS. For example, Qld tropical would be coastal organisms living from the Northern Territory border in the Gulf of Carpentaria, up to Cape York and down to Ayr including those organisms on the Great Barrier Reef.
Type Illustration
The ICBN allows for illustrations to stand as type specimens in special cases, particularly for microscopic organisms.
If an illustration has been designated as a type in the literature and we have found this information we will endeavour
to provide the information.
For further clarification see:
IAPT (CODE) link
Type Locality
The original locality at which a type specimen was discovered.
Only the protologue will have the original type locality data.
Type of Type
If this information is available, you will be find out whether the specimen is a holotype,
a lectotype, a neotype.
For further clarification see:
IAPT (CODE) link
Type Statement
The original description of the type locality of a name. Only the
protologue will have the original type statement.