Online Identification System for North Carolina Snakes

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Online Identification System for North Carolina
Snakes

• a novel approach to an old problem

Yurii Kornilev, Michael Dorcas, Mur Muchane
Biology Department Instructional Technology Group
Acknowledgements Derek Rodriguez, Kiril Simov,
Bill Johnson, Joy Hester, Chris Thawley, JD
Willson
Support from Associated Colleges of South, Duke
Power, and the National Science Foundation.
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Goals and Objectives

• Experts and professionals are supposed to know
  )
• However, the lay-person or the enthusiast needs
  something accurate, simple, easy to obtain and
  use
• gt Our goal to help the non-herpetologists

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Why The Need to ID organisms

• Conservation projects require information
  collection
• Scientific projects
• People are curious! (gt5000 visits of site per day
  during season!)

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Some traditional methods (/-)

• Field Guides
• easy to carry in field
• generally have combination between image and
  text
• - need some time to get acquainted with and know
  how to use
• - usually not available to layperson, somewhat
  specialized

Lists easy to carry - usually lack images, rely
on text - might be hard to find
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Some traditional methods (/-)
Dichotomous keys (Two-branches)
Example differentiating between a bicycle, a
motorcycle,and a car

• can pinpoint species with high level of
  accuracy
• portable
• - usually lack further information (have to be
  used with another book, etc.)
• - hard to find, very specialized
• - filled with specific terminology
• - might be difficult to use
• - if you get stuck, or make a mistake...

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Other Online Snake IDs
Austin Reptile Service http//www.austinreptilese
rvice.net/

• PARC AZ http//www.reptilesofaz.com/herp-snakes
  .html

• U of FL http//www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herpetolo
  gy/fl-guide/snakekey.htm

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How does the Snake ID really work?

• If you see a snake that is
• 5 ft long
• Moderate body
• Uniform pattern
• Black color
• Keeled scales

Char Spe Len Body Form Body Pattern Body Color Scales
Copperhead 4 Moderate Stocky Banded Brown Grey Keeled
Banded Watersnake 5 Moderate Stocky Banded Uniform Brown Black Orange Red Keeled
Coachwhip 9 Slender Uniform Banded Black White Grey Smooth
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The NC Snake Online ID

• Computer Side
• ASP (server side-generated HTML)
• Access Database SQL
• Multiplatform / Independency
• Optimized for minimum download of only relevant
  info
• Flexibility/Ease of Maintenance
• Tied to a computer with internet

• Biology Side
• Ease of use by Non-professionals
• Allows for some errors in ID
• Quick and dirty info
• Thumbnail images
• Links to more detailed web page
• - Sometimes cannot be applied to other animals

Outreach emails since its up from last fall
of visits to www.herpsofnc.org
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Thank you!

• Any comments, questions?

www.HerpsOfNC.org
Images by YK, MD, Pierson Hill, JD Willson