Classification

[Rossano]

I have a big problem.

I am trying to build an excel sheet with the classification of the models I buy. I do like this.

I buy a model, mainly looking for groups of animals that I still don't have, starting from classes and then going down to orders, families and other intermediate groups.

Then I identify the precise species, and build back the classificationtree. First the genus, then the family and so on.

In this way I arrive to the point where the various animals' classification trees link together forming a complete structure, pending from the first devide biota/abiota.

Until now I tried to get the classification infos from wikipedia, and even if I often found different systems of classification used for different animals files, I could manage to reasonably solve the mismatchings.

But now I began looking into the direction of extinct animals, and here comes the armageddon. A total mess. A tragedy.

How can I find a solution? Is there a place where I can get a complete classification of the extinct animals?

Please help me, I am a desperate taxonomist.

[stargatedalek]

Short answer is no that's not possible, there are things we simply don't know.

[sbell]

Trying to work out the current classification of modern animals is hard enough, to say nothing of extinct ones. The paleobiology database site is a good place to start, although it is not always complete either. Sometimes it's just a matter of chasing down primary references. For every taxon. No biggie!

[bmathison1972]

I too am an obsesive taxonomist, but I am not so worried about it with regards to my collection inventory. My excel sheet is arranged with these columns:

Figure (common and scientific names--I hate common names but since many figures are sold under them I use them here)
Category (taxonomic order)--keep in mind I only collect arthropods
Manufacturer
Series
Number
Year

I keep them sorted by: Category, Figure, Manufacturer for quick reference, so species are alphabetical within a given order, and then alphabetical by manufacturer.

If you talk to me by pvt message, we can exchange emails and I can share it with you.

[brontodocus]

Mikko's Phylogeny Archive may not be peer-reviewed but I'd recommend it nonetheless: http://www.helsinki.fi/~mhaaramo/
I still have to work out a taxonomic database of my figures, currently they are arranged by company. However, since I have photographed most of my figures I have photo albums of them arranged by major taxonomic groups (well sometimes not so major, I have a Lucanidae album). I uploaded these to facebook but honestly, these albums are largely for my own orientation.

[Rossano]

Brotondocus you are my hero! 

This is a fantistic source, and that's exactly the kind or thing I was looking for.

Now I have to browse a bit the groups where I can find dinos and the other prehistoric animals, very curious to see what's going on here.

Will be back later!

[sbell]

I have an Access Database that I maintain with separate tables for collection, taxonomy, distributions, manufacturers, etc. And all of these are of course linked in a massive database map. And every figure is linked to at least one photo...that is a really big file as well.

It is about ten years old now, and there are parts of it I don't like of course (but changing it now would be a small nightmare). The taxonomy I tend to use is as much functional as phylogenetic--for example, fish and mammals are classed in much greater detail than, say, birds or arthropods, which I don't tend to collect much.

It is often a problem anyway, especially in prehistoric animals, which don't tend to fit our categories easily. And even the site given by Bronotdocus has some questionable points in it; taxonomy is never finished.

[Rossano]

So guys, looks like I came up with an achievement.

I finished few weeks ago the first level of my global living beings database.

I started the first level of it from biota/abiota, that means that eventually I might even include a classification of the minerals, and went down pointing out all the forks of the tree, beginning to open branches starting from the level Animalia. Actually there are some lists even of prions, viruses, archaea, bacteria and the very first levels of Chromista, Protista, Plantae and Fungi, but they are just few lines. Into Animalia, from the level of Chordata the tree is completed at least up to Families, and Tunicata, Amphibia, Reptilia, Synapsida and Mammalia are completed at least up to level of genus. Manz of these up to the level of species, and some even of subspecies. There is also a column for races and chromatisms, that have been compiled for very rare cases indeed (black panther jaguar and leopard, king cheetah, a few races of horse, cows, sheeps...).

Every animal present in the current catologues of Safari, Schleich, Collecta, Papo, Mojo, Bullyland and Likaonmodels and some from the catalogues of Maia &Borges and Geoworld is listed aside the proper species.

My pleasure is the possibility to check out quickly if a certain species is present in the catalogue of the main producers that I can find on the market here, and mostly if there is a better alternative from other producers of the same species, genus, family when I am considering to buy a model for my son. Checking out with him from my mobile all these things is one of the funniest parts of the whole game.... 

Moreover, I like the possibility to check out with him how complete is the coverage of the different classes, orders, families. For example, we were waiting for a long time a Viverridae and it's been a great pleasure to discover that finally Collecta made one of them, and the same goes for Estemmenosuchus that is the second Therapsida in the market made by major producers after Inostrancevia by Safari, and so on.

If anyone would like to have the file I will be pleased to pass it on, I put a quite big number of hours in making it, but sure sharing it will only increase the pleasure, if ever someone will show interest for it.