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Starting Off

This wiki is designed to be publically viewable and editable! Yes, that's right! YOU are encouraged to contribute! Currently, contributors must be members of the Forum. Once you have registered, you should visit the Sandbox and play around with the various editing options. Plenty of documentation is available to answer your questions. When you feel ready, jump in and contribute! Contributions can include correcting typos, adding new information, creating pages, commenting in discussions, etc.

Guidelines

Scope

Right now, the focus should be on species accounts of reptiles and amphibians. Also, contributors are encouraged to make their own profile page.

Discussions

A discussions area will be maintained at the bottom of each species account. Use this area to share personal experiences, suggest changes, or offer input of any kind. Since the species accounts are intended to be common knowledge, it may be appropriate to hash out certain discrepancies with other contributors before edits. A feeback forum is available for asking questions and working out problems related to this wiki.

Responsibilities

A wiki provides a unique experience for users and contributors alike, but also presents some challenges. Contributors are responsible for maintaining the integrity and accuracy of the information presented. Copyrighted materials should be used only by permission and properly credited. Plagiarism should be avoided. (A good rule of thumb is to locate at least three different sources for the same information and then write it in your own words.)

To Do

Current

• Install PHPBB mods
  • PHPBB-Gallery Integration...In Progress
  • RSS Feeds...Done
  • Chat...Done; Styling in Progress
  • Hide Bots from online list...Failed Attempt with Hide Bots 1.0.4 (Waiting for New Version)
  • Mass Email/Newsletter...Looking
• Backup entire website
• Develop standard AHS logo
• Consider 2008 fall field trip location

Year-end Updates (2007 to 2008)

• Annual financial report...Done
• Announce yearly firsts...Done
• Annual herp finds (KR)...Done
• Update profile (KR)...Done
• Ask for conflicts for upcoming spring field trip...Done
• Set spring field trip date...Done
• Update taxonomic names on website (wiki, gallery, database)...Done
• 2008 PDF lists...Done
• Remove abandoned "herping best practices" document...Done
• Upgrade PHPBB...Done
• Upgrade PHPBB styles (Abandon "Prosilver" adaptation for now; Keep "Subsilver" adaptation)...Done
• Upgrade PmWiki...Done
• Upgrade Gallery...Done
• Inactivate older forum members...Done
• Update County Records on website (database)...Done

Species Accounts (of Highest Priority) to Write

• Chelydra serpentina (Common Snapping Turtle)
• Macrochelys temminckii (Alligator Snapping Turtle)
• Chrysemys dorsalis (Southern Painted Turtle)
• Deirochelys reticularia (Western Chicken Turtle)
• Graptemys geographica (Common Map Turtle)
• Graptemys ouachitensis (Ouachita Map Turtle)
• Graptemys pseudogeographica (Mississippi Map Turtle)
• Pseudemys concinna (Eastern River Cooter)
• Terrapene carolina (Eastern Box Turtle)...Done
• Terrapene ornata (Ornate Box Turtle)...Done except for Habits and Life History section.
• Trachemys scripta (Red-eared Slider)
• Kinosternon subrubrum (Mississippi Mud Turtle)
• Sternotherus carinatus (Razorback Musk Turtle)
• Sternotherus odoratus (Common Musk Turtle)
• Apalone mutica (Midland Smooth Softshell)
• Apalone spinifera (Spiny Softshell)
• Kinosternon flavescens (Yellow Mud Turtle)

Recent Taxonomic Name Changes (Continue to check for broken links, etc.)

1. Elaphe to Pantherophis
   • obsoleta to obsoletus
   • Rat Snakes and Fox Snakes to North American Rat Snakes and Fox Snakes
2. Eumeces to Plestiodon
   • Skinks to North American Skinks
3. Cnemidophorus to Aspidoscelis
   • Whiptails and Racerunners to North American Whiptails and Racerunners
   • sexlineatus to sexlineata
4. Chrysemys picta dorsalis to Chrysemys dorsalis
   • (For Chrysemys) Painted Turtle to Painted Turtles
5. Synonymize Acris crepitans blanchardi with A. c. crepitans
6. Pseudacris crucifer crucifer to P. crucifer (Remove ssp. recognition)
7. Pseudacris illinoensis to Pseudacris streckeri illinoensis
8. Pseudacris streckeri to Pseudacris streckeri streckeri
9. Pantherophis guttata to Pantherophis guttatus (Corrected gender)

Taxonomic Name Changes Under Consideration (Leaning to...)

1. Synonymize Masticophis with Coluber (no)
2. Sonora semiannulata to Sonora semiannulata semiannulata (no)
3. Bufo to Anaxyrus (no)
   • True Toads to Nearctic Toads
4. Rana to Lithobates (no)
   • True Frogs to North American True Frogs
5. Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis to Notophthalmus viridescens (no)
   • Central Newt to Eastern Newt
6. Pantherophis to Pituophis (no)
7. Pseudacris triseriata and Pseudacris feriarum...??? (no)
   • Cajun Chorus Frog...???
8. Crotaphytidae, Iguanidae, Phrynosomatidae, and Polychrotidae to the single family, Iguanidae (no)