Australian Biological Resources Study
The Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) provides online delivery of taxonomic and biological information on species known to occur in Australia.
ABRS Fauna Online delivers the Australian Faunal Directory which encompasses information from the Zoological Catalogue of Australia.
Platypus is a relational database programme developed by ABRS.
ABRS Flora Online delivers information from the Flora of Australia Online, Australian Marine Algal Name Index, Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories and Checklist of Australian Liverworts and Hornworts. It also links to ABRS collaborative projects such as the Census of Freshwater Algae in Australia and Interactive Catalogue of Australian Fungi. This online information is available free of charge.
ABRS Glossaries available:
Vascular Plants - for use with Flora of Australia and Species Plantarum
Ferns, Gymnosperms and Allied Groups - for use with Flora of Australia volume 48
Lichens - for use with Flora of Australia lichen volumes
Fungi - for use with Fungi of Australia
Fauna - for use with Australian Faunal Directory
Citation makes recommendations on how to cite ABRS Online Resources.
Links to other databases and relevant sites.
POLiKEY is an interactive key and information system for polychaete families and higher taxa. It contains 104 polychaete taxa, comprising 17 higher-level taxa, 82 families and five subfamily groups.
Catalogue of Tunicata in Australian Waters, a free publication which is also incorporated into the online Australian Faunal Directory. Currently Australia’s Tunicate fauna includes 755 described species in 108 genera.
Centipedes of Australia is a dichotomous key that allows you to identify any of Australia's centipedes. Based on the easily seen characteristics of specimens, and aided by superb graphics, you can track the identity of your centipede to order, family, genus and species. You can then check its distribution. This is a joint project between CSIRO Entomology and ABRS.
Software (Lucid, Delta and Platypus) for downloading and using for ABRS interactive keys and online databases.
Species Bank is an online database which aims to expand the wildlife experience of the Australian Community by describing and illustrating many of these lesser known species, in a way that highlights their way of life, their interactions with each other and ourselves, and their importance as a natural part of the environment we all share.
Tutorial gives an overview and examples of searching for data in the two main ABRS Online Resources – Australian Faunal Directory and Flora of Australia Online. More detailed user instructions can be found within each of these systems. The tutorial also provides a brief introduction to two other portals of interest to ABRS – GBIF and OZCAM.
