Shane F. McEvey's dataset documents a 2017 survey of Drosophilidae flies on the Cook Islands. The survey collected 8036 specimens across three islands using diverse methods in domestic, rural, and montane-forest habitats. It lists collection localities, dates, methods, and specimen records, with specimens held at the Australian Museum.
Use Cases
- Analyzing species diversity and frequency based on the 12 identified species and specimen counts.
- Studying habitat-specific species distribution based on data from domestic, rural, and montane-forest habitats.
- Investigating endemic species occurrence based on the description of the new species Drosophila rarotongae.
- Comparing collection methods' effectiveness based on the diverse range of implemented methods.
Strengths
- 8036 specimens collected, providing a substantial sample size.
- Survey conducted across three islands (Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia) and multiple habitats.
- Includes a complete list of collection localities, dates, methods, and specimen records.
Limitations
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
- Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.
Provenance
- Source
- Shane F. McEvey
- Collection Method
- Survey using a diverse range of collecting methods at different elevations.
- Time Range
- 2017
- Geography
- Cook Islands: Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia