Palynopedia: a new Microsoft Access© database for paleopalyology

Here we present a preliminary version of Palynopedia, a new Microsoft Access© palynological database. Palynopedia has been built with the purpose of collecting data from as many Triassic sporomorph species as possible, including their relative stratigraphic and geographic distribution and botanical affinity, and to simplify the identification with a user-friendly search engine. This preliminary version of the database was filled with a set of 200 records of Middle–Upper Triassic sporomorph species. For each species has been created a dataset composed of: name of the species, author, year of publication, diagnosis, original description, synonyms, locus tipicus and stratum tipicum, pictures of the holo- and/or paratypes, biostratigraphic and geographical distribution and botanical affinity. A search in Palynopedia can be done in two ways: based on the systematic of the species or on the main morphological features of the sporomorph (form, type of saccus, aperture, sculptures, etc.). The query filters and groups the records on the basis of these features; it is possible to choose keywords from a simple pull-down menu. Results are displayed in a list and each record of species found can be reached from it by a click. Furthermore, the database allows to seek a word or a group of words contained in one of the record fields just typing them in an easy search engine. An on-line version of Palynopedia with the same functions and features described is under construction. In the future the number of species should be extended hopefully to the entire Phanerozoic palynomorphs.