Comparison of multiple taxonomic hierarchies using TaxoNote

Recent work on modelling taxonomic names and the relationships between them has highlighted the need for capturing the multiple names and hierarchies that exist in taxonomic nomenclature. In this paper we describe TaxoNote Comparator, a tool for visualising and comparing multiple classification hierarchies. In order to align the hierarchies, the Comparator creates an integrated hierarchy containing all the taxa in the hierarchies to be compared, so that alignment of the hierarchies can be maintained. In addition, a table of assignments reports the taxonomic names that are common to all hierarchies and the differences between them, which facilitates structural comparisons between the hierarchies. CR Categories: I.3.6 [Computer Graphics]: Methodology and Techniques – Graphics data structures and data types; J.3 [Life and medical sciences]: Biology and genetics