TreePics: visualizing trees with pictures

  • Nicolas Puillandre Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité ISYEB – UMR7205 – CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 43 rue Cuvier, F-75231 Paris
  • Julien Brisset Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, UMS 2006 Patrimoine Naturel, 36 rue Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, CP41 75005 Paris
  • Simon Chagnoux Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Division des Systèmes d’Information, 57 rue Cuvier, CP41 75005 Paris
  • Etienne Cavillier Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Division des Systèmes d’Information, 57 rue Cuvier, CP41 75005 Paris
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.353
Keywords: phylogenetic trees, voucher pictures, DNA barcoding, computer program

Abstract

While many programs are available to edit phylogenetic trees, associating pictures with branch tips in an efficient and automatic way is not an available option. Here, we present TreePics, a standalone software that uses a web browser to visualize phylogenetic trees in Newick format and that associates pictures (typically, pictures of the voucher specimens) to the tip of each branch. Pictures are visualized as thumbnails and can be enlarged by a mouse rollover. Further, several pictures can be selected and displayed in a separate window for visual comparison. TreePics works either online or in a full standalone version, where it can display trees with several thousands of pictures (depending on the memory available). We argue that TreePics can be particularly useful in a preliminary stage of research, such as to quickly detect conflicts between a DNA-based phylogenetic tree and morphological variation, that may be due to contamination that needs to be removed prior to final analyses, or the presence of species complexes.

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Published
2017-09-26
How to Cite
Puillandre, N., Brisset, J., Chagnoux, S., & Cavillier, E. (2017). TreePics: visualizing trees with pictures. European Journal of Taxonomy, (353). https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2017.353
Issue
No. 353 (2017): TreePics: visualizing trees with pictures
Section
Opinion Paper
Copyright (c) 2017 Nicolas Puillandre, Julien Brisset, Simon Chagnoux, Etienne Caviller

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