GenBank & Taxonomical Nomenclature/identification

[Gary Gibson]

The GenBank has nothing to be ashamed about re. voucher specimens compared with ecologists, biocontrol specialists and other biologists in general. I just completed a revision of a chalcid genus, several species of which parasitize flies that breed in dung. Consequently, there is quite a bit of literature reporting this or that species from a particular host, filth fly or other host. I made a considerable effort to track down voucher specimens for all papers that listed a new host species for any of the species. As any taxonomist would guess - with little success. I did not locate a single specimen specifically labelled as a 'voucher' specimen, though I was able to track down specimens that undoubtedly are voucher specimens for some studies based on their collection data (luckily the USNM taxonomists have been quite good at keeping parts of series sent in for identification). The necessity of biologists properly labelling and retaining voucher specimens can be illustrated by one of the species I treated. Of specimens identified as one species in the USNM collection from 39 different collection records, only 14 proved to be that species, 22 were 3 other incorrectly identified species. Further, of 30 hosts recorded in the literature for that species I managed to locate presumed voucher specimens for 10 papers citing host records. Of these, 6 were misidentifications of 2 other species. Call me a pessimist but it seems highly unlikely that all the other unverified host and associated biological information reported in the literature for that species is correct.

I do not want to start a whole new diatribe about the importance of properly labelled voucher specimens, whose museum depository is cited in the relevant publication, but this is a continuing problem and frustration for taxonomists.
Gary Gibson



Dr. Gary Gibson
Systematic Entomology Section
Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre
K.W. Neatby Building, C.E.F.
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1A 0C6

http://res.agr.ca/ecorc/apss/chalhome.htm