[Taxacom] progress on globalnames.org

[Geoff Read]

>>> On 18/05/2009 at 9:05 a.m., Peter DeVries <pete.devries at gmail.com> wrote:
> My main goal in this is to try out ways to tie specimens and data
related to
> specimens to species concepts. [...]

> Most mosquitoes workers use a key. I use Darsie. Most have never seen the
> type specimen. They use the key of their choice and assign a name to that
> specimen. There is little or no real "mapping" from that keyed specimen to
> the typed specimen. Also, not everyone is using the same key.

Sounds like a situation where vouchers would be essential. Anyone can
apply a name ... wrongly, using a key.

> At a minimum, adding a species concept identifier to a named specimen helps
> clarify the intent of the person identifying the specimen.

As another person said, we come back to where the concept comes from each
time. If it comes from the key, then it's only at that level of accuracy,
and I don't really see where your concept identifier fits, or contributes
any legitimacy, unless it's developed into a full species page with pics,
description, name history, etc - all additional to the key. Otherwise what
really happens each time is "I identified according to the key of Smith
1976 or whoever" (quotes LSID for Smith).

Geoff