‘Taxonomic Tools and Taxonomic Resources for Identification of Insect Species of Agricultural

Importance’
Dr A P Singh
Associate Professor in Zoology,
SGGS College, Sector-26, Chandigarh – 160 019
E-mail: apsingh_60@yahoo.co.in
ABSTRACT FOR POSTER PRESENTATION
Identification of a taxon is recognition of its correct scientific name and allocation of its correct position in the
hierarchy of classification. It is the first and foremost task for effective management of pest species and
exploitation of agents of biological control. Mayr (1969) referred name of the species as key to the literature.
Correct identification enables pest managers in procuring relevant literature. Consequences of several
incidences of misidentification of pest species have been reported (Rosen, 1986). Identification process relies
heavily on knowledge of taxonomic tools and resources.
Taxonomic Tools are the means by which a specimen is identified or named and described (if happens
to be new). These include, Print Taxonomic Tools (identification cards, descriptions, taxonomic keys, field
guides and manuals, catalogues, revisions, faunas, atlases, inventories, etc.), Molecular Taxonomic Tools
(DNA Bar-coding, Ribotyping), and Automated Species Identification Tools (Cyber Tools; DAISY, ALIS,
ABIS, SPIDA, DrawWing, etc.). Traditional Taxonomic Tools are based on morphology (external, internal),
behaviour (feeding, preferences), ecology, embryology, karyology, physiology, etc. Neo Taxonomic Tools are
based on Scanning Electron Micrographs (reveals details of known characters and provides new characters),
DNA Bar-coding (nucleotide sequences of CO1 gene of mtDNA; www.barcoding.si.edu) and Automated
Species Identification Systems (Gaston, et. al., 2004; are analytical and handle at fast pace the digitalized
images of the identified species and also DNA Sequence data for routine identification of common taxa).
Taxonomic Resources are the resources which can be accessed for taxonomic solutions and taxonomic
tools. These include, Print Taxonomic Resources ( libraries of local/national/ international stature), Reference
Collections (specimen repositories of local/ national/ international stature), E – Taxonomic Resources [online
global accessible descriptions, diagnostic keys, inventories, catalogues, scientific names, digitalized images,
and other resources; for example INOTAXA (Integrated Open TAXonomic Access; www.gbif.org) Portal
being developed as a joint project of Smithsonian Institutes, Natural History Museum (London), and 8 other
organizations/ museums; and NCBI Taxonomy Browser] and Reference Sequence Libraries (GenBank,
BOLD).
Basic knowledge of Taxonomic Tools and Taxonomic Resources to agricultural scientists further
becomes significant in view of limited reference collections in the institutional museums and constraints of
available taxonomic services. Agricultural Universities/ Institutes urgently need up-dating of museums (with
relevant collections), augmenting of print reference libraries, development of reference sequence libraries,
provision of prompt access to web-based taxonomic portals and creating facilities for automated species
identification system for in-house identification.
Present Poster will be primarily focused on capacity building in taxonomy based on neo-taxonomic
tools particularly Automated Species Identification System and DNA Bar-coding

REFERENCES
1. Consortium of Barcode of Life (CBOL) - (http://barcoding.si.edu)
2. Gaston, K.J., O’Neil, M.A (2004). Automated Species Recognition: Why not? Philosophical
Transaction of Royal Society of London B 359: 655-667
3. Hebert, P.D.N., Cywiniska, A., Ball, S.L., & deWaard, J.R. (2003 a). Biological identification through
barcodes. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. Ser. B. 270: 313-321
4. Kapoor, V.C. (1983). Theory & Practice of Animal Taxonomy. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co.
220pp
5. Mayr, E. (1969). Principles of Systematic Zoology. McGraw Hill, N.Y., 428 pp
6. Rosen, D (1986). Role of taxonomy in effective biological control programme. Agriculture, Ecosystem &
Environment. 15 (2-3): 121-129.