Taxonomic Name / Identification Recognition Reference

Introduction

This page is designed to provide the person transcribing specimen data with a bit of information about identifying and interpreting taxonomic names.

Specimens are generally identified in one of two ways:

1. A header label on a unit tray indicating the identification of all the specimens within the box
2. A determination label attached to the specimen or a preceding specimen in which the identifier indicated a series of specimens were being identified by turning the determination label

Taxonomic name structure

Order

For insects, tends to end in ptera but is not a requirement for a name of an order.

Examples: Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Hemiptera

Superfamily

Superfamily names end in oidea but some, not many, generic names also share the same ending. Identifications may also use the nominal form by omitting ea at the end (platygastroids, etc.)

Examples: Platygastroidea, Chalcidoidea, Proctotrupoidea, Vespoidea

Family

Familiar (family) names end in idae but some, not many, generic names also share the same ending. Identifications may also use the nominal form by omitting ae at the end (platygastrids, etc.)

Examples: Platygastridae, Scelionidae, Diapriidae, Formicidae

Subfamily

Subfamily names end in inae but some, not many, generic names also share the same ending. Identifications may also use the nominal form by omitting the 'a' from ae at the end (platygastrines, etc.)

Examples: Platygastrinae, Scelioninae, Telenominae, Ponerinae

Tribe

Tribal (tribe) names end in ini but some, not many, generic names also share the same ending.

Examples: Thoronini, Scelionini, Sparasionini, Formicini