Announcing a new section: Provisional Identification Keys

Authors

  • Victor H. Gonzalez Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Division of Entomology, Natural History Museum, 1501 Crestline Drive-Suite 140, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045-4415, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4146-1634
  • Claus Rasmussen Department of Agroecology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1529-6548
  • Mariano Lucia División Entomología, Museo de La Plata, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Edificio Anexo Museo, Unidades de Investigación FCNyM, La Plata, Argentina. CONICET, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8019-6768
  • Wyatt J. Zabinski Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, 1200 Sunnyside Avenue, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0005-1618-2288

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17161/jom.vi147.25551

Abstract

Accurate species identification is essential for research, monitoring, human and animal health, agriculture, and conservation, yet it is often hindered by outdated or inaccessible identification keys and a limited number of trained taxonomists. Many experts maintain provisional keys that are actively used for identification but remain unpublished because these are not part of a taxonomic revision, lack illustrations, are incomplete, or are simply not sufficient to merit a stand-alone, peer-reviewed publication. To enable access to such keys, the Journal of Melittology introduces a new section, Provisional Identification Keys, dedicated to the dissemination of draft, preliminary, or provisional keys for bees. These contributions will be available online as clearly labeled working resources to facilitate identification, preserve expert knowledge, support training, facilitate and encourage collaborations and complement, rather than replace, formal, peer-reviewed taxonomic revisions. We will further clarify the nature of the complementarity in this introductory article.

References

Andreola, M.F., V.H. Gonzalez, & T. Griswold. 2026. Key to the species of Augochloropsis Cockerell (Halictidae: Augochlorini) from Panama and Costa Rica. Version 1.0. Journal of Melittology, Provisional Identification Keys. 148: 1–5. https://doi.org/10.17161/jom.vi148.25560

Elmore, S.A. 2018. Preprints: What role do these have in communicating scientific results? Toxicologic Pathology 46(4): 364–365. https://doi.org/10.1177/0192623318767322

Engel, M.S., Ceríaco, L.M.P., Daniel, G.M., et al., 2021. The taxonomic impediment: A shortage of taxonomists, not the lack of technical approaches. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 193(2): 381–387. https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab072

Fraser, N., F. Momeni, P. Mayr, & I. Peters. 2020. The relationship between bioRxiv preprints, citations and altmetrics. Quantitative Science Studies 1(2): 618–638. https://doi.org/10.1162/qss_a_00043

Gonzalez, V.H., T. Griswold, & M.S. Engel. 2013. Obtaining a better understanding of native bees: Where do we start? Systematic Entomology 38(4): 645–653. https://doi.org/10.1111/syen.12029

Johnston, M., R.L. Aalbu, & N. Franz. 2018. An updated checklist of the Tenebrionidae sec. Bousquet et al. 2018 of the Algodones Dunes of California, with comments on checklist data practices. Biodiversity Data Journal 6: e24927. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.6.e24927

Packer, L., J. Gibbs, C. Sheffield, & R. Hanner. 2009. DNA barcoding and the mediocrity of morphology. Molecular Ecology Resources 9(s1): 42–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1755-0998.2009.02631.x

Walter, D.E., & S. Winterton. 2007. Keys and the crisis in taxonomy: Extinction or reinvention. Annual Review of Entomology 52: 193–208. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.51.110104.151054

Woodard, S.H., & H.K. Levenson. 2025. Special issue series: Advancing wild bee research and conservation through standardized methods. Journal of Melittology 123(1): 1–3. https://doi.org/10.17161/jom.vi123.22605

Woodard, S.H, S. Federman, R.R. James, B.N. Danforth, T.L. Griswold, D. Inouye, Q.S. McFrederick, L. Morandin, D.L. Paul, E. Sellers, J.P. Strange, M. Vaughan, N.M. Williams, M.G. Branstetter, C.T. Burns, J. Cane, A.B. Cariveau, D.P. Cariveau, A. Childers, C. Childers, D.L. Cox-Foster, E.C. Evans, K.K. Graham, K. Hackett, K.T. Huntzinger, R.E. Irwin, S. Jha, S. Lawson, C. Liang, M.M. López-Uribe, A. Melathopoulos, H.M.C. Moylett, C.R.V. Otto, L.C. Ponisio, L.L. Richardson, R. Rose, R. Singh, & W. Wehling. 2020. Towards a U.S. national program for monitoring native bees. Biological Conservation 252: 108821. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108821

concept

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

29-05-2026

Issue

No. 147 (2026): Announcing a new section: Provisional Identification Keys

Section

Provisional Identification Keys

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Victor H. Gonzalez, Claus Rasmussen, Mariano Lucia, Wyatt J. Zabinski

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Copyright for articles published in Journal of Melittology is retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. By virtue of their appearance in this open access journal, articles are free to use, with proper attribution and permission of the authors, in educational and other non-commercial settings.

How to Cite

Gonzalez, V. H., Rasmussen, C., Lucia, M., & Zabinski, W. J. (2026). Announcing a new section: Provisional Identification Keys. Journal of Melittology, 147. https://doi.org/10.17161/jom.vi147.25551

Most read articles by the same author(s)

1 2 3 > >>