The San Francisco Bay Project Identification Manual Series: A New Approach to Invertebrate Keys

Abstract

Light, W. J. (Department of Invertebrate Zoology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, Ca. 94118) 1976. The San Francisco Bay Project identification manual series: a new approach to invertebrate keys. Syst. Zool. 25:236-242.-A new approach to invertebrate taxonomic keys is presented in the form of identification manuals. Tlhese guides are written in a style useful for the professional systema.ic specialist, but at the same time allow the general biologist to easily and accurately identify invertebrates. The manuals incorporate the use of several distinct but complementary formats, enabling the user to approach identifications from different perspectives. Biramous pictorial keys of the type employed by the U. S. military forces for insect disease vectors during World War II offer inexperienced persons a vehicle for easy and accurate identifications of otherwise difficult and obscure groups. These are followed by the more traditional dichotomous keys which have been modified to include more detailed information than is possible with the pictorial keys. These, in turn, are followed by detailed keys which present complete diagnoses at a glance. Full descriptive material and illustrations are included, the latter also arranged in tabular form so that similar aspects of related taxa are presented together. Complete, illustrated glossaries are provided which include corresponding terms employed by otlher authors; the French and German equivalents are also given where appropriate. It is hoped that this approach will make the primary literature more accessible to the general reader. [Invertebrates; Keys.]