Labels of a Xylocopa valga female specimen from the MCNB collection. Photo credits: Sergi Gago Carrión

Today we bring you the last concept in our #TaxonomicBites series: Georeferencing 🌍🛰️!

The most vital data for specimens in NHCs are the PLACE (where) and YEAR (when) of collection. These provide us with spatial and temporal distribution information needed for biodiversity studies!

Let's introduce another key concept to our #TaxonomicBites series! Today: #Digitization! 💻

The information contained in NHCs has remained hidden from the general public for decades. But thanks to communications technology, collection data can now be shared worldwide 🌍🔄!

@tettris.eu

Red labels are used at the MNCN-CSIC Ent. Collection to label type specimens. The image shows sheets with syntype (sintipo), paralectotype (paralectotipo), paratype (paratipo) and holotype (holotipo) labels. Source: our own Photo credits: A. Sánchez Albert

This week, we present another edition of our #TaxonomicBites series. This time: type material!

Among the samples #NHCs hold, type specimens stand out for their important role: setting the base for species delimitation. 🧩

They are usually highlighted with red labels! 🔴🏷️

Reference collections are key to present and future science (learn more reading our previous post 👇), but none of them would be possible without the taxonomic experts behind them.

Let’s meet their work in this new post of #TaxonomicBites! 👩‍💻🦋🐝 bsky.app/profile/incs...

Close-up of one corner of an organised entomological box containing 'Bombus' specimens from the Iberian Peninsula (Hymenoptera: Apidae). The specimens are organised with a pinned ID label at the start of each row to facilitate subsequent cataloguing. Source: MCNB Author: I. Lobato

During last months, you’ve probably heard about #INCSTEP pollinator reference collection… 🐝 But, do you know what a Reference Collection (RC) is? 🤔

Today we kick off a series of knowledge capsules to unpack this and other key concepts in taxonomy!

#TaxonomicBites 📚