Taxonomic and Identification Keys
Taxonomy: A study aimed at producing a hierarchical system of classification of organisms which best reflects the totality of similarities and differences.
Key: an arrangement of the distinguishing features of a taxonomic group to serve as a guide for establishing relationships and names of unidentified members of the group. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms)
Dichotomous: descriptive of a structure that divides regularly into pairs.
Dichotomous key: a device of logic used in taxonomy to identify taxa. Dichotomous keys consist of statements arranged in couplets. Based on the correctness of the statement with regard to the specimen at hand, the user is directed to other contrasting statements, and ultimately to the name of the Taxon. (Dictionary of Entomology, Gordh and Headrick)
HOW TO BEGIN LOOKING FOR KEYS
1. Know the phylum, class or order of the animal or plant you are trying to identify.
Encyclopedia Britannica, or other general reference works such as The Invertebrates by Hyman (QL362.H9 Hodges and AgVet Lib stacks) are helpful. If you know only the common names of the organisms you are working with, consult sources such as Common Names of Insects and Related Organisms (QL474.C66 1999) or Common Names of the Mammals of the World (QL 708.W45 2000) to discover their approved scientific names.
2. Begin by looking at guides to the literature, which are reference books that describe different types of resources for a subject.
Here are a few that are available in the UT Libraries.
- Animal Identification, A Reference Guide. A guide to
the literature, consisting of three volumes. Volume 1: Marine
and Brackish Water Animals. Volume 2: Land and Freshwater Animals
(not Insects) Volume 3: Insects.
Holdings: Z 7994.I34A54 Hodges Reference and AgVet Lib Reference - Guide to Information Sources in the Botanical Sciences.
Includes a section that identifies keys.
Holdings: QK45.2.D3 1996 Hodges Reference; QK45.2.D3 1987 AgVet Lib Reference - Guide to the Zoological Literature. Points to handbooks
and to taxonomic keys for the animal kingdom, including insects.
Holdings: QL 45.2.B45 1994 Hodges Reference and AgVet Lib Reference - Entomology: A Guide to Information Sources.
Holdings: QL463.G544 1990 Hodges Reference and AgVet LibReference - Using the Biological Literature: A Practical Guide.
Holdings: QH303.D39 1995 Hodges Reference and AgVet LibReference
3. Search the online catalog.
- For titles identified in guides to the literature
- For more guides to the literature
- For keys themselves - try several strategies:
- Title Keyword search using the word "key"
in addition to the name of the organism
Other keywords to try: "identification" or " classification" - Also try using a Subject Keyword search
- Title Keyword search using the word "key"
in addition to the name of the organism
4. Look for handbooks, textbooks, field guides, or catalogs.
Some will contain keys, even if "key" is not specifically mentioned in the title or subject of the book. If there is nothing on the genus or species you need, broaden your search to include families, tribes, subtribes or orders.
5. Search database indexes to the periodical literature.
Keys and revisions to keys are often published in journal articles: try keyword searches with your organism name and terms such as "key*" or "revision" or "identification."
- Zoological Record Plus, a comprehensive index to the literature of systematic zoology. Check thesaurus for correct scientific terminology for your organism. Off-campus access will require NetID/password.
- Biological Abstracts covers the life sciences. You may wish to do your search in the current file, and the backfile. Off-campus access will require NetID/password.
6. Search the World Wide Web.
Tree of Life - A project containing information about the diversity of organisms on Earth, their history, and characteristics. Keys may be found in the citations for particular organisms.
Biosis Index to Organism Name - tool for the general bioscience community giving basic nomenclatural and hierarchy information
Bureau of Laboratories List of Keys and Guides - keys for identification of various kinds of organisms created by or for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Google search engine - Try searching for your species, genera, tribe, etc; adding the term "key"
SOME KEYS AVAILABLE IN THE UT LIBRARIES
Please search the online catalog for additional titles. (See #5 above for hints)
Plants and Trees
- Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and
Adjacent Canada.
Holdings: QK117.G49 Hodges stacks and Reference; AgVet Lib stacks - Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas.
Holdings: QK178.R32 Hodges stacks - Muenscher's Key to Woody Plants: An Expanded Guide to Native
and Cultivated Species.
Holdings: QK115.C69 2001 Hodges stacks; AgVet Lib stacks - North American Trees: Exclusive of Mexico and Tropical Florida.
Holdings: QK481.P68 1976 Hodges stacks, AgVet stacks
Vertebrates
Mammals
- A manual of mammalogy, with keys to families of the world.
Holdings: QL703.D42 AgVet Lib stacks - Illustrated key to skulls of genera of North American land
mammals.
Holdings: QL739.J66 1992 Hodges stacks; AgVet Lib Reference
Fish
- How to know the freshwater fishes. Keys to the families
of fresh water fish found in the United States.
Holdings: QL627.E4 Hodges stacks; AgVet Lib stacks
- Fishes of the World: A key to families and a checklist.
Lindberg G. U. List of keys enabling the researcher to identify
down to the family level.
Holdings: QL618.L5513 Hodges stacks
Invertebrates
- Key to Parasitic Nematodes. Skriabin. 4 volumes.
Holdings: QL391.N4S533 AgVet Lib stacks
Insects
- Classification of Insects: Keys to the Living and Extinct
Families of Insects and to the Living Families of Other Terrestrial
Arthropods. Brues, Melander and Carpenter, in Bulletin
of the Museum of Comparative Zoology volume 108.
Holdings: QL1.H3 Storage - American Insects; a handbook of the insects of America North
of Mexico.
Holdings: QL 474.A76 Hodges Reference and stacks; AgVet Lib Reference and stacks - The Beetles of the United States: a manual for identification.
Holdings: QL583.A7 Hodges stacks, AgVet Lib stacks - Identification and geographical distribution of the mosquitoes
of North America, north of Mexico.
Holdings: QL536.D34 AgVet Lib stacks
November 6, 2007