Entered names are matched against previous database entries to reduce the number of typographical errors. "New" names do occur and need to be entered into the database. This form is used to submit those names of animal or plant organisms being shipped, targeted, released, or serving as hosts or prey.
The normal procedure is to A) Search the database to see if the name has been entered, B) Enter the name in the Description field, and C) Add details to the nomeclature record.
- Search the database of Scientific Names and description fields to see if the name has been entered. This is a good time to check for spelling, capitalization, and typographical errors. To find the name of a particular species (complete, new, or partially determined), browse the database for current scientific names. The name of a species, the scientific name, is in the general format: Genus name, species name, and author.
- If you have genus and species names, start your search, under "Build a list of scientific names", selecting a matching capitalized letter, A, B, C, etc. for the genus name. If the organism is included in the database, enter it on the form as it is spelled in the database. You can use "Cut" and "Paste" from the Edit Menu of your Web Browser to copy the name from the "Display species" screen. Or if you know the species occurs in ROBO, you may type in the Genus and species. Then, as the form is processed, the name of the author will be provided automatically, if the Genus and species are spelled correctly.
- To find the name/description for an undetermined organism, search the database for currently listed "undetermined" organisms. Under "Build a list of scientific names", select lowercase "a-z" for the Genus name question. Look through the various entries to see if any of current database entries are acceptable. Again, you may cut and paste an entry.
- If a new name entry is necessary, the Description field of the "Add a New Animal/Plant Name to ROBO" form needs to contain the name of the organism in one of the following formats. Use the scientific name (with proper capitalization) if the organism has one. If there is no scientific name or if that is not appropriate, enter a description using only lower case letters. Here are some examples.
- Complete scientific names: (Genus, species, and author name).
E.g. Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus); Harrisina brillians Barnes & McDunnough
- Truncated scientific names: (Genus, and species).
E.g. Musca domestica
- New, unpublished, species:
E.g. Agrypon n. sp.
- Partially determined species:
E.g. Amblyseius sp. nr.hibisci (Chant); Heliothis sp.; Apanteles spp.
- Undetermined species: [Note that the following have a lowercase first letter. See the "a-z" search selection.]
- Organisms for which only family or order is known - Examples: aphidid sp(p)., braconid sp. B., lepidopteran sp(p).
- General collections of natural enemies of invertebrates - Enter
"parasites/predators of", or "parasites/pathogens of" and the common or
scientific name of field host/prey. For example: "parasites/pathogens
of" and "Hypera postica" or "alfalfa weevil".
- For mixed predators of invertebrates - Enter "predators
of" and the scientific or common name of the field prey.
- For parasitized invertebrate material - Enter "parasites of" and
the scientific or common name of the field host.
- For infested weed material - Enter "natural enemies of"
and the scientific or common name of the field host.
- In addition to Undetermined species, the following may be
entered in the Description field as needed:
- Habitat -- The place in which the organism was
collected if not from another organism. Examples include animal dung (for
dung beetles), nests (for pollinators),
and soil (for microorganisms). Often there is an additional target, such
as horn fly, which breeds in dung.
In these cases, the scientific name of the secondary host/prey should be
listed as a second intended target.
- Substrate -- The kind of media the organism is growing in.
- Pollinated Plant -- The plants for which this organism was
imported to pollinate (intended target), and the plants pollinated in
the area from which it was collected.
In ALL cases, this DESCRIPTION FIELD MUST EXACTLY MATCH
THE NAME OF THE ORGANISM THAT IS ENTERED ON THE FORM.
- Expand the nomeclature record. For names in categories 1-4 above, please complete the taxonomic and other fields of the form to the extent possible. (E.g. ANIMALIA Arthropoda Insecta Diptera Muscidae Musca domestica Linnaeus.) The fields for subgenus, subspecies, subspecies author, subfamily, and tribe are not required. However, for natural enemy species new to the database, please add in the Comment field, its mode of attack on its host/prey, if known.
By completing this form, you temporarily validate your name to the database checking routine. You can use this name to enter many forms although the name will not appear on the official database list of scientific names until the Biological Control Documentation Center staff has reviewed it.
Thank you for your entry.
Please send comments and requests to:
- Biological Control Documentation Center
ARS, USDA, National Agricultural Library
10301 Baltimore Avenue
Beltsville, Maryland 20705
- Tel: (301) 504-6350, FAX: (301) 504-6355
- E-mail to: JCoulson@ars-grin.gov
Last updated 15 February 2001