Improving Taxonomic Practices and Enhancing Its Extensibility—An Example from Araneology
Planetary extinction of biodiversity underscores the need for taxonomy. Here, we scrutinize spider taxonomy over the last decade (2008–2018), compiling 2083 published accounts of newly described species. We evaluated what type of data were used to delineate species, whether data were made freely ava...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-12-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/5 |
| _version_ | 1797494692595630080 |
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| author | Jason E. Bond Rebecca L. Godwin Jordan D. Colby Lacie G. Newton Xavier J. Zahnle Ingi Agnarsson Chris A. Hamilton Matjaž Kuntner |
| author_facet | Jason E. Bond Rebecca L. Godwin Jordan D. Colby Lacie G. Newton Xavier J. Zahnle Ingi Agnarsson Chris A. Hamilton Matjaž Kuntner |
| author_sort | Jason E. Bond |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Planetary extinction of biodiversity underscores the need for taxonomy. Here, we scrutinize spider taxonomy over the last decade (2008–2018), compiling 2083 published accounts of newly described species. We evaluated what type of data were used to delineate species, whether data were made freely available, whether an explicit species hypothesis was stated, what types of media were used, the sample sizes, and the degree to which species constructs were integrative. The findings we report reveal that taxonomy remains largely descriptive, not integrative, and provides no explicit conceptual framework. Less than 4% of accounts explicitly stated a species concept and over one-third of all new species described were based on 1–2 specimens or only one sex. Only ~5% of studies made data freely available, and only ~14% of all newly described species employed more than one line of evidence, with molecular data used in ~6% of the studies. These same trends have been discovered in other animal groups, and therefore we find it logical that taxonomists face an uphill challenge when justifying the scientific rigor of their field and securing the needed resources. To move taxonomy forward, we make recommendations that, if implemented, will enhance its rigor, repeatability, and scientific standards. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:38:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fe0ea75c9b8f43128cb68b5ee03c187e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:38:00Z |
| publishDate | 2021-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-fe0ea75c9b8f43128cb68b5ee03c187e2023-11-23T13:30:31ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182021-12-01141510.3390/d14010005Improving Taxonomic Practices and Enhancing Its Extensibility—An Example from AraneologyJason E. Bond0Rebecca L. Godwin1Jordan D. Colby2Lacie G. Newton3Xavier J. Zahnle4Ingi Agnarsson5Chris A. Hamilton6Matjaž Kuntner7Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USADepartment of Entomology and Nematology, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USAFaculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavik, IcelandDepartment of Entomology, Plant Pathology & Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USAEvolutionary Zoology Laboratory, Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, SI-1000 Ljubljana, SloveniaPlanetary extinction of biodiversity underscores the need for taxonomy. Here, we scrutinize spider taxonomy over the last decade (2008–2018), compiling 2083 published accounts of newly described species. We evaluated what type of data were used to delineate species, whether data were made freely available, whether an explicit species hypothesis was stated, what types of media were used, the sample sizes, and the degree to which species constructs were integrative. The findings we report reveal that taxonomy remains largely descriptive, not integrative, and provides no explicit conceptual framework. Less than 4% of accounts explicitly stated a species concept and over one-third of all new species described were based on 1–2 specimens or only one sex. Only ~5% of studies made data freely available, and only ~14% of all newly described species employed more than one line of evidence, with molecular data used in ~6% of the studies. These same trends have been discovered in other animal groups, and therefore we find it logical that taxonomists face an uphill challenge when justifying the scientific rigor of their field and securing the needed resources. To move taxonomy forward, we make recommendations that, if implemented, will enhance its rigor, repeatability, and scientific standards.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/5Araneaetaxonomytaxonomic crisisspecies conceptsdata managementmonographic research |
| spellingShingle | Jason E. Bond Rebecca L. Godwin Jordan D. Colby Lacie G. Newton Xavier J. Zahnle Ingi Agnarsson Chris A. Hamilton Matjaž Kuntner Improving Taxonomic Practices and Enhancing Its Extensibility—An Example from Araneology Diversity Araneae taxonomy taxonomic crisis species concepts data management monographic research |
| title | Improving Taxonomic Practices and Enhancing Its Extensibility—An Example from Araneology |
| title_full | Improving Taxonomic Practices and Enhancing Its Extensibility—An Example from Araneology |
| title_fullStr | Improving Taxonomic Practices and Enhancing Its Extensibility—An Example from Araneology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Improving Taxonomic Practices and Enhancing Its Extensibility—An Example from Araneology |
| title_short | Improving Taxonomic Practices and Enhancing Its Extensibility—An Example from Araneology |
| title_sort | improving taxonomic practices and enhancing its extensibility an example from araneology |
| topic | Araneae taxonomy taxonomic crisis species concepts data management monographic research |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/14/1/5 |
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