On 23-25 September, the UK BIOSCAN team organised a “Taxonomython:” a collaborative workshop aimed at enhancing species identification within the UK BIOSCAN dataset. It will take place at the Natural History Museum of London, and the organisers invited dipterists and other taxonomic experts to participate. Experts
Dates: 23-25 September 2025
Venue: Natural History Museum London
Why We Needed Your Expertise
The BIOSCAN project has assembled thousands of barcode records, but many specimens remain:
- Without genus or species-level identification
- In need of verification (e.g. non-UK species that could be new British records or identification errors)
Your taxonomic expertise will directly contribute to curating and improving the global DNA barcode reference library for UK species, enhancing our understanding of UK biodiversity.
Focus and Materials
While the primary focus was on Diptera, experts in other taxonomic groups were welcomed – as long as there was sufficient material in the collection.
Before the workshop, BIOSCAN UK provided:
- Comprehensive data reports for your taxonomic group(s) of interest
- Access to the latest BIOSCAN-UK Report Card with specimen data and statistics
- Preview images of specimens where available
- Custom data exports based on your specific research interests
During the workshop,participants could:
- Examine specimens of interest
- Request specific specimens based on the data provided
- Collaborate with other specialists
- Add your identifications directly to the BOLD database
Workshop Format
The workshop was held over 2-3 days, with a maximum capacity of 15 participants.
This workshop was funded by the Biodiversity Genomic Europe project and organised by Sanger in collaboration with the Dipterists Forum and the Natural History Museum, London.
