James Blake wrote...
"We should use a system of unique numbers and bar codes for each species.
In fact, there already is such a list of species numbers. It is called
the NODC (National Oceanographic Data Center) Taxonomic Code List. You
can get a CD-ROM of the list from NOAA; it is updated constantly. "
I agree totally with this sentiment and have, on behalf of the UK National
Marine Biology AQC scheme, used the NODC coding, as exemplified by Jim
Blake, to encode the UK fauna (Marine Conservation Society species
listversion). However, unless things have changed at NOAA since the 8th
version of the code, they are no longer maintaining the coding as a 10 or 12
digit code, but are using what they call a 'Taxonomic Serial Number' which
is sequential rather than heirarchical. Any new species submitted will have
this latter code applied, rather than the 'intelligent' (heirarchical) code.
Annelidans might like to read the introduction to the listing on
http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/General/CDR-detdesc/taxonomic-v8.html
D C Moore
****************************************************************************
*
Derek C Moore Environment Protection Section
Marine Laboratory Aberdeen Tel : +44 (0) 1224 295441
PO Box 101, Victoria Road Fax: +44 (0) 1224 295524
Aberdeen, AB11 9DB E-mail : mooredc at marlab.ac.uk
Scotland URL: http://www.marlab.ac.uk/
The Marine Laboratory is a division of Fisheries Research Services
An Agency of the Scottish Executive
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