I am looking for the taxonomic id key for basic identification and characterization of Dipterans.
Is the key for experts (ie to be published in a journal) or is it going to be used by relatively unskilled users?
I assume it will be a dichotomous key with copious illustrations. If so, the there are some programs that can assist you, for example, DELTA - see http://delta-intkey.com/
Then there is the LucID program, which may normally be too expensive for you, allows you to generate great keys as well - they are not traditional dichotomous keys.
I note that Lucid ver 3.3 is currently being offered free. See http://www.lucidcentral.com/Software/Lucid3/Lucidv33FreeOffer.aspx
You can also see examples of the keys in LucID on the site.
Having constructed and published a key to the hymenopteran families of Australia, I can tell you that such a key is very time-consuming and expensive to compile because of the images in particular. You also need to have reasonably good computing skills.
Hope this is of some assistance, John
It would be helpful to indicate, inter alia, thelevel you want to construct a key? Ordinal, familal, generic? Is the key regional or global.
Is the key for experts (ie to be published in a journal) or is it going to be used by relatively unskilled users?
I assume it will be a dichotomous key with copious illustrations. If so, the there are some programs that can assist you, for example, DELTA - see http://delta-intkey.com/
Then there is the LucID program, which may normally be too expensive for you, allows you to generate great keys as well - they are not traditional dichotomous keys.
I note that Lucid ver 3.3 is currently being offered free. See http://www.lucidcentral.com/Software/Lucid3/Lucidv33FreeOffer.aspx
You can also see examples of the keys in LucID on the site.
Having constructed and published a key to the hymenopteran families of Australia, I can tell you that such a key is very time-consuming and expensive to compile because of the images in particular. You also need to have reasonably good computing skills.
Hope this is of some assistance, John
I totally agree with the comments of John, there are many interactive keys using that software.
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