Information about life, the totality of living things of past and today, is organized and indexed by scientific names. These scientific names form a classification and provide unique identifiers for the components of the classification. BioSystematic Information is used as all encompassing term for information about scientific names, classifications, and the living things they apply to.

Biosystematic information is critical for today's world. Every major concern, such as global warming, food supply, environmental quality, etc., has a biological component that is dependent in part on biosystematic information. What is biosystematic information? Biosystematic information is all data that may be useful to man about organisms, such as what are they, what are they called, what do they look like, where do they occur, what do they do, when do they do it, and what does all this mean to me (= economic importance). Biosystematic information is organized by names arranged in an hierarchical classification based on shared (synapomorphic) similiarities. Hence, biosystematic information can be obtained with a name. Names are obtained by identification of specimens, and identifications are made by matching attributes of unknown with known organisms. While everyone makes some identifications, for diverse and little known organisms, such as insects, identifications are made by systematists. Systematists need the data derived from specimens (and literature) to make the comparsions which lead to identifications. Specimens and their associated literature form collections. So, ultimately the biosystematic information must be derived from systematists and their collections (see Natural History Museums below).

Natural History Museums Natural history museums consist of specimens (vouchers), literature and people. From specimens, people derived data on which classifications are based. Classifications and associated information are documented in publications. Specimens thereby become vouchers for the published classifications and information. This process of deriving information from specimens is RESEARCH. As this information is useful (see Why Museum and Systematics?), so there is a demand for names, identifications and access to the vouchers and literature. That is providing SERVICE to society. So, from collections comes research from which useful services are provided, all of which are based on people working together in natural history museums.

BioSystematic data comes from one and only one source: Specimens. Specimens come from one and only one source: A sample. A sample is a group of specimens either collected and preserved for subsequent study or observed with the appropriate data recorded and/or analysed at a single point in time and space. The data associated with specimens are only meaningful when the specimens are identified (see Identification). When specimens have been identified they become vouchers. Vouchers are useful as the data derived from them can be associated and analysed with that from other vouchers. Hence, our knowledge of the living world is built.

Scientific Names

Scientific names are tags, unique keys, hierarchical nodes, and phylogenetic hypotheses. Tags as these names are words used in place of a description of a group of organisms, which would require many more words to describe. Unique keys as there is only one scientific name for a particular group, and each group has only one scientific name. Hierarchial nodes as the groups are nested within more inclusive groups. Phylogenetic hypotheses as the groups are defined by common characteristics proposed to document descent from common ancestors. Classifications are mere a special hierarchial data structure, one name belongs in only one group which is itself a name. For more information on scientific names, see Names: The Keys to Biodiversity.