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Nematodes, Arachnids, and Insects Submitted for Identification
AAFC / AAC0657-E (2010/02)
Priorities
AA - Restricted to shipments of living insects held for release, perishable items detained in customs awaiting clearance, or similar cases. Determinations will normally be telephoned the same day that specimens are received.
A - Public inquiries about pests; urgently needed identifications. Determinations will normally be returned by mail within a few days.
B - Names needed for completion of manuscript for publication; data required for planning next season's field work. It is expected that the majority of submissions from government laboratories will fall in this category. We will complete these assignments within three months, or by the deadline date indicated by you. Note that 'B' material received in the spring might be delayed if taxonomist involved has departed to the field. The same lot submitted in the fall would normally be dealt with more quickly.
C - Material of casual interest, lab records, contaminants that may not be of direct importance to the project, or amateur collections. We will name these lots within a year. The material will be returned perhaps only partly identified.
Remarks: Please make use of this space to give additional data that you think may aid the systematist in making identifications. It is also useful to explain the object of the submissions, for example, are you interested only in certain insects or in all submitted; are there any unusual observations; do you need merely a control; are the insects suspected introductions or novel to your area? This type of information may expedite identifications and will certainly enable the systematist to give a more meaningful report.
Is the senders responsibility to ensure that specimens are properly prepared and carefully labelled. Make sure that data are as complete as possible, for example, locality, date, host association, collector. Pinned specimens should be numbered consecutively in the box and vials should have a reference number clearly printed on the label.
Assign a reasonable deadline date "Date Identifications Required" remembering that the top-priority commitments cannot be executed if we are flooded with "urgent" requests.