Only a handful of people in the world can reliably identify many groups of animals and plants using traditional taxonomic knowledge.
- 1 // Collect samples: It's not necessary to take the whole animal. A piece of feather, a leg of an insect or some bits of flesh will do.
- 2 // Document the facts: Where was it found? When? What was the context? Take a picture and add a geocode. This information can be linked to the barcode, creating an ever-expanding trove of biological data.
- 3 // Extract DNA: The tissue will be processed at the barcoding lab using detergent and a protease to break down cell walls and extract DNA.
- 4 // Read the DNA: The sequence of nucleic acids in the barcode region — only about 650 base pairs — is about a ten millionth of the whole genome. Using standard tools of molecular biology, this bit of genetic code can be amplified and read for less than $10, with a turnaround time ranging from a few hours to a few days.
- 5 // Get results: Match the sequence of the barcode region to sequences that have already been collected. There are three categories of results that can emerge:
- Make Positive ID
If the sequence results in a close match to a named specimen, the search is done. - Assign to Group
Match it within a large group of specimens that likely belong to the same species, although no link to a valid scientific name has yet been made. - Add to Database
Even if the barcode doesn't match anything in the database, it could be matched to observations gathered from around the world.
- Make Positive ID
Feature Article 
A Simple Plan to ID Every Creature on Earth A Simple Plan to ID Every Creature on Earth
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