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Recommendations by taxon In general, large-bodied and hard-bodied taxa can be collected and preserved by non-specialists with appropriate training. Some taxa, however, can only be effectively handled by specialists. CoML projects should include technicians trained in handling diverse taxonomic groups, and should make provisions to include specialists as needed. Guidelines for collecting, preserving, and photographing particular taxa are given under the links below, along with contact information for specialists trained in preservation and identification in particular groups. Photography For many taxa, photographs of live animals are valuable for taxonomic purposes, recording aspects of morphology, color and pattern not readily determined from preserved material. In addition, photographs can document behavior, serve as vouchers (especially when specimens are not captured or are consumed by analysis), and help in identification of other samples. Usually photographs must be taken of particular parts and in particular orientations to be taxonomically useful, maximizing the possibility that the species can be identified from the photograph.
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