Identification
To identify a specimen:
- In the "Characters" toolbar (top-left pane), press the <=start5>"Restart identification" button.
- The top-left pane shows a list of characters. Normally, the pane is headed "Best Characters" and the best characters are at the top (if not, you can restore this setting by pressing the "Best order" button). Click on a character.
- The program displays a list of character states, or a box for entering values such as lengths. If there is an illustration for the character, it will be normally be displayed automatically (if not, press the "Images" button). Most characters have explanatory notes, which may be viewed by pressing the "Notes" button. Click on the state, or enter the value, that applies to your specimen, and press "OK". If you are not sure, do not guess a single state or value. Instead, click on more than one state, enter a range of values, or press "Cancel" and try another character. To deselect a previously selected state, click on it again.
- The "Taxa Remaining" (top-right) pane shows the taxa that match the information that you have entered. The "Taxa Eliminated" (bottom-right) pane shows the taxa that do not match, with the number of mismatches in parentheses. Repeat from step 2 until "Identification complete" or some other message is displayed in the top-left pane. A "Help" button is also displayed; press this to obtain information on how to proceed (for example, how to confirm the identification).
If, at any stage, you think you have made a mistake and want to correct it, click on the appropriate character in the "Used Characters" (bottom-left) pane. The program again displays the box for selecting character states or entering values, and you can change the information you previously entered. You can remove the character from the identification by clearing all the information.