The Darwin Tree of Life project is sequencing the genomes of as many as possible of the UK species, and a number of Dipterists Forum members have been contributing specimens for this. DToL is seeking expert authors to write short species accounts for the "Genome Notes" that are being published for each species that has been completed.
The current request list includes several flies:
- Clusiidae: Clusia tigrina
- Polleniidae: Pollenia amentaria
- Syrphidae: Cheilosia pagana, Cheilosia urbana, Dasysyrphus albostriatus, Epistrophe grossulariae, Eristalinus sepulchralis, Platycheirus albimanus, Sphaerophoria taeniata, Volucella inflata, Xylota sylvarum
- Tachnidae: Cistogaster globosa, Tachina lurida
DToL say:
"When each genome sequence is finished and released for science, a short scientific paper is published (a 'Genome Note'). To make these interesting, each Genome Note has a brief introduction describing the biology of the sequenced species. We are looking for professional and amateur scientists to volunteer to write introductions (you get fame not money: your name on the published paper). Introductions should be 200-300 words in length, referenced, contain information on the habitat, distribution and abundance of the species, any unusual biological features, and possible uses for the completed genome sequence (see these examples)."
Further details (including the non-Diptera species they are seeking help with) can be found on the UKCEH Biological Records Centre website.
If interested, contact tol-genome-note@sanger.ac.uk or if you are interested in writing Introductions for other animals, plants or fungi, there is an online form.