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In the southern African Asteraceae flora the genus Helichrysum is the second largest with 260 species after Senecio (310 species). Helichrysum is not restricted to southern Africa but also occurs in tropical Africa (46 species), Madagascar (117 species), and Europe & Asia (75 species). In total there are about 585 species worldwide.

Helichrysum species are commonly known as everlastings or paper daisies and are often a very striking component in many field types. However, the sheer size of the genus has put many people off trying to identify them despite a fairly recent revision and available descriptions.

With this key we not only strive to provide a well illustrated identification tool but also a consolidation of information available for each species. We coded many more characters than needed for an identification to expand the application of the key. Apart from identifying species this is also a very useful tool to provide checklists for areas or to provide lists of any combination of characters, e.g. plants flowering in Mpumalanga in April, species with white involucral bracts, species with more than 300 florets, etc.

Fact Sheets are provided for each species. These contain information on the derivation of the name, diagnostic characters, common names, distribution, description, notes, relationships, and taxonomy. For each species there is a distribution map, illustrations, images of specimens and colour images.

The descriptive information in the key and fact sheets are essentially based on the floristic treatment of the genus by O.M. Hilliard in 1983: FLORA OF SOUTHERN AFRICA, Volume 33 Asteraceae, Part 7 Inuleae, Fascicle 2 Gnaphaliinae. These are supplemented by information available in a database of 13 510 Helichrysum specimens in the National Herbarium collection in Pretoria as well as personal observations and research.

 This identification tool covers Scolytine and Hylesine (Curculionidae) bark beetles of the southeast USA.  It covers 200 species and the tool contains thousands of images.  The user is able to choose which characters to use in the identification process based on ease of visibility or preference.  There is glossary of terms and the characters are all illustrated within the key.In many instances, only a few characters are needed.  Images can be used to corroborate the determination.  

In cases where the Lucid tool only goes to genus, a dichotomous key with plentiful illustrations is provided to bring the user to species.

The Hymenoptera (ants, bees, sawflies and wasps) are one of the ‘mega-diverse’ insect orders.

This key provides an interactive identification tool designed to identify any Australian Cynipoidea specimen to the genus group level.

Includes Fact Sheets and desciptions for Cynipoidea of Australia.

CORRECTIONS AND OMISSIONS : This is a draft key with many of the features not fully tested. If you find any errors or omissions, or can suggest any improvements please communicate these to: nicole.fisher@csiro.au

This is a key for the Neritidae genera, Neritina, Clithon and Nereitodryas.  All have an operculum that can shut the animal inside its shell.  The limpet genus Septaria, whose operculum is imbedded in the foot muscle and cannot shut the animal in its shell, is not included.    If you have only the dry shell with no operculum, the features can best be seen if you wet the shell and  then you will more easily see any pattern on the shell and the colour of the columella and aperture.  If you have recently collected the snail, you will be able use the states of the operculum to help in your identification.  In this case identification is easier and more certain The shells of many species are variable (polymorphic) and this can easily lead to erroneous identification

Leafmining insects are dangerous pests that reduce plant metabolic activities and can lead to desiccation and premature fall of the leaves. If leaves are seriously attacked, crops can be reduced or seedling plants even totally destroyed (Spencer, 1990).    The leaf-mining fly, Liriomyza huidobrensis has recently reached Indonesia. It has devastated many vegetables including potato, and it threatens Australia. This LucID key will help Indonesian scientists in identifications of the leaf miners natural enemy, wasp (hymenoptera) parasites. Published by: CSIRO, available in version 2 & 3 Cost: Free