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. 2024 Sep 17;3:26. doi: 10.1038/s44185-024-00053-7

Table 3.

Vouchering methods available to specimens destined for genome sequencing. Note that multiple voucher types may be made for a single genome

Desirability Voucher type Description Suitable for Potential issues

High

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Low

Primary voucher Whole organism is preserved and deposited in a permanent collection. Vouchers can be dried, in a preservation liquid (ethanol), or frozen (e.g., biobanked tissue or cell culture vouchers). Species that are of a suitable size for a permanent collection (taxon-specific), and can be legally and ethically collected

• Not possible for very large/small species.

• Species might be too rare to sacrifice for a voucher.

• Preservation method determines possible additional future uses.

Secondary voucher: to complement -not replace- whole organism vouchering E-voucher: digital image taken of whole organism and of diagnostic characteristics Small species requiring destructive sampling to obtain sufficient genetic material for a high-quality genome assembly (e.g., single-cell protist)

• Can require specialist equipment and expertise (e.g., microscope imaging of insect genitalia).

• May have limited use in taxonomic identification.

• Diagnostic characteristics may not be known.

Partial Voucher: tissue samples are taken, preserved, curated and stored in permanent collections. For very large organisms (e.g., a whale), or very small (e.g., small insects), where preservation of the whole organism is not feasible. • Body part/tissue taken may not represent diagnostic taxonomic characteristics
Proxy voucher: a sample that identified as the same species to be sequenced, and was collected from the same time and location Species that are too small for direct or partial vouchering (e.g., bryophyte) • May not be the same as the sequenced species