Supplemental data for: Type genomics: a framework for integrating genomic data into biodiversity and taxonomic research

Name-bearing type specimens have a fundamental role in characterising
biodiversity, as these objects represent the physical link between a
scientific name and the biological organism. Type specimens are usually
deposited in natural history collections, which provide key infrastructure
for research on essential biological structures and processes, while
preserving records of biodiversity for future generations. Modern
systematics increasingly depends on genetic and genomic data to
differentiate and characterise species. While the results of genome
sequencing are often connected to a physical voucher specimen, they are
rarely derived from the ultimate taxonomic reference for a species, i.e.,
the name-bearing type specimens. This is a known but under-appreciated
problem for ensuring the replicability of findings, especially those that
affect the interpretation of biodiversity distributions and phylogenetic
relationships. Destructive sampling of museum specimens, particularly of
type material, often carries a high risk of sequencing failure, and thus
the cost of damage to the specimen may outweigh the resulting benefit.
Both taxonomic work and genome sequencing require specialist skills and
there are often communication gaps between the respective experts. A new,
harmonised approach, maximising information extraction while minimising
risk to type specimens, is a critical step forward toward linking
disciplines across biodiversity research and promoting a better taxonomic
and systematic understanding of eukaryotic diversity. The genetic make-up
of a type specimen is a fundamental part of its biological information,
which can and should be made freely and digitally available through type
genomics. Here we describe guidelines for the use of nomenclatural types
in genome sequencing approaches considering different kinds of types in
different stages of preservation and different data types.