Intellectual Merit: The Global Lacewing Digital Library (GLDL) constitutes a never-before-attempted digital synthesis of fundamental information on the insect superorder Neuropterida (lacewings, antlions and their allies). The GLDL will bring together in an integrated manner a unique global synthesis of five core components: (1) a world catalogue of the Neuropterida; (2) a comprehensive bibliography of neuropterid literature; (3) a digital library of neuropterid taxonomic literature; (4) digital keys to the adults of the world's living neuropterid genera; and (5) delivery of neuropterid name and taxonomic status data through the international Species 2000 Dynamic Checklist initiative. As a top-priority project of the world's neuropterological community, the GLDL will do more to advance, organize and prioritize worldwide systematics research on this group than any other project in recent history.
Broader Impacts: The correct identification of biological organisms is fundamental to all biological sciences and all biologically-related economic activities. The GLDL will provide a fundamental new contribution to the global biodiversity information infrastructure for a large group (6850 species) of environmentally and economically significant predatory insects. The project will provide opportunities for the involvement of graduate and undergraduate students in the science of biological systematics. Additionally, it will provide a new suite of digital tools that will empower researchers in biodiversity-rich, yet biodiversity-information-poor, regions of the world to more effectively and efficiently explore their local neuropterid faunas and increase the rate at which the discovery and scientific description of new species can occur - before the biodiversity of such regions is further diminished.
