Announcing a new section: Provisional Identification Keys

Accurate species identification is essential for research, monitoring, human and animal health, agriculture, and conservation, yet it is often hindered by outdated or inaccessible identification keys and a limited number of trained taxonomists. Many experts maintain provisional keys that are actively used for identification but remain unpublished because these are not part of a taxonomic revision, lack illustrations, are incomplete, or are simply not sufficient to merit a stand-alone, peer-reviewed publication. To enable access to such keys, the Journal of Melittology introduces a new section, Provisional Identification Keys, dedicated to the dissemination of draft, preliminary, or provisional keys for bees. These contributions will be available online as clearly labeled working resources to facilitate identification, preserve expert knowledge, support training, facilitate and encourage collaborations and complement, rather than replace, formal, peer-reviewed taxonomic revisions. We will further clarify the nature of the complementarity in this introductory article.