BackgroundReliable taxonomy underpins communication in all of biology, not least nature conservation and sustainable use of ecosystem resources. The flexibility of taxonomic interpretations, however, presents a serious challenge for end-users of taxonomic concepts. Users need standardised and continuously harmonised taxonomic reference systems, as well as high-quality and complete taxonomic data sets, but these are generally lacking for non-specialists. The solution is in dynamic, expertly curated web-based taxonomic tools.The Pan-European Species-directories Infrastructure (PESI) worked to solve this key issue by providing a taxonomic e-infrastructure for Europe. It strengthened the relevant social (expertise) and information (standards, data and technical) capacities of five major community networks on taxonomic indexing in Europe, which is essential for proper biodiversity assessment and monitoring activities. The key objectives of PESI were: 1) standardisation in taxonomic reference systems, 2) enhancement of the quality and completeness of taxonomic data sets and 3) creation of integrated access to taxonomic information.New informationThis paper describes the results of PESI and its future prospects, including the involvement in major European biodiversity informatics initiatives and programs.

Hyraxes of the genus Procavia, referable to P. capensis johnstoni Thomas, have been collected for the first time in northern Mozambique in the course of a zoological expedition organized in 1983 by the National Museum of Natural History of Sofia. This discovery extends notably the distribution of this subspecies which was only known from southern and central Malawi. Moreover, some informations suggest that it could also exist in south-eastern Zambia.Resume. -Des damans du genre Procavia, referables a P. capensis johnstoni Thomas, ont etc collectes pour la premiere fois dans le nord du Mozambique, au cours d'une mission zoologique organisee en 1983 par le Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle de Sofia. Cette decouverte etend considerablement l'aire de distribution de cette sous-espece connue jusque-lä seulement du sud et du centre du Malawi. De plus, des informations laissent ä penser qu'elle serait egalement representee dans le sud-est de la Zambie.