user16866: One of my numerous proposals from the Redesigning Biology Stack Exchange Bio.Meta post was to create a template or instruction guide for species-identification questions. 

The goal is to improve the inclusion rate of info necessary for typical ID questions.

User @Mad-Scientist suggested in chat that we could just create a "tag warning" (i.e., tag-specific pop-up) for specific tags. 

See here and here to learn more about these pop-ups; or to visualize in real time, go to stackoverflow.com, ask a question and add the sql tag. There'll be a popup that adds some hints. 

Below is my proposal for the text to be included in a species-identification tag warning:

Species Identification questions get better answers if they include...

One or more clear Photos.
A Location where the specimen was found (city/region and/or habitat).
An approximate Size (or photo indicating size).
Additional useful info (e.g., behavior, time of day/year, etc...)
Indication of prior research performed by the asker. 
A tag for a specific taxanomic group (e.g., botany, entomology, arachnology, ornithology, ichthyology, etc...)

Some tag specific hints:
botany: try to include photo of leaf, stem/trunk, and flower/fruit. All are often needed for accurate ID.
entomology/arachnology: there are many similar looking species. Add close-up photos (from multiple angles) if possible!
ichthyology: please indicate whether you found the fish in marine or fresh water.
mycology: please include photo of top and bottom of mushrooms!

user16866: Ok, I've read  people's comments and made what I thought were necessary updates:

The text was likely too long. As a result, I copied the detailed version from my original question post above to the species-identification tag info page.

I now link to this info page directly in the Tag warning text. (Links do work here).
I also removed #5 ("Indication of prior research performed by the asker.") b/c it's a general expectation across the site.

Wording is slightly modified to sound a bit "stricter" 

Below is my final proposal:

Species ID questions are expected to include:

One or more clear Photos
A Location where the specimen was found (city/region and habitat)
An approximate Size (or photo indicating size)
Additional useful info (e.g., behavior, time of day/year, etc...)

See here for detailed suggestions for specific taxa

16866: <p>One of my numerous proposals from the <a href="https://biology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/3636/16866">Redesigning Biology Stack Exchange</a> Bio.Meta post was to create a <a href="https://biology.meta.stackexchange.com/a/3642/16866">template or instruction guide</a> for <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/species-identification" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;species-identification&#39;" rel="tag">species-identification</a> questions. </p>

<ul>
<li>The goal is to improve the inclusion rate of info necessary for typical ID questions.</li>
</ul>

<p>User @Mad-Scientist suggested <a href="https://chat.stackexchange.com/transcript/message/37761395#37761395">in chat</a> that we could just create a "<strong>tag warning</strong>" (i.e., <strong>tag-specific pop-up</strong>) for specific tags. </p>

<ul>
<li>See <a href="https://raspberrypi.meta.stackexchange.com/questions/730/enable-tag-warning">here</a> and <a href="https://meta.serverfault.com/questions/6617/should-we-enable-tag-specific-popups">here</a> to learn more about these pop-ups; or to visualize in real time, go to <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/ask">stackoverflow.com</a>, ask a question and add the sql tag. There'll be a popup that adds some hints. </li>
</ul>

<p>Below is my proposal for the <strong>text to be included in a <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/species-identification" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;species-identification&#39;" rel="tag">species-identification</a> tag warning</strong>:</p>

<hr>

<p>Species Identification questions get better answers if they include...</p>

<ol>
<li>One or more <em>clear</em> <strong>Photos</strong>.</li>
<li>A <strong>Location</strong> where the specimen was found (city/region and/or habitat).</li>
<li>An approximate <strong>Size</strong> (or photo indicating size).</li>
<li>Additional useful info (e.g., behavior, time of day/year, etc...)</li>
<li>Indication of prior research performed by the asker. </li>
<li>A tag for a specific taxanomic group (e.g., <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/botany" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;botany&#39;" rel="tag">botany</a>, <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/entomology" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;entomology&#39;" rel="tag">entomology</a>, <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/arachnology" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;arachnology&#39;" rel="tag">arachnology</a>, <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/ornithology" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;ornithology&#39;" rel="tag">ornithology</a>, <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/ichthyology" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;ichthyology&#39;" rel="tag">ichthyology</a>, etc...)</li>
</ol>

<p>Some tag specific hints:</p>

<p><a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/botany" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;botany&#39;" rel="tag">botany</a>: try to include photo of leaf, stem/trunk, <em>and</em> flower/fruit. <em>All</em> are often needed for accurate ID.</p>

<p><a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/entomology" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;entomology&#39;" rel="tag">entomology</a>/<a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/arachnology" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;arachnology&#39;" rel="tag">arachnology</a>: there are many similar looking species. Add close-up photos (from multiple angles) if possible!</p>

<p><a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/ichthyology" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;ichthyology&#39;" rel="tag">ichthyology</a>: please indicate whether you found the fish in <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/marine-biology">marine</a> or <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/tags/freshwater-biology">fresh</a> water.</p>

<p><a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/mycology" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;mycology&#39;" rel="tag">mycology</a>: please include photo of top <em>and</em> bottom of mushrooms!</p>
 16866: <p>Ok, I've read  people's comments and made what I thought were necessary updates:</p>

<ul>
<li><p>The text was likely too long. As a result, I copied the detailed version from my original <a href="https://biology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/3680/16866">question post</a> above to the <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/species-identification" class="post-tag" title="show questions tagged &#39;species-identification&#39;" rel="tag">species-identification</a> tag <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/tags/species-identification/info">info page</a>.</p>

<ul>
<li><p>I now link to this info page directly in the Tag warning text. (Links <a href="https://meta.serverfault.com/a/6618"><em>do</em> work</a> here).</p></li>
<li><p>I also removed #5 ("<em>Indication of prior research performed by the asker</em>.") b/c it's a general expectation across the site.</p></li>
</ul></li>
<li><p>Wording is slightly modified to sound a bit "stricter" </p></li>
</ul>

<p><strong>Below is my <em>final</em> proposal:</strong></p>

<hr>

<p>Species ID questions are expected to include:</p>

<ol>
<li>One or more <em>clear</em> <strong>Photos</strong></li>
<li>A <strong>Location</strong> where the specimen was found (city/region and habitat)</li>
<li>An approximate <strong>Size</strong> (or photo indicating size)</li>
<li>Additional useful info (e.g., behavior, time of day/year, etc...)</li>
</ol>

<p>See <a href="https://biology.stackexchange.com/tags/species-identification/info">here</a> for detailed suggestions for specific taxa</p>
