Species mis-identification

Species identification is a complex process, with species typically described from a certain set of characters identified in a published species description and linked to a type specimen held within a scientific collection that be used for validation of species identification. Where taxa are very similar or a set of complex traits are required for correct identification, specific taxonomic expertise may be required that data publishers may not possess leading to a mis-identification of a species. As users, you must have a clear understanding of how taxonomic determinations for your interest group are made:

  • What are the characters used for defining the species?

  • Are these characters easily confused or captured when the species is observed or collected?

  • Are there related species that could be easily confused with the species you are interested in?

If you think that there is a risk that species may be incorrectly identified, you can take a conservative approach to the data you use and only use those data linked to specimens in collections where taxonomic validation would be possible and eliminate other data sources. Another approach may be to use associated data such as collector information, media, DNA sequences etc to validate the taxonomic determination.

↑ Handling Taxonomic Uncertainty | ⌂ Home | Synonymy →