[API-users] Scientific names questions

[Markus Döring]

Scott,
you can use githib issues in this repo if you wanna provide names to be added/corrected in the backbone:
https://github.com/gbif/backbone-patch/issues

Otherwise feel free to just send them to me by mail in whatever way is comfortable.

Markus


On 12 May 2016, at 19:00, Scott Chamberlain <myrmecocystus at gmail.com<mailto:myrmecocystus at gmail.com>> wrote:

Richard,

Thanks for the response! All makes sense. I'll work on making sure my users are aware of these issues and give them options according to their use case.

---

Markus,


Thanks, I'll follow those issues.

> please let us know about those duplicate names.

Where? in JIRA, or a github repo issues?

Best, Scott

On Thu, May 12, 2016 at 2:13 AM Markus Döring <mdoering at gbif.org<mailto:mdoering at gbif.org>> wrote:
Hi Scott,

these are indeed unwanted duplications of species in our backbone. The software that builds the backbone so far does not yet try to synonymize these spelling variations automatically as it is quite easy to get that wrong. We will work on this in an improved version of the algorithm, the open issue is here:
http://dev.gbif.org/issues/browse/POR-2812

… which is part of the next round of improving the backbone building:
http://dev.gbif.org/issues/browse/POR-3029


Until then please let us know about those duplicate names. It helps understanding the problem better and as a last resort we could add those names to our patch list as known spelling variations, i.e. synonyms. They then get synonymized in future backbone versions:
https://github.com/gbif/backbone-patch


Many thanks,
Markus



On 11 May 2016, at 23:22, Scott Chamberlain <myrmecocystus at gmail.com<mailto:myrmecocystus at gmail.com>> wrote:

HI all,

Not sure where is best to ask this... so here goes. Let me know if there's a better place.

The following are examples some users have highlighted for me as leading to confusion when searching for taxa.

1. Macrozamia platyrachis (http://www.gbif.org/species/4928834) vs. Macrozamia platyrhachis (http://www.gbif.org/species/2683551)

Here, the two spellings (with/without h) are accepted, and exact matches. The sci. authority seems to differ with F. M. Bailey vs. F.M.Bailey. The first is from GRIN taxonomy and the second from COL.

Anyway, for users e.g., of the R client, this is a bit confusing. I had thought the backbone taxonomy would only have one master taxon key and name for each real taxon, but here it seems like there's two?

2. Cycas circinalis (http://www.gbif.org/species/2683264 ) vs. Cycas circinnalis (http://www.gbif.org/species/3594916 )

Here, the two spellings (with 1 or 2 "n"'s) are accepted, and exact matches. The sci. authorities here are exactly the same. The first is from COL and the second from IPNI taxonomy.

3. Isolona perrieri (http://www.gbif.org/species/3648546 ) vs Isolona perrierii (http://www.gbif.org/species/6308376 )

Here, the two spellings (with 1 or 2 "i"'s) are accepted, and exact matches. The sci. authorities here are exactly the same. The first is from TPL and the second from COL

--------

Should I advise users to when searching on the backbone taxonomy to limit to COL to avoid any confusion about names?

Best,
Scott Chamberlain
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