Any dictionary is out of date as soon as it appears. In the current version of the NMH dictionary both Turritellinella tricarinata and Turritella communis are available, so the dilemma exists as to whether to choose an unaccepted synonym to fit in with other observations on iSpot, or the currently accepted name.
Maybe the dictionary should just have acepted names not ones that used to be acepted cause that would make things less confusing for people
What might happen when the dictionary is updated, is that IDs will be updated, in the ID Panel, from known synonyms
That happened at the last update (March 2022) but where there is confusion in the NHM Index, problems will still occur
The new iSpot Dictionary is currently being tested, it will still be a while though and few if any of the Browser issues, like several choices of the same, will probably remain
I am short of time to investigate this: nice observation of a Platycheirus hoverfly (ID at genus) only shows three ‘other observations’ when I’m pretty sure many more have been Ided to genus and indeed to species. So the one chosen here does not fully link? Or am I missing something obvious (often happens!)??
https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/uk-and-ireland/view/observation/860360/platycheirus
There are many many more if you go one lever further down the tree:
https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/uk-and-ireland/species-dictionary/NBNSYS0000006871/platycheirus-albimanus
Chris, that seems even more confusing.
Had a quick look and found the following for Platycheirus:
This is well above my pay grade! Why only a very few of the one and so many of the other? Is that just chance or does the order in which they are presented change as you search?
I thought it quite odd that the 4 are included on the 367. Maybe there’s a taxonomic explanation.
Edited a while later: That one added today is now ID’ed to species, so only 3 in the category of the few.
I have added a comment to the Observation in question
We all need to be aware that SOME Organisms gave sub-genera (according to taxonomists)
The four observations above may need corrective IDs
Chris needs to find the ladder to the browser and add some suffixes to some entries
We need to help him by listing them,
NOTICE that the order is different in these Screen shots - that is something I have noticed elsewhen
So it is often wrong to suggest that the second is correct!
The dictionary is not wrong- just dumb
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/uk-species/search?searchType=equals&q=Platycheirus&size=20&page=1
Many thanks, understand (I think!). Since that nice obs of yesterday has been ID’ed to species, there are three in that sub-genus category at the time of writing.
How very interesting about the order of what is presented in the drop down … it does seem surprising that it changes - or have I misunderstood that? Hmmm.
It changes and is VERY hard to explain, it has caught me out a few times
I have corrected the Other obs. They need a Banner shift
Thanks for that. I’ve visited them again so now only two of the possibly non-existent sub-genus.
getting all Dandelion (Genus only) into one collection is not easy
There are only 10 Taraxacum agg.
and 230 Taraxacum officinale agg
and there is a Dictionary entry for Taraxacum algae (no observations) - anyone know of that?
.
Food for thought
https://www.ispotnature.org/communities/uk-and-ireland/view/project/759393/
As always, I’d like to input
I can certainly make tweaks such as adding “level” suffixes to some entries - but remember we’re on the verge of updating the UK dictionary again, so any changes I make now will be soon lost.
Some of the names in I spot can be comfuseing for people when trying to select a name
Some people might only know the non scientific name for a particular species while some might know but even if you do know it can still be confusing when choosing from the menu no matter what category you select it can come up with anything with any part of the name written any wildlife. For example category invertrevretes, common name Red tailed Bumblebee when you go down the list it gradually strayed away for red tailed Bumblebee and eventually said a red tailed bird of prey aswell
Another thing that can be comfuseing is
When it has two or more options of the same scientific name for a particular species twice in the list like Bombus then another bar that says the same thing and then sometimes it has another bar that says the same scientific name again but with a different scientific name next to it and more than once in the same option in the menu and then sometimes another different one again and then sometimes another different scientific name next to the other scientific name in the same option in the menu again and then it might go onto other members of that species in the next options in the menu and do the same thing for the other options aswell
Yes, thanks Zoe, a little confusing indeed
It’s always best to search iSpot itself for the name because others will have solved any issues
Also use a Search engine (Google) to look for a Scientific name before you begin the ID process
If you have no idea about Collumanobombus (who would?) then Google might help BUT there are no Other Observations with that (ALWAYS search iSpot before adding any ID)
To test for these there is no need to make a full observation. Just click Add then go to Identification and have fun. No need to complete, just see what’s in the Dictionary
You can also ADD test observations (title them Test) but PLEASE delete them soon afterwards
Honestly, it’s fun and more than a little bizarre
13 Ponies!
9 seeds!
Common names are specially interesting - everyone should dig in the dictionary!
Whelk-shell Jumper
Exploring the dictionary is MUCH better than an iSpot Quiz
https://www.essexfieldclub.org.uk/portal.php/p/Species+Account/s/Pseudeuophrys+obsoleta
NOW back to Dictionary & Browser please as currently the New Dictionary is being tested
Thats ok. Yes it is. I go by Zo cause im transgender it’s more gender neutral and can be given to males or females whereas Zoe is more of a female name rather than being gender neutral. I also go by he/ him. Im not sure about (they) yet But I know im comfortable with those pronouns. You wouldn’t of known but you do now. So don’t worry. I thought it would be good to mention about the menu since there’s going to be an upgrade on the dictionary. What if we removed the scientific names on the next bar down on the menu that says the same scientific names as the first bar.
And then second suggestion what if we removed red tailed hawk from here cause it’s not an Invertrebete and I selected invertrevretes in the bar before writeing in the common name bar
Just tried to add Lepidoptera as a revised ID which generated a really confusing array of dictionary options. I tried two which didn’t link to anything or even give me a likely ID panel. I haven’t tried again and apologies if it’s something I’m doing wrong either through lack of invertebrate and/or iSpot system knowledge
" Non-recommended synonyms for Oweniidae are: Oweniidae"
" Non-recommended synonyms for Owenia are: Owenia"
" Non-recommended synonyms for Owenia fusiformis are: Owenia fusiformis"