Splitting species NL-checklist vs. IOC World checklist

Gestart door Erik van Dijk, oktober 08, 2010, 09:36:52 AM

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Erik van Dijk

Due to the increasing popularity of Observado in other countries with their own admins
problems arise with the acceptance of subspecies as full species.

Currently in Observado the Dutch avifaunal list is the base for decisions on subspecies or full species.
See: http://www.dutchbirding.nl/content/page/files/webprog20102809-68.pdf

If this checklist does not deal with a certain (sub)species the IOC World Checklist is used
as reference checklist for all other species.
See: http://www.worldbirdnames.org/

Admins outside the Netherlands have obviously  difficulty with this "Dutch" approach.

I currently face this is the observation of Calonectris borealis
See: http://observado.org/waarneming/view/50182402

What is the best solution for this problem?

Met vriendelijke groet

Erik van Dijk

Peppershrike77

Hi,

This is something I have wondered about as well. Is it planned to add all subspecies of (for example) Birds into the database? Or only those which are relatively distinct and easily identifiable in the field - for example Icelandic Black-tailed Godwit / European Black-tailed Godwit?

A similar dilemma occurs with Escudo Hummingbird (Amazilia handleyi), which is a separate species according to some taxonomic authorities and regarded as a subspecies of Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) by others. Another example would be the Brent Geese (Light-bellied/Dark-bellied) which are not yet split by some European countries (e.g. Ireland).

I think, a good solution would be to have an option in the My Settings section for personally changing the taxonomic level of a disputed species (i.e. whether it is a species or subspecies). I suppose there would be problems with the ranking though  :)

Stephen

hfeith

Hi Erik,

I understand that the cause of the different names lies in the use of a single database for different countries. Being the database Dutch, it is logic that the names to appear are the ones accepted as such in the Netherlands. This however creates problems in countries that use other lists, as is the case in Portugal.

It seems however strange that ornitologists can't agree on something as basic as the name of a species. More strange it seems when it concerns a species that does not ever occur in the Netherlands, as is the case with the Calonectris diomedea/borealis. Imagine the other way arround: Portuguese ornitologists would decide that a Dutch breeding subspecies is to be considered a species, in disagreement of Dutch ornitologists... Would be hard to accept, wouldn't it?

Best regards,

Henk Feith

Erik van Dijk

In the end it would be good to have all subspecies added to the data, but that will be a enormous job en it needs to be maintained as well. Nevertheless I might put some effort in it once I got all my observations and pictures in the database.

It would cause a lot less to look at the different (sub)species as taxa. The status of species or not is particular sensible for twitchers who adore lengthy life lists.

My suggestion is to give discussed subspecies the status of species but indicate in the name that the status of species is not globally accepted.

For example
The species : Calonectris (diomedea) borealis





Met vriendelijke groet

Erik van Dijk