Taxonomy sources

The NBDL portal is designed to deliver data across the tree of life, derived from specimens originating in many different collections, and grouped together by species. The portal also needs to keep pace with changes in higher ranks through automated updates, and to reflect Australian users’ expectations for higher taxonomy and currently accepted nomenclature. These data must also maintain their link to their single source of taxonomic truth: the identification in the originating collection database. To navigate this complex set of needs, our data is organised using a cited taxonomic backbone, and data for each specimen is also displayed with the taxonomy as supplied by the collection.

The default for the taxonomic backbone is the Catalogue of Life (COL) , with the option to graft another taxonomy for the lower ranks of specific groups to achieve a desired balance of the above factors. For example, in the fishes, Catalogue of Life is used from Kingdom to Parvphylum, and Eschmeyer’s Catalog of Fishes (ESCH) is used from Class to Genus. The taxonomic sources and the rank at which they are grafted is clearly marked in the higher taxonomy at the top of the species page.

At the species level, we use the Australian National Species List (NSL) to define the scope of species occurring in Australia. Since new species are constantly being described or recorded in Australia for the first time, if a name isn’t yet listed in the NSL, we use the name provided by the collection. This shows in the taxonomy as institution (INST). The NBDL is committed to working with the NSL to harmonise these lists and striving for interoperability across the Australian biodiversity data infrastructure.