ITIS - Integrated Taxonomic Information System

ITIS is authoritative taxonomic information on plants, animals, fungi, and microbes.1

Description

ITIS is a searchable and downloadable database of common and scientific names and their taxonomy.

An overriding goal of the ITIS project is to provide accurate, scientifically credible, and current taxonomic data that meet the needs of the ITIS partners and the user public.2

Quick search allows searching on the taxon name, either common or scientific.

Advanced Search and Report allows for:

• search on taxon author
• filter on Record Credibility Rating
• select fields to display in report output 3

ITIS does not intend to serve as a forum for cutting-edge taxonomic classifications. Rather, ITIS is meant to serve as a standard to enable the comparison of biodiversity datasets, and therefore aims to incorporate classifications that have gained broad acceptance in the taxonomic literature and by professionals who work with the taxa concerned.

Data Standards

• Data conform to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature.
• A five kingdom system has been adopted as a standard. The kingdoms are Monera, Protista, Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia.
• Ranks in the animal kingdom below subspecies will not be included in ITIS regardless of their occasional inclusion in datasets, as these ranks are not allowed under the zoological code. The botanical code allows the ranks variety, subvariety, forma, and subforma.
• Protists, depending on the group considered, have historically been treated according to either the zoological code (i.e. protozoans) or the botanical code (i.e. algae) and in some cases according to both. Also, the algae are often classified into multiple kingdoms. ITIS will make practical decisions as to the placement of these groups within the five kingdom framework. 4

We are a partnership of US, Canadian, and Mexican agencies (ITIS-North America); other organizations; and taxonomic specialists. ITIS is also a partner of Species 2000 and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).5

Function

• Taxonomy
  • Identification tools, keys
• User interface
  • Personal and institutional use
  • Raw data and web-based visual presentation

Why use this tool?

For authoritative taxonomic information on common names and scientific names

Who will use this tool?

This tool could be used by a wide variety of users:

• Data creation
  • Experts - taxonomy
• Data capture
  • Curators – specimens, identification
• Data providers
  • Institutions
  • Private collections
  • Casual users
• Data users
  • Expert
  • Interest groups
  • General public
• ALA infrastructure

How will the tool be used?

ITIS has two forms of data access – Search and Report, and Download Database:6

Search and Report

• Advanced Search and Report - results in a customized report including only the taxon categories chosen from the ITIS database.
• Hierarchical Report - view a listing, from a single kingdom, of scientific names in hierarchical order. This report includes point-and-click retrieval of information associated with each scientific name in the output.

Download Database

• ITIS Customized Download - Create a download file for any part of the ITIS database based upon specifications you define.
• Download a specific taxonomic group - Create a download file for a specific taxonomic group.
• The full ITIS database may also be downloaded.

• This information is accessed online through a web browser
• The entire database is available via FTP
• User input is required

Where in the data chain could this tool be used?

• Data source
• ALA central - if, for example, the full ITIS database were used
• User’s machine
• Pathways between these

When could this tool be used?

• Before data is made available to ALA
• As data is imported into ALA for storage
• At the time of a user request

Availability

• ITIS search: http://www.itis.gov/
• Instructions for linking directly to the ITIS Standard Report:

  http://www.itis.gov/standard_report_link.html

• Guidelines for data submission: http://www.itis.gov/submit.html
• Information presented on the ITIS website is considered public information and may be distributed or copied.

Comments

ITIS have several tools for taxonomists:7

• Compare Taxonomy/Nomenclature. An application to match your list of taxa to the ITIS Database.
• The Taxonomic Workbench is a Windows-based software tool used for editing and manipulating taxonomic data for submission into the ITIS online system.