NBN Species Dictionary

The NBN Species Dictionary aims to provide a standard reference for names of organisms found in the United Kingdom.1 This is an example of a taxon dictionary.

Description

The British National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary is made up from a collection of over 210 separate checklists containing more than 196,000 versions of taxonomic names and other associated information. You can either search individual lists or find organisms by their common or scientific name. A basic classification of life is also provided as a navigational tool.2

To share information about animals and plants we must be able to translate between the names used in different sources of information and to relate different scientific names used for the same species. The Species Dictionary aims to do just this by bringing all of the names together in one place, and providing a means for translating between them. Although still under development, it is aimed that the Project will become the focal point for a series of comprehensive and authoritative checklists covering the entire flora and fauna of the British Isles. It will thus ultimately provide a complete and definitive list of the scientific names of all British organisms.

The most important feature of the Species Dictionary is that it is not a single checklist of taxa but a mechanism for storing many checklists and versions of checklists, together with the means for translating from one to another. This is what makes it very different from virtually all other taxonomic database projects. The importance of this is that biological records should be stored with their original determinations to which re-determinations may be added. It should be possible for the software to retrieve taxa using correspondences of names in alternative checklists.

Over 210 different lists (of which 154 are searchable through this website), covering various groups or regions, are presently incorporated and this number will continue to grow over time. This information is compiled from a wide range of sources and as such the Species Dictionary relies on countless hours of work by those who have compiled the lists. In recognition of this, the authors and compilers of the various datasets are fully acknowledged throughout. The National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Species Dictionary currently contains over 196,000 names.3

Other points of interest:4

• The Species Dictionary website allows users to search for names of organisms by their common and scientific names, and through an hierarchical classification. You can also search for individual lists and their contents.
• The database serves as an archive by presenting various versions and editions of a number of important checklists, thereby allowing the user to investigate how the names, or threat statuses, of taxa within particular groups of organisms have changed through time.
• The database also holds information concerning the legal designations and conservation status of protected species.
• The Species Dictionary is incorporated within a number of other NBN products. In addition to Recorder, it forms part of the NBN Gateway and NBN Index.

This is a project of the National Biodiversity Network and is hosted and managed by the Natural History Museum, London.5

Function

• Data cleaning
• Data validating – taxonomy
• Taxonomy
• User interface
• Personal and institutional use
• Raw data and visual presentation

Why use this tool?

• A means for translating between common names and valid scientific names
• A method of accessing a master names list

Who will use this tool?

• Data creation
• Experts - taxonomy
• Data capture
• Curators – identification
• Data providers
• Institutions
• Private collections
• Casual users
• Data users
• Expert
• Interest groups
• General public
• ALA infrastructure
• No special skills required – accepts both common names and scientific names

How will the tool be used?

• Online searchable dictionary
• A navigable hierarchical classification
• Contains a large and increasing number of checklists 6
• Browser with JavaScript, pdf
• User input is required

Where in the data chain could this tool be used?

• ALA central – as delivery
• User’s machine – as access

When could this tool be used?

• Before data is made available to ALA
• At the time of a user request

Availability

• NBN Species Dictionary: http://nbn.nhm.ac.uk/nhm/
• Hierarchical classification:  http://nbn.nhm.ac.uk/nhm/kingdoms.shtml
• Browse species by common names: http://www.searchnbn.net/directory/browseTGLevel1.jsp?consFilter=0&dataFilter=1
• NBN – National Biodiversity Network: http://www.nbn.org.uk/
• Summary of checklists: http://nbn.nhm.ac.uk/nhm/summary_table.pdf
• Cost: free
• Under active development. Updated July 2007.
• Restrictions: Personal and non-commercial use. Over 18 years, or consent of parent.
• Terms of use http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/website-help/terms-of-use/index.html

Comments

The NBN Species Dictionary, although specific to Britain, has been included as an example of a searchable taxon dictionary. It allows for both common names and scientific names, and variations of these names over place and time.

Feedback opportunities are given to alert to taxonomic inconsistencies or mistakes.