1 Topic by Jim Bacon

  • Jim Bacon
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  • From: BRC
  • Registered: 03-11-2008
  • Posts: 980

Topic: Chromists

Hi

If I search the gateway for Undaria pinnatifida I can see a grid map of records and taxonomic information.

We can see that there are records for this species and that the taxon reporting category is chromist. However, chromist is not in the list of taxon reporting categories and if I Browse Species it appears under diatoms which is in the list of reporting categories.

I sense some inconsitency and armed with Wikipedia but no knowledge of taxonomy I gather that, while diatoms and Undaria pinnatifida are in the kingdom of Chromista, Undaria pinnatifida is not a diatom but in the family of brown algae.

My impression is that, if there is a problem, it is with the Gateway rather than the dictionary. I presume where the species inventory leads, the Gateway will follow and chromist will be added. Did I hear there was a review of taxonomic groups planned?

Jim Bacon

2 Reply by Graham French

  • Graham French
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  • Registered: 23-05-2006
  • Posts: 430

Re: Chromists

Hello Jim

The inconsitency is caused by comparing input and output taxonomic groups.

Browse species uses input groups and there seems to be an issue on the UK Species Inventory where this species has 2 entries in the Input_Group_Map table - one of them being for diatoms. I will let Chris Raper know of this so he can check.

Taxon Reporting category is an output group where this species is listed as a chromist. The issue here is that the list of taxon reporting categories has not been updated since the addition of the new chromist group. The taxon reporting category key for chromist is NHMSYS0020936761

The new version of the NBN Gateway currently being developed will just use the output groups throughout the site to reduce confusion

Best wishes

Graham
NBN Technical Liaison Officer

Graham French's Website