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Topic: Taxon Lists

The Recorder 6 Dictionary is based around Taxon Lists. The Recorder 3.3 list is a general list inherited from the Recorder 3.3 system. Later lists are generally specific to one group, although there is one list covering marine taxa.  There is also a list - List of Additional Names -  used by the NHM to add new taxa and make changes as an interin measure, pending the issue of an updated list for a group. Certain lists are considered preferred and these  are indicated in Recorder 6 by having a space before the name, so they appear at the top of the Dictionary lists. Where possible use the preferred lists or the List of Additional names when choosing taxa. Recorder 6 uses  table 'Nameserver' which manages changes in taxonomy, for example linking older names to the latest names. The attribute  (eg. sensu stricto) and author affect the 'meaning' of the taxa and need to be taken into account when selecting taxa.

Mike Weideli

2 (edited by AndyFoy 31-01-2017 16:29:44)

Re: Taxon Lists

It has been pointed out to me that 'Althaea hirsuta' (rough marsh-mallow), which is in the preferred list ' VASCULAR PLANTS AND STONEWORTS ...', has a recommended taxon list item key that is in the list 'List of additional names' with the taxon name 'Malva setigera'.  This seems a little odd because:

(a) the taxon name 'Malva setigera' does not appear to be the recommended taxon name for the species in any web searches, and
(b) why would an item in the preferred list point to another item in a non-preferred list?

Can anyone help?

Andy Foy
Systems Manager
Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL) CIC
www.gigl.org.uk

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Re: Taxon Lists

(a) the taxon name 'Malva setigera' does not appear to be the recommended taxon name for the species in any web searches, and

Malva setigera is the name according to Stace 3. See the third page of https://issuu.com/suffolknaturalistssoc … cs/tsns46k

(b) why would an item in the preferred list point to another item in a non-preferred list?

This is my understanding: It's okay for a recommended taxon to not be on a preferred list (it just means e.g. that a new preferred list - with all the name changes - hasn't been created yet). AFAIK the idea of "preferred" lists is a Recorder 6 concept and just means that the name appears in capitals and they are searched when using the "preferred lists" option. I think the preferred lists were preferred because they were up to date with better linked taxonomy. This is becoming less true, especially with the organism table.

Charlie Barnes
Information Officer
Greater Lincolnshire Nature Partnership

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Re: Taxon Lists

Thanks for the info Charlie.  I didn't have a hard copy of Stace 3 to check and didn't spot any online references to it.  I wonder if/when Stace 3 will be referenced explicitly in the Recorder taxon dictionaries?

Andy Foy
Systems Manager
Greenspace Information for Greater London (GiGL) CIC
www.gigl.org.uk