1 Topic by Lindsay_FifeNature (edited by Lindsay_FifeNature 04-08-2025 09:37:39)

  • Lindsay_FifeNature
  • Lindsay_FifeNature
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Topic: Arion (Arion) sp.

Mollusc experts in our area want Arion (Arion) sp. to be used in some situations, as recommended by Ben Rowson.  In the online UKSI I've found Arion (Arion) A. Férussac, 1819 (https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/data/ … 0020528105), tagged as recommended and accepted.

However, we can't seem to use it within Recorder 6.  I can find it using the search, but on trying to view the results of the search in the list hierarchy, it gives an error message that it isn't in the list.

Similarly, it doesn't seem to be in iRecord as an option to use either.

Is this because the listing in the UKSI is tagged as ill-formed or will it be something system specific or other reasons behind this?

Thanks for your help.

Lindsay

Lindsay Bamforth
Fife Nature Records Centre,
Information Officer

Lindsay_FifeNature's Website

2 Reply by ChrisR

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Re: Arion (Arion) sp.

Hi Lindsay, I think the taxon you're looking at it a subgenus and some data-entry forms don't allow ranks like that to be entered. But have you tried "Arion (Arion) agg."? That's a species aggregate around the subgenus and should be equivalent to what you need?

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)

3 Reply by Lindsay_FifeNature

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Re: Arion (Arion) sp.

Hi Chris,

Thanks for your response.

They had specifically requested Arion (Arion) sp. over a Arion (Arion) agg. suggestion.  Do you think there's likely to be any prospect of Arion (Arion) sp. being an option that can be used in iRecord and Recorder 6?  If not, I'll go back to them and explain the situation and see if Arion (Arion) agg. would be acceptable afterall.

Thanks,

Lindsay

Lindsay Bamforth
Fife Nature Records Centre,
Information Officer

Lindsay_FifeNature's Website

4 Reply by ChrisR

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Re: Arion (Arion) sp.

I can add it but I'm just a little wary of making 2 concepts that are essentially synonymous. Let me chat with Ben Rowson and see what he thinks :)

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)

5 Reply by Lindsay_FifeNature

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Re: Arion (Arion) sp.

Thanks very much Chris, that would be great. 

Just for context, one of the experts had been using Arion (Arion) sp., while another felt that wasn't quite right and consulted a higher authority.  As the latter is preparing an atlas, they wanted to ensure the nomenclature was correct and up to date.  The expert later got back in touch to say that Ben recommends Arion (Arion) sp.

Looking forward to hearing clarification following your chat with Ben so we know how best to proceed :)  Slug taxonomy really can tie you in knots!

Thanks again,
Lindsay

Lindsay Bamforth
Fife Nature Records Centre,
Information Officer

Lindsay_FifeNature's Website

6 Reply by ChrisR

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Re: Arion (Arion) sp.

Just a quick update - Ben has agreed that, even though they are not technically identical concepts, they will have been used in an identical way so I have renamed the agg. as sp. in the UKSI and we now have a single concept with 2 names which users can choose as they prefer :)

Chris Raper, Manager of the UK Species Inventory, Angela Marmont Centre for UK Biodiversity,
Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD.  (tel: 020 7942 5894)
also Tachinid Recording Scheme (http://tachinidae.org.uk/)