TAXON_AFFINITY_SPECIES - AtlasOfLivingAustralia/ala-dataquality GitHub Wiki

Description

The supplied scientific name does not comply with the relevant nomenclatural code, but is a phrase name containing phrases like 'aff.' and 'sp. aff.', indicating similarity to another taxon from which it is being distinguished.

Related fields

  • dwc:kingdom
  • dwc:phylum
  • dwc:class
  • dwc:order
  • dwc:family
  • dwc:genus
  • dwc:scientificName
  • dwc:scientificNameAuthorship
  • genericName
  • dwc:specificEpithet
  • dwc:infraspecificEpithet
  • dwc:taxonRank
  • dwc:vernacularName

Implications and caveats

Severity: Warning

  • This indicates that the taxon the record belongs to has not yet been formally named and might not be fully understood, but has no further data quality implications.
  • 'aff.' is also used as an identification qualifier, so a name string with just 'aff.' rather than 'sp. aff.' might also indicate that an identification qualifier has been incorrectly inserted in the scientific name.

Data custodian recommendations

  • Once the taxon has been formally named or the name has stopped being used, update the identification.
  • Verify if 'aff.' was not intended as an identification qualifier, rather than part of the name. If it is an identification qualifier, it should be removed from the scientifName field and, together with the part of the name that follows it, supplied in the identificationQualifier field.

Code reference

ALAOccurrenceIssue.TAXON_AFFINITY_SPECIES