IUCN Red List data observations

An unofficial, independent review to support data improvement · IUCN Red List version 2026-1

Names with a close Catalogue of Life match

Source: IUCN Red List 2026-1 vs Catalogue of Life COL26.7 XR (2026-07-17) · 799 rows

The IUCN names below appear nowhere in the Catalogue of Life, neither as accepted names nor as synonyms. Each is paired with the most similar CoL spelling in the same genus or with the same species epithet. The detail column says how the two spellings differ (punctuation, diacritics, Unicode encoding, or a small spelling change).

Two checks run on each suggested match, shown as columns: whether CoL treats it as an accepted name or as a synonym, and whether IUCN already lists it as a synonym of the taxon. Rows where IUCN already lists the close CoL spelling as a synonym of the same taxon are on Name pairs where IUCN and the Catalogue of Life differ on which name is accepted instead.

Why it matters

A name spelled slightly differently in the two catalogues will not cross reference, even when both records describe the same taxon. Automated matching fails and manual searches come up empty.

Suggestion

Where the paired spelling is a variant of the same name, recording it as a synonym or aligning the spelling would let the two catalogues link. Where the closest CoL name is itself a CoL synonym, the CoL accepted name is the better one to compare against. The rows marked "of other taxon" pair the name with a similar spelling IUCN assigns to a different taxon; the resemblance there may be coincidence.

The Catalogue of Life crosscheck

Every assessed name is checked against the Catalogue of Life; each difference found is listed on exactly one of the pages below.

PageNamesWhat it lists
Names not found in the Catalogue of Life745The name is absent from CoL: no near spelling, and no other name for the taxon either.
Names with a close Catalogue of Life match this page799The name is absent from CoL; a near spelling exists in the same genus or epithet.
Names absent from the Catalogue of Life where another name for the taxon is present134The name is absent from CoL; another IUCN-listed name for the taxon is there as a synonym.
Species and subspecies treated as synonyms in the Catalogue of Life11,664CoL treats the name as a synonym of an accepted name IUCN does not list.
Higher-rank names treated as synonyms in the Catalogue of Life717A genus or higher name CoL records only as a synonym.
Higher-rank placement differences that look like spelling variants94A higher taxon whose CoL parent name looks like a spelling variant of IUCN's.
Minor naming authority differences9,343Exact name match; the author is spelled differently.
Name pairs where IUCN and the Catalogue of Life differ on which name is accepted2,742Both catalogues hold both names and disagree only on which is accepted.
Higher-rank names placed differently in the Catalogue of Life1,663A higher taxon placed under a genuinely different CoL parent.

By class

197,008 assessments compared. Top classes shown; every row is in the CSV download.

ClassCount
MAGNOLIOPSIDA348
INSECTA155
GASTROPODA62
LILIOPSIDA48
ACTINOPTERYGII34
MALACOSTRACA34
REPTILIA23
BIVALVIA17
CEPHALOPODA13
AVES11
MAMMALIA9
BRYOPSIDA6
POLYPODIOPSIDA5
AMPHIBIA5
CLITELLATA5

Preview

IUCN nameRankIUCN statusIUCN yearClosest CoL nameCoL statusClosest name in IUCN synonymsCoL yearCoL entryClassFamilyTaxon idRed ListDetail
Saurenchelys elongataspeciesDD2022Saurenchelys elongatumsynonymno1968viewACTINOPTERYGIINETTASTOMATIDAE103707683viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Saurenchelys elongatum' (2-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon. CoL records 'Saurenchelys elongatum' as a synonym of Saurenchelys cancrivora.
Melanotaenia kamakaspeciesLC2020Melanotaenia kabiasynonymof other taxon1935viewACTINOPTERYGIIMELANOTAENIIDAE161098680viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Melanotaenia kabia' (3-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon. CoL records 'Melanotaenia kabia' as a synonym of Glossolepis kabia. IUCN lists 'Melanotaenia kabia' as a synonym of a different taxon.
Hyphessobrycon diastatosspeciesLC2022Hyphessobrycon ataktosacceptedno2014viewACTINOPTERYGIICHARACIDAE135928331viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Hyphessobrycon ataktos' (4-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.
Coptodon rheophilusspeciesEN2020Coptodon rheophilaacceptedno1962viewACTINOPTERYGIICICHLIDAE182480viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Coptodon rheophila' (2-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.
Metriaclima cyneusmarginatumspeciesNT2018Metriaclima cyneusmarginatussynonymno1997viewACTINOPTERYGIICICHLIDAE61137viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Metriaclima cyneusmarginatus' (1-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon. CoL records 'Metriaclima cyneusmarginatus' as a synonym of Maylandia cyneusmarginata.
Metriaclima nkhunguensespeciesLC2018Metriaclima nkhunguensissynonymno2011viewACTINOPTERYGIICICHLIDAE57484524viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Metriaclima nkhunguensis' (2-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon. CoL records 'Metriaclima nkhunguensis' as a synonym of Maylandia nkhunguensis.
Sundasalanx mallettispeciesDD2018Sundasalanx malletiacceptedno1997viewACTINOPTERYGIISUNDASALANGIDAE91351277viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Sundasalanx malleti' (1-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.
Sinocyclocheilus xingyiensisspeciesLC2026Sinocyclocheilus jinxiensissynonymof other taxon2013viewACTINOPTERYGIICYPRINIDAE251944676viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Sinocyclocheilus jinxiensis' (3-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon. CoL records 'Sinocyclocheilus jinxiensis' as a synonym of Pseudosinocyclocheilus jinxiensis. IUCN lists 'Sinocyclocheilus jinxiensis' as a synonym of a different taxon.
Gila alutaceusspeciesLC2013Gila alutaceaacceptedno1855viewACTINOPTERYGIILEUCISCIDAE201940viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Gila alutacea' (2-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.
Parachondrostoma turiensespeciesVU2024Parachondrostoma turiensisacceptedno1987viewACTINOPTERYGIILEUCISCIDAE60827viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Parachondrostoma turiensis' (2-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.
Rhynchocypris mantschuricusspeciesLC2022Rhynchocypris mantschuricasynonymno1907viewACTINOPTERYGIILEUCISCIDAE159709731viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Rhynchocypris mantschurica' (2-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon. CoL records 'Rhynchocypris mantschurica' as a synonym of Rhynchocypris percnurus.
Schistura striatusspeciesEN2020Schistura striataacceptedno1867viewACTINOPTERYGIINEMACHEILIDAE172494viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Schistura striata' (2-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.
Triplophysa posterodorsalusspeciesDD2026Triplophysa anterodorsalisacceptedno1989viewACTINOPTERYGIINEMACHEILIDAE212911304viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Triplophysa anterodorsalis' (4-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.
Troglonectes maolanensisspeciesDD2026Troglonectes canlinensisacceptedno2023viewACTINOPTERYGIINEMACHEILIDAE212911842viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Troglonectes canlinensis' (3-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.
Tellia apodusspeciesCR2022Tellia apodaacceptedno1853viewACTINOPTERYGIIAPHANIIDAE60776viewAbsent from the Catalogue of Life, as an accepted name and as a synonym. Closest CoL name is 'Tellia apoda' (2-character spelling difference); may be a spelling variant or a different taxon.

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