HTML and plain-text narrative fields that differ
Source: IUCN Red List 2026-1 (CSV export) · 523 rows
The table below lists assessments where the plain-text version of a narrative field does not match the HTML version. Six narrative fields (rationale, habitat, threats, population, range, use and trade) appear in two of the IUCN CSV exports: assessments_with_html.csv contains them with HTML markup, and assessments.csv contains a plain-text version of the same text. To compare the two, the HTML version is reduced to plain text and checked against the plain-text version for each assessment. Differences that are only whitespace, non-breaking spaces, or entity encoding are not listed, so every row here is a genuine difference in the readable text. Only the formatting and encoding of the text is compared; nothing here comments on the scientific content.
A recurring pattern is heavy redundant markup: the HTML contains long runs of repeated empty tags, and the plain-text version then comes out empty or truncated. The most extreme case here is Euphorbia calyculata (threats), whose HTML runs to about 62,486 characters, roughly 311 times its readable text, while its plain-text version is cut off inside that markup. These rows are marked "redundant markup" and explained in the detail column.
Use the Compare button on any row to open a side-by-side view of the assessments.csv plain text and the suggested plain text extracted from assessments_with_html.csv, with the HTML source shown colour-coded so the empty-tag runs are visible, plus a suggested cleaned-up HTML with the redundant markup removed. Each view opens with a short note on what changed (for example, an invisible character that accounts for an otherwise hidden difference) and, where the same assessment was retrieved from the IUCN API, a note on whether the field matches the API.
Why it matters
When the HTML and plain-text versions of a field disagree, readers see different content depending on which export or view they use, and a field that comes out empty or truncated drops information the HTML still holds.
Suggestion
Regenerate the plain-text export from the HTML so the two agree, and clean up the redundant empty markup that causes the empty and truncated cases.
By observation
| Observation | Count |
|---|---|
| plain text truncated (redundant markup) | 261 |
| text differs | 193 |
| plain text empty (redundant markup) | 64 |
| plain text truncated | 5 |
By field
| Field | Differences |
|---|---|
| rationale | 162 |
| habitat | 75 |
| threats | 103 |
| population | 65 |
| range | 97 |
| useTrade | 21 |
Preview
| Field | Species | Status | Observation | Compare | Detail | Class | Taxon id | Assessment | Red List |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| habitat | Haemulon album | DD | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 4 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | ACTINOPTERYGII | 190206 | 1944164 | view | |
| habitat | Anisotremus virginicus | LC | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 23 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | ACTINOPTERYGII | 194409 | 2333098 | view | |
| habitat | Pampus argenteus | VU | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 6 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | ACTINOPTERYGII | 166855 | 57276603 | view | |
| habitat | Anisotremus virginicus | LC | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 23 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | ACTINOPTERYGII | 194409 | 83390989 | view | |
| habitat | Haemulon album | DD | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 5 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | ACTINOPTERYGII | 190206 | 84803306 | view | |
| habitat | Euphorbia calyculata | LC | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 293 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | MAGNOLIOPSIDA | 126603210 | 126603989 | view | |
| habitat | Bourreria superba | EN | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 42 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | MAGNOLIOPSIDA | 136813869 | 137376409 | view | |
| population | Galeorhinus galeus | CR | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 5 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | CHONDRICHTHYES | 39352 | 2907336 | view | |
| population | Carcharhinus signatus | EN | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 17 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | CHONDRICHTHYES | 60219 | 3094326 | view | |
| population | Mugil cephalus | DD | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 121 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | ACTINOPTERYGII | 135567 | 57158848 | view | |
| population | Crossopetalum gaumeri | LC | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 121 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | MAGNOLIOPSIDA | 126299740 | 126300656 | view | |
| population | Crossopetalum managuatillo | LC | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 175 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | MAGNOLIOPSIDA | 126299788 | 126300666 | view | |
| population | Euonymus chiapensis | CR | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 93 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | MAGNOLIOPSIDA | 126299873 | 126300686 | view | |
| population | Euonymus corymbosus | EN | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 160 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | MAGNOLIOPSIDA | 126299907 | 126300691 | view | |
| population | Psychotria aguilarii | EN | plain text empty (redundant markup) | The assessments.csv field is empty while assessments_with_html.csv contains text. The HTML is about 54 times the size of its readable text, and the plain-text version appears to have been cut off inside the redundant markup. | MAGNOLIOPSIDA | 126618036 | 126620478 | view |
Showing the first 15 of 523 rows. View the full list → Download CSV (523 rows)