IUCN Red List data observations

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

Notes written inside synonym names

Source: IUCN API (taxon synonyms) · 2,309 rows

The table below lists synonyms whose name field contains a nomenclatural note in square brackets alongside the name itself, such as Eumeces schneideri (Daudin, 1802) [orth. error]. Each row also shows the name on its own. The scientific name column shows the accepted taxon the synonym belongs to.

Not every square bracket is treated as a note. Three standard uses of brackets are counted in the summary but not listed: an inferred publication year ([1803]), an inferred or attributed author (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830), and an expansion of an abbreviated name (S[imia] erythropyga). Those are conventional nomenclature and belong where they are.

Why it matters

A note in the name field means the field contains more than just the name. A search index, an export, or another database that matches on the name treats the note as part of the text, so the lookup fails. Listing the notes together also shows a second problem: the same note is spelled several ways (the second table below).

Suggestion

Keep the note, but hold it in a field of its own so the name field holds only the name. Settle on one spelling per note: the variants table shows which ones currently have several.

Notes by text

188 distinct notes across 2,311 occurrences, out of 155,572 synonym names examined. Occurrences can outnumber the rows above because a synonym can have more than one note. Standard bracket uses are not counted here: 535 bracketed publication years and 145 bracketed author attributions or in-name expansions.

NoteOccurrences
orth. error1,513
orth. var.201
orth. err.68
pro parte54
nom. illegit.27
nom. illeg.25
nom. inval.23
nomen nudum22
orth var.21
orth error17
in part15
orth.error12
orth. eror11
nomen oblitum10
orth. error.9
nom. nud.8
unjustified emendation8
orth err.6
partim, hybrid6
sic6
in error5
nom. superfl.5
orth.var.5
homonym4
name invalid4
nom inval.4
nomen dubium4
orth. Error4
orth. error in BirdLife International (2000)4
orth. error in BirdLife International (2004)4
orth. error in Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)4
orth.err.4
spelling error4
<i<pro parte3
Illegitimate3
invalid3
invalid emendation3
invalid name3
nom. illegit3
Orth. error3
orth. error in Collar and Andrew (1988)3
orth. error in Collar et al. (1994)3
orth. variant3
ambiguous synonym2
fide Boulenger, 18852
fide Loveridge2
fide Smith, 19352
fide Smith, 19432
in Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)2
in Wang 19902
junior homonym2
name used in error2
nom. nud. fide Smith 19352
nom. superfluous2
nomen novum2
nomen suppressum2
orth. err. generic name2
orth. error in Stotz et al. (1996)2
orth. var2
orth. var. generic name2
orthographic error2
unavailable2
(apsus1
(preoccupied name; non Helix lactea var. Hispanica Potiez & Michaud, 1835)1
alternate spelling1
an error in the generic name1
Auth. name inval.1
Auth. name var.1
auth. var.1
cited in Boulenger, 18951
comb. illegit.1
des. inval.1
earliest available name1
emend. for neuwiedii1
error for rubidus Kelaart, 18501
fide Smith 19351
fide Taylor, 19631
gen. orth. var.1
hybrid1
illegit1
illegit.1
illegitimate1
illegitimate emendation1
illegitimate replacement name1
in BirdLife International (2000)1
in BirdLife International (2004)1
in Collar et al. (1994)1
in sched.1
in Stotz et al. (1996)1
incorrect genus name used in error1
incorrect original spelling1
incorrect subsequent spelling1
incorrect use of name1
Indonesia - white spotted1
Indonesia – blotched1
inval.1
inval. rank1
Invalid1
isonym1
isonym, nom. inval.1
junior objective synonym and homonym1
junior synonym1
misspelt rubricollis or rubicollis1
n. nom. pro H. gueriana Lowe 1852 in error1
name illegit.1
name unavailable1
Natio baracoensis1
Natio guisensis1
nom illeg.1
nom illegit.1
nom nud.1
nom. ambig.1
nom. illeg. hom.1
nom. illeg. homonym. post.1
nom. illeget.1
nom. inel.1
nom. nov. pro T. tytleri Blyth1
nom. nud.?1
nom. rej.1
nom. subst.1
nom. supfl.1
nom.illegit.1
nomen illegit1
nomen illegit.1
nomen novum for Vespertilio1
nomen oblitem1
nomen superfl. and illegit.1
non Crantz 17661
non DC. 18381
non Emys depressa Merrem, 18201
non Forssk.1
non Guillaumin1
non L. 17531
non Lactuca sonchifolia Willd. 18031
non Lactuca tuberosa Jacq. 17701
non Maki, 19311
non Mill. 17681
non Nees1
non Pall. 17711
non Pallas, 17671
non Scop. 17711
non Sepia robsoni (Massy, 1927)1
non Thunb.1
non Wikstr.1
non. Andrena polita Smith, 18471
not Anderson; fide Smith, 19351
not Kolenati, 18581
not of Gould, 18541
not Olfers, 18181
not Shidlovsky, 19191
not Temminck, 18251
not Temminck, 18401
objectively invalid as preoccupied1
original spelling1
original spelling later emmended1
original superseded spelling1
ort.h error in generic name1
orth .var.1
orth error and not LeConte, 18611
orth. error - original ined. name1
orth. error in AERC TAC (2003)1
orth. error in Barts and Hulbert 20041
orth. error in Cramp and Simmons (1977-1994)1
orth. error in del Hoyo and Collar (2014)1
orth. error in Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993)1
orth. error; still under review1
orth. var. species epithet1
orth.eror1
orth.var1
oth. error.1
part1
pre-occupied1
preoccupied by Vespertilio ferrumequinum minor Kerr, 17921
preoccupied name; non Helix lactea var. Hispanica Potiez & Michaud, 18351
preoccupied)1
renaming of preoccupied name macropus1
replacement name1
sic!1
skull, not skin1
subst. name1
transferred in error1
typo. error1
unaccepted - incorrect subsequent spelling1
unavailable genus name1
unjustified ememdation1
unpublished name1
used previously in error1
wrong gender agreement of specific epithet1
Total2,311

Notes written more than one way

16 notes are written more than one way, covering 2,000 occurrences. Spellings are grouped by their wording with punctuation, spacing and case set aside, so orth. error and orth.error appear on one row.

Spellings foundSpellingsOccurrences
orth. error (1,513) · orth error (17) · orth.error (12) · orth. error. (9) · orth. Error (4) · Orth. error (3)61,558
orth. var. (201) · orth var. (21) · orth.var. (5) · orth. var (2) · orth .var. (1) · orth.var (1)6231
orth. err. (68) · orth err. (6) · orth.err. (4)378
nom. illegit. (27) · nom. illegit (3) · nom illegit. (1) · nom.illegit. (1)432
nom. inval. (23) · nom inval. (4)227
nom. illeg. (25) · nom illeg. (1)226
orth. eror (11) · orth.eror (1)212
nom. nud. (8) · nom nud. (1) · nom. nud.? (1)310
sic (6) · sic! (1)27
Illegitimate (3) · illegitimate (1)24
invalid (3) · Invalid (1)24
fide Smith, 1935 (2) · fide Smith 1935 (1)23
illegit (1) · illegit. (1)22
pre-occupied (1) · preoccupied) (1)22
nomen illegit (1) · nomen illegit. (1)22
(preoccupied name; non Helix lactea var. Hispanica Potiez & Michaud, 1835) (1) · preoccupied name; non Helix lactea var. Hispanica Potiez & Michaud, 1835 (1)22

Preview

Accepted taxonSynonym (current)Name without the noteNoteStatusClassFamilySIS idAssessmentRed List
Pronolagus crassicaudatusPronolagus·lebomboensis·A.·Roberts,·1936·[(apsus]Pronolagus lebomboensis A. Roberts, 1936(apsusLCMAMMALIALEPORIDAE4129345190100view
Iberellus balearicusAllognathus·hispanicus·(Rossmässler,·1838)·[(preoccupied·name;·non·<i>Helix·lactea</i>·var.·<i>Hispanica</i>·Potiez·&·Michaud,·1835)]Allognathus hispanicus (Rossmässler, 1838)(preoccupied name; non Helix lactea var. Hispanica Potiez & Michaud, 1835)NTGASTROPODAHELICIDAE156607214399510view
Tarentola protogigasTarentola·delalandii·var.·rudis·Boulenger,·1906·[<i<pro·parte</i>]Tarentola delalandii var. rudis Boulenger, 1906<i<pro parteLCREPTILIAPHYLLODACTYLIDAE1315208913152096view
Tarentola protogigasTarentola·rudis·ssp.·protogigas·Schleich,·1987··[<i<pro·parte</i>]Tarentola rudis ssp. protogigas Schleich, 1987<i<pro parteLCREPTILIAPHYLLODACTYLIDAE1315208913152096view
Tarentola protogigasTarentola·rudis·ssp.·rudis·Schleich,·1984··[<i<pro·parte</i>]Tarentola rudis ssp. rudis Schleich, 1984<i<pro parteLCREPTILIAPHYLLODACTYLIDAE1315208913152096view
Piliocolobus waldroniProcolobus·badius·ssp.·waldronae·(Hayman,·1936)·[alternate·spelling]Procolobus badius ssp. waldronae (Hayman, 1936)alternate spellingCRMAMMALIACERCOPITHECIDAE18248166620835view
Plectropomus pessuliferusPerca·miniata·var.·C·Forsskål,·1775·[ambiguous·synonym]Perca miniata var. C Forsskål, 1775ambiguous synonymNTACTINOPTERYGIIEPINEPHELIDAE1327753448422view
Plectropomus pessuliferusPlectropoma·maculatum·var.·A·(Playfair,·1867)··[ambiguous·synonym]Plectropoma maculatum var. A (Playfair, 1867)ambiguous synonymNTACTINOPTERYGIIEPINEPHELIDAE1327753448422view
Proneura prolongataProtoneura·prolongata·Selys,·1889·[an·error·in·the·generic·name]Protoneura prolongata Selys, 1889an error in the generic nameDDINSECTACOENAGRIONIDAE5976356404850view
Perforatella dibothrionPerforatella·dibothrion·(M.·von·Kimakowicz,·1884)·[Auth.·name·inval.]Perforatella dibothrion (M. von Kimakowicz, 1884)Auth. name inval.LCGASTROPODAHYGROMIIDAE156412215640951view
Campanula maireiCampanula·mairei·Pau·[Auth.·name·var.]Campanula mairei PauAuth. name var.VUMAGNOLIOPSIDACAMPANULACEAE1642305789831view
Isoetes heldreichiiIsoëtes·heldreichii·Wettst.·[auth.·var.]Isoëtes heldreichii Wettst.auth. var.CRLYCOPODIOPSIDAISOETACEAE17529485430949view
Plectropomus punctatusPlectropoma·maculatum·[cited·in·Boulenger,·1895]·var.·EPlectropoma maculatum var. Ecited in Boulenger, 1895LCACTINOPTERYGIIEPINEPHELIDAE132801100571961view
Pycnandra blanchoniiNiemeyera·blanchonii·(Aubrév.)·ined.·[comb.·illegit.]Niemeyera blanchonii (Aubrév.) ined.comb. illegit.NTMAGNOLIOPSIDASAPOTACEAE31118158053068view
Ophioglossum azoricumOphioglossum·vulgatum·L.·var.·islandicum·Á.Löve·&·D.Löve·[des.·inval.]Ophioglossum vulgatum L. var. islandicum Á.Löve & D.Lövedes. inval.LCPOLYPODIOPSIDAOPHIOGLOSSACEAE8361039185446988view

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