Currently, when users input species names into the search function, the system appears to give synonyms and scientific names equal importance in the display order. This can lead to unexpected and less than ideal outcomes. A prime example of this issue arises with the eastern fence lizard, Sceloporus undulatus. Due to the synonym “Sceloporus undulatus occidentalis” associated with the western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis, the latter species is often displayed higher in search results, even when Sceloporus undulatus might be the more relevant result based on search terms and user intent.
To illustrate this, consider the scenario where a user searches for “Sceloporus”. Despite the eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) being a distinct species, the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) may be prioritized in the search results. This is because Sceloporus occidentalis includes “Sceloporus undulatus occidentalis” as a synonym. This behavior can be observed in the example below:
Search results displaying Sceloporus occidentalis before Sceloporus undulatus due to synonym inclusion, highlighting a challenge in species identification accuracy.
This current system presents several drawbacks. Firstly, it complicates the process of accurately identifying and adding observations for S. undulatus. Users may need to scroll further down or refine their search to find the correct species. Secondly, it can cause confusion, leading some users to misidentify S. undulatus as S. occidentalis simply because S. occidentalis is suggested first. This is particularly problematic given that the geographical ranges of these two species do not overlap, making misidentification more likely based on visual similarity and search result prominence rather than actual distribution.
Historical Context and Synonym Usage
According to the Reptile Database, a respected source for reptile taxonomy and the basis for iNaturalist’s reptile classification, the synonym “Sceloporus undulatus occidentalis” for S. occidentalis has been established since at least 1985. This older synonym likely persists to assist users familiar with older nomenclature when searching. While retaining synonyms is generally helpful for accommodating varied user terminology, in situations like this, it introduces complications in search accuracy and species prioritization. The comparatively older synonym, while historically relevant, is now causing unintended consequences in the digital search environment.
Proposed Solution: Prioritizing Primary Scientific Names
To address this issue, a more effective approach would be to modify the search algorithm to prioritize taxa where the search term matches their primary scientific name. Specifically, when a user enters a species name, the system should first display species for which the entered text string is a direct match to their currently accepted scientific name. Only then should species be displayed where the search string is found within their list of synonyms.
This adjustment would ensure that when a user searches for “Sceloporus undulatus“, the eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) is displayed at the top of the results, rather than being potentially overshadowed by Sceloporus occidentalis due to a synonym. This prioritization would enhance the user experience by making species identification more intuitive and accurate, reducing the likelihood of misidentifications, and streamlining the process of contributing observations.
Community Discussion and Support
This issue is not new and has been previously discussed within the community forum. Past bug reports and feature requests have touched upon similar themes, with users like @carnifex, @bouteloua, and @chrisangell offering valuable insights on improving search functionality and display order. Their contributions underscore the collective recognition of this issue and the desire for a more refined system. Prioritizing scientific names over synonyms in search results aligns with the goals of accuracy and user-friendliness, ensuring that the most directly relevant species are prominently displayed.
Even when synonyms are not explicitly displayed in the search interface, this behavior of synonym-based prioritization persists, as demonstrated in the example below from the main page search bar. This further emphasizes the need for a fundamental shift in how search results are ordered to favor matches with primary scientific names.
Search results from the main page search bar, illustrating the continued prioritization of synonyms even when not visibly displayed, reinforcing the need for algorithm adjustment.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the current system of ranking search results, which gives comparatively equal weight to synonyms and scientific names, creates practical problems for users seeking accurate species identification. By prioritizing taxa based on matches to their primary scientific names, the platform can significantly improve search accuracy, reduce user confusion, and enhance the overall experience of identifying and contributing observations. Implementing this change would represent a valuable improvement to the platform’s functionality, aligning search results more closely with user intent and taxonomic accuracy.
