I know it has been reported before, but just getting it formalized here. There is still some odd functionality somewhere in the site that allows users to select an inactive taxa for their identification,. See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/20729658 for an example. https://www.inaturalist…

I interpreted it to mean they just kept typing despite the lack of the entry in the dropdown, as the text had to get completed somehow.

I used Avicularia huriana as a placeholder in both Safari and Chrome and iNat selected the inactive taxon both times: [image] Same thing happened with Canis latrans × lupus. I’ll write up an issue.

Obviously related to this, but not quite exactly the same. see here: https://www.inaturalist.org/flags/340737 I added the ID of “Nata” when it displayed it showed this [image] after 5 minutes, when I opened the observation again, the red “inactive taxon” icon just vanished, but it displayed fo…

This is not an isolated happening, it has been reported before. Somewhere in the system is another flag where it was reported twice in a single day. I will see if I can track that flag down.

Same for zooplankton and phytoplankton, which have been long inactive. https://www.inaturalist.org/identifications?taxon_id=363348,363351&current=any https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/26446398 https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/23842828

And another https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37658522

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37731907

@tiwane I know for sure of two additional ways people can select inactive taxa for IDs. One is when there is a taxon change and someone has opted out of having their content updated for them – which is presumably what happened with the most recent ID on this one: [image] The other is because ina…

Another Inactive Taxon that just got added as an ID (“Mixed Collection”) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/39394557

Able to select inactive taxon for ID

Bug Reports

bouteloua January 15, 2020, 6:18pm 10

Another example from @cmcheatle: “desert tortoise” https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37619460

Observation assigned to inactive taxon with same name as active taxon

Topic		Replies	Views
Users able to select inactive taxa for an ID Bug Reports	1	429	January 15, 2020
What is the meaning of "inactive taxon" General	15	511	August 20, 2025
Where do I find all my IDs of taxa that are now inactive? General	2	626	August 11, 2019
Improving iNaturalist's nomenclature & taxonomy General	77	3069	January 11, 2023
Problem with hyper-sensitivity of the box where you enter taxon name when adding an identification Bug Reports	20	340	August 12, 2024

Able to select inactive taxon for ID

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