How do you iNat organisms from a location you've never been to?

This summer, I’ve been co-partnering with the entomology department at the University of New Mexico to collect some grasshopper species for DNA sequencing. One of these species is Trimerotropis cyaneipennis. This past weekend, my dad had a four-day weekend and for my brother’s birthday, he took him to Nevada. I was forced to stay home because somebody needs to take care of the farm animals. :pensive: While there, they caught and kept four T. cyaneipennis for me. I photographed the specimens before euthanizing them and prepared the DNA sample. Anyway, the question is, I know the exact location of the site but since I’ve never been to Nevada, does that make my report casual for location issues? Or am I’m overthinking this?

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if your location is correct i don’t see why it would be casual

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it should be research grade, as long as you have the correct dates and location. Even if you weren’t there personally, it’s still the correct info :)

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As long as the location and date listed are where/when they were collected, they should be fine. I’ve seen several people (especially with insects) going through collections and plotting them and adding the collection date.

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Be sure to acknowledge the collector(s) in the Notes section.

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It is better if they had taken a pictures of the grasshoppers in situ. Pictures can be shared. The pictures you have taken may be judged by whether it is captured/cultivated. That may determine the observation’s status as Research grade or casual in iNat. Members of the community can put the tick in the box or the observer can put the tick himself or herself.

They can be wild as long as the location/date/time are those of the capture. I would just explain the situation in the description and acknowledge the collectors.

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Why not create an account for the original observers and let them post it, along with your notes ?

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Put your info in the notes. Research grade.

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