As a beginner with iNaturalist and observing in general, I apologise if this is a repeat question. I used the genus suggested by the program and it is probably wrong. Is there a way to change what I typed into it so it reflects what someone more knowledgeable has said it is?
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If you are on the website, you can click on the edit button and withdraw. On the app, I generally just update ID to a new one by selecting the āwhat did you seeā box. When you add a new ID, it will automatically withdraw your previous one. If you have any idea of what it is, you can put a high level ID (many of these can be searched by familiar common names), such as āPlantā, āAnimalā, āFungiā, āmammalā, āinsectā.
Does that help?
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Yes, on the website and android app (I donāt know about ios) you can just withdraw your own ID easily by clicking in the top right corner of your ID.
Alternatively you can add your own new ID that is more in agreement if you are convinced. Donāt just agree with the other ID if you canāt make the judgement yourself because IDs should be independant but what I mean is you can add a broad ID. So if you said it was a certain species of fish Species A, but someone else has said no itās actually a bird Species B, if you are conviced now that it is a bird but you could not tell the species yourself just identify it as āBirdsā, your new ID will replace your previous one and agree with the new one (so long as you donāt state that you disagree with the new one if it asks you that).
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Whitney Brook, yes, that is helpful. Iāll go over now and look at how to do that. Thanks.
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Matthew, Iām going over now to do what people here have suggested. Itās a learning experience for me, but itās great to see how generous people are in helping beginners.
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Matthew, thanks. I felt pretty sure the ID suggested by the application wasnāt correct. Iāll be less willing to write in what is suggested in future, and Iāll do what you say and just go with a general identification such as āspiderā.
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You can use the suggestion as a tool. Especially if you check distribution - could that species be here? Iām not a birder - but picking thru Unknowns for Africa, adding Aves ā¦ and the notifications roll in as eager birders pounce. I will add a finer ID if I can, but no point in me struggling with it when, click click birders have gone to the, right and informed, species or subspecies.
Wish the dodgy dicots had a trickle of that response.
All good. The CV is a great tool for learning if you have the time. You can see what the suggestion is then look at that, look at similar species in your area, judge if you are confident of the species, or maybe not but the genus looks ok. or the familyā¦ being wrong on your initial upload is not a big issue, just follow up if someone disagrees by either withdrawing or replacing your ID (or standing your ground!)
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Yes, the suggested IDs can be hilariously wrong. Use your own judgment. You have a pretty good idea of what you saw.
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