iDentifi: An Identification Practice Tool Using the iNat API

[DianaStuder]

@danlharp

my customized Firefox also causes problems with iNat, e.g., all the suggested IDs are bats

I wonder if that would explain the ‘bats’ among my African Unknowns ?

[pisum]

@danlharp

my customized Firefox also causes problems with iNat, e.g., all the suggested IDs are bats [no, I’m not making this up]

see https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/cv-suggestions-are-different-and-mainly-bats-when-uploading/25589/11

[dominiquejoy]

I really like the tool, but this is a good point. I would love if there was a “neutral” option for progression: if you identify to species, you add to your streak, if you identify incorrectly you break your streak, but if you identify to a higher taxonomic level correctly, you keep your streak but don’t add to it.

[dominiquejoy]

While there’s no shame in getting things wrong as part of the learning process, I also don’t want to broadcast my practice!

I also agree this would be great for classrooms or other education opportunities.

[annkatrinrose]

@pisum

i don’t understand why folks wanting to practice their identification skills wouldn’t just identify within iNaturalist

Student IDs aren’t always appreciated on iNat, so I can see this as a great tool to supplement class projects with some ID practice activity.

@notiophilus

I would appreciate to practice on any region (not just surrounding me). For example to practice before travelling to another country.

I was thinking the exact same thing. I’d also like to practice for other countries to help with IDs while traveling.

@meltknuckles

You can actually change the location searched by moving/zooming the map around

I don’t see a map. I’m guessing I’m running into issues with browser settings blocking location access. The automatic location recognition doesn’t seem accurate for me when it works anyway so that’s why I’ve never bothered trying to fix this. When it does work it often points to my ISP’s home hub 300 miles from my actual location.

[hedaja]

I tried it a few times now and it’s a lot of fun. Especially when I had to identify my own observation xD
Really awesome tool.

I would love to see more languages getting added to the interface and to the common names.
Do you think you would be able to set up a translation project for the interface? Would be happy to contribute some time to a German translation to make it more accessible here.

[richyfourtytwo]

@notiophilus

I would appreciate to practice on any region (not just surrounding me).

Yes, me too!

[letiziaw]

I really enjoyed trying this out, too! But as others have mentioned, it can be quite frustrating to have to ID to species level every time to get a correct solution. Just thinking of the myriads of Coleoptera or Diptera species. I’m often not even sure which subfamily it could be in because there is such a huge variation. And learning by just visually comparing them doesn’t work either when you think of all the flies that look like typical flies but may be of different families altogether…

Maybe there is a setting you could introduce where the user can choose to what level they are comfortable to ID? That way you can practice different families for example.

Another thing I’ve noticed is that some observations are of really poor quality. I had one where there was a grass in 20 m distance. It was IDable sure, but I couldn’t make out any features. But I guess there is no filter to check for quality.