I feel like this has been brought up before but there are a lot of small inconsistencies in the identification count for taxa depending on where they are listed on the site. I’ve noticed it before and it’s not really much of an issue, it’s just confusing!
Here’s an example, with Austrosalomona falcata:
On the taxon page, it says I am the top identifier with 589 IDs:
On the Explore page, it says I am the top identifier with 583 IDs:
And in the right side bar of observations of the species, it says I am the top identifier with 582 IDs:
Going to the Identify page, the actual number of observations of A. falcata that I have identified and reviewed is 585, which is a different count again:
My friend tells me that 585 is also the number that shows on the Explore page in the Android app.
There are similar small inconsistencies with the identification counts for other people too. I figure that this is because there are differences between what these numbers are actually counting - e.g. I know that the Explore and Identify pages do not count IDs on observations where the display ID is stuck at a higher taxon - but why do we need so many different identification counts? And if we really do need several different counts, can it at least be made more obvious what each count actually means?
Some notes, because I know people will ask:
- The last time I identified one of these was several days ago so it should not still be updating
- I have never observed this taxon so IDs on my sightings should not be influencing the different counts (but even if they were, this is yet another source of inconsistency in the identification count that isn’t clear in its usage)
- I use the main iNat website and not, e.g., iNaturalist Australia, and I do not have any default places etc. in place
- On the Identify page, I have made an identification of A. falcata on all 585 observations. I have not made a different ID on any of them, nor have I reviewed any of them without adding an ID. Yes, I have checked this, and several people can testify to it