I find myself increasingly wanting an exemplar list. This differs from other lists in that there would be only one observation for each species (identified or not). Or maybe there would not even be an observation.
It’d be nice to have a page showing only one image per species, with perhaps blank spots for species known to be in the area but not yet personally observed.
Is this functionality somehow already available? If so, how would I do it?
There is no functionality on the site to generate a list that only has a single observation linked to it for each taxa.
You can set up a personal list with as many chosen taxa as you want, which allows you to filter or see if you have observed each thing on it, but it is a little time consuming.
So for example I tried to create a list of all reported ferns in Ontario as a personal checklist, but it is a time consuming exercise
https://www.inaturalist.org/lists/2863304-Ontario-ferns-checklist
There is functionality that allows you to see what species have been observed in an area that you have not personally documented - the unobserved_by_user_id search parameter.
For example this url shows all the ferns that have been documented in Ontario that I have not personally observed. Unfortunately the list of species I have observed is not linked to the geography of the list. What I mean by that is that if there were a species I had observed outside of Ontario, but not in the province, it would not appear on the list. You can edit the various parameters to meet your needs
Isn’t this what the normal List does? All of the observations are linked, rather than 0-1, but there’s only one image. For example, I’ve observed a lot of B. impatiens, but this is the only entry in my bees list:
To see them all, you have to click the “view all” button. You can also filter your list to only show species, or only taxa without children in the list.
When you say “normal List”, what do you mean? Maybe you mean the life list. That presents a short list of what it calculates as unique items, and it autoselects observations. I want to select my own observations - some have better photos than others. Also, if I have two different species in the same genus but they are not identified to species, I’d want to show them both as separate entries even though they’ve not been identified yet. The life list does not do this.
I’m considering adding an examplar tag. Then I can use a filter to select those with the examplar tag.
Edit: The life list is woefully lacking in accuracy. For example, I have squirrel observations, but no squirrels appear in the life list. Using the tool to refresh the list from observations does not fix it. I figure the life list probably contains only about half the species. Is this a bug with the life list?
When you say “normal List”, what do you mean? Maybe you mean the life list.
Yes, sorry–I meant life lists in general (not just your “all life” life list).
it autoselects observations. I want to select my own observations - some have better photos than others.
Also, if I have two different species in the same genus but they are not identified to species, I’d want to show them both as separate entries even though they’ve not been identified yet.
I think it chooses the most recent observation and combines observations of the same taxon, right. So it’s not ideal for you.
I’m considering adding an examplar tag. Then I can use a filter to select those with the examplar tag.
This sounds like the best solution for your use case.
Is this a bug with the life list?
probably–they’re pretty buggy.
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