I’m a mycologist who has been a user of MO for many years and I have mirrored my observations on iNaturalist. However, I would like to consolidate on one platform. Some features that keep me from switching is the “Community ID” and “Research Grade”. How to deal with wrong identifications from the co…

Its complicated. It would certainly be irresponsible to define a species solely off the BLAST alone - you’d still want to go through and do proper microscopy, how variable the ITS region is can differ between some genuses, and I know of at least a few species where you need other gene regions and/o…

[image] malcolmstorey: Post hoc finder-confirms shouldn’t count towards CID. So, I ID something, somebody comes along and ID’s it differently, I say, “Opps! You’re right!” because I should have known or maybe did know and clicked the wrong button, and I ID it to agree with the second ID. Bu…

The quickest way to keep observations on both sites is to create them on Mushroom Observer, and then run the import script at the end of the day to move the new ones over.

It’s pretty important to put the barcode in the DNA Barcode ITS observation field because when people search for sequenced observations, this is the field they search under. Searching for sequenced observations is a good way to see what something really looks like and find the real distribution wi…

I used the import script to get all my observations in MO into iNat so I appreciate the utility. But does the script also update records? So if a name revision for example is made on the MO site does that get transmitted to the iNat record when running the script or do both records need to be modifi…

This is perhaps not preferable for other reasons, but you could just wait to upload the observation until you have the sequence data to add with it. If the feedback from other users without the sequence isn’t beneficial (and perhaps even detrimental), then just waiting avoids that cost.

[image] lothlin: It would certainly be irresponsible to define a species solely off the BLAST alone - you’d still want to go through and do proper microscopy, how variable the ITS region is can differ between some genuses, and I know of at least a few species where you need other gene regions an…

Imho its sufficient for a lot of IDs. Some its not. Sequnce + good pics is better. Sequence + good pics + micro is EVEN better Just depends :D I just looked at a Hebeloma that has an ITS that overlaps with the rest of its section. If the observer hadn’t included good in situ photos and details abou…

[image] lothlin: The biggest issue I have with iNat versus MO is just the lack of ability to add cf./aff. or provisional names to identifications, Just to check you are aware that there is a ‘cf’ observation field. Not perfectly optimal, but it is there. I use it quite a bit. Fungi are one…

Oh I’m aware. But many people on inat becuase they just want to have their obs at species level, and bumping it to genus and filling out the Cf observation field wouldn’t satisfy them.

Issues keeping me from switching from Mushroom Observer to iNaturalist

General

Topic		Replies	Views
Changing of ID from specific species to higher taxa General	29	1414	December 18, 2019
Why opt out of Community ID? General	95	3128	October 5, 2022
Little interaction by the community General question	54	4871	November 18, 2021
Concerns over opting out of community taxon General	81	2898	May 18, 2025
Community identification model doesn't work General	21	843	September 26, 2025

Issues keeping me from switching from Mushroom Observer to iNaturalist

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