Method for finding hybrids erroneously created at rank species

General
1

Just from browsing the site I have, a few times, run into hybrid taxa which were accidentally created at rank=species, rather than rank=hybrid. It seems like it should be really easy to find instances like this, as if I could search for all taxa with rank=species that contain “×” (the unicode multiplication symbol, not the letter “x”) in their scientific name I would probably get a list of roughly all and only those taxa. Does anyone know if such a search is possible through the API? I could not find a way to search scientific names specifically, e.g., but I’m not much of a programmer and not very familiar with the API.

2

if it worked, i would expect it to be something like
GET https://api.inaturalist.org/v2/taxa?q=%C3%97&rank=species, but even passing along just the q part gets back nothing:
https://api.inaturalist.org/v2/taxa?q=×.

so then if that doesn’t work then maybe you could do something with the DWCA taxon export or the AWS open dataset taxon metadata file.

3

using the latest file that was generated 2026-07-27, here are the taxa with the × character in their name whose rank doesn’t have hybrid in it:

id name rank url
1409189 Mentha × verticillata complex https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1409189
1523857 Citrus × aurantium aurantium form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1523857
1564163 Citrus × aurantium deliciosa form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1564163
1675002 Prunus × subhirtella fhisauchiana form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1675002
1227861 Prunus × subhirtella tamaclivorum form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1227861
1190732 Salix × fragilis fragilis form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1190732
1184305 Salix × fragilis vitellina form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1184305
1237491 Salix × pendulina erythroflexuosa form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1237491
1055551 Salix × pendulina pendulina form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1055551
1377466 Salix × pendulina tristis form https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1377466
1680479 Basileuterus × Geothlypis genus https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1680479
1455020 × inkea section https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1455020
1685451 Ardeola bacchus × speciosa species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1685451
1684139 Calidris fuscicollis × pusilla species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1684139
1655170 Ctenosaura bakeri × similis species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1655170
1687300 Geopelia cuneata × striata species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1687300
1680483 Geothlypis formosa × trichas species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1680483
1686533 Lanius cristatus × tigrinus species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1686533
1621332 Nasalis larvatus × trachypithecus cristatus species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1621332
1686518 Petrochelidon pyrrhonota × tachycineta thalassina species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1686518
1686950 Phaenicophilus palmarum × poliocephalus species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1686950
1686263 Piranga ludoviciana × rubra species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1686263
1688848 Platalea alba × leucorodia species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1688848
1686940 Poecile gambeli × rufescens species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1686940
1686956 Polioptila melanura × nigriceps species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1686956
1688509 Tyrannus couchii × forficatus species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1688509
1684476 Zenaida asiatica × macroura species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1684476
1515671 × Hesperotropsis leylandii species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1515671
1515673 × Hesperotropsis notabilis species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1515673
1515674 × Hesperotropsis ovensii species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1515674
1551827 Anacamptis × nicodemi nicodemi subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551827
1551826 Anacamptis × nicodemi yvesii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551826
1551820 Anacamptis × semisaccata murgiana subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551820
1551821 Anacamptis × semisaccata santamariotae subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551821
1551822 Anacamptis × semisaccata semisaccata subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551822
1601426 Anacamptis × timbali albuferensis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601426
1551824 Anacamptis × timbali reinhardii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551824
1551823 Anacamptis × timbali timbali subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551823
1451605 Asplenium × alternifolium alternifolium subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1451605
1451604 Asplenium × alternifolium heufleri subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1451604
1459141 Asplenium × alternifolium ponticum subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1459141
1601417 Asplenium × claphamii claphamii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601417
1469135 Asplenium × claphamii lawalreei subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1469135
1601416 Asplenium × clermontiae clermontiae subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601416
1621148 Asplenium × pagesii guichardii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1621148
1621149 Asplenium × pagesii pagesii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1621149
1601421 Asplenium × sleepiae krameri subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601421
1284070 Asplenium × sleepiae sleepiae subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1284070
1600632 Carduus × stangii killiasii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1600632
1600633 Carduus × stangii semiperegrinus subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1600633
1600631 Carduus × stangii stangii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1600631
1520524 Convolvulus × turcicus peshmenii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1520524
1520525 Convolvulus × turcicus turcicus subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1520525
1551800 Dactylorhiza × aschersoniana aschersoniana subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551800
1551801 Dactylorhiza × aschersoniana ishorica subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551801
1551803 Dactylorhiza × aschersoniana predaensis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551803
1551804 Dactylorhiza × aschersoniana templinensis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551804
1601443 Dactylorhiza × conigera conigera subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601443
1601444 Dactylorhiza × conigera evae subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601444
1455089 Dactylorhiza × kerneriorum ampolai subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1455089
1601413 Dactylorhiza × kerneriorum kerneriorum subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601413
1473522 Dactylorhiza × senayi senayi subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1473522
1473523 Dactylorhiza × senayi wiefelspuetziana subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1473523
1547834 Epipactis × conquensis amigoi subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1547834
1601411 Epipactis × conquensis conquensis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601411
1547842 Epipactis × schmalhausenii capellonensis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1547842
1547843 Epipactis × schmalhausenii fleischmannii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1547843
1547841 Epipactis × schmalhausenii schmalhausenii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1547841
234099 Fragaria × ananassa ananassa subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/234099
777063 Fragaria × ananassa cuneifolia subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/777063
1454170 Galanthus × valentinei subplicatus subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1454170
1454171 Galanthus × valentinei valentinei subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1454171
1445046 Gentiana × laengstii komnensis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1445046
1445047 Gentiana × laengstii laengstii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1445047
1521797 Hypericum × desetangsii balcanicum subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1521797
1521798 Hypericum × desetangsii carinthiacum subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1521798
1521796 Hypericum × desetangsii desetangsii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1521796
1560160 Lavandula × intermedia intermedia subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1560160
1457004 Lavandula × intermedia leptostachya subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1457004
1598807 Narcissus × cazorlanus cazorlanus subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1598807
1598808 Narcissus × cazorlanus montielanus subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1598808
1393730 Ophrys × apicula apicula subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1393730
1393731 Ophrys × apicula fabrei subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1393731
1565831 Ophrys × brigittae brigittae subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1565831
1565832 Ophrys × brigittae provecta subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1565832
1608779 Ophrys × lievreae lievreae subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1608779
1608778 Ophrys × lievreae sancti-leonardi subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1608778
1601398 Ophrys × maremmae maremmae subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1601398
1372352 Ophrys × maremmae normanii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1372352
1372355 Ophrys × maremmae tardans subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1372355
1521510 Ophrys × minuticauda donorensis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1521510
1521509 Ophrys × minuticauda minuticauda subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1521509
1550751 Ophrys × vicina corriasiana subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1550751
1550750 Ophrys × vicina vicina subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1550750
1073847 Orchis × loreziana kisslingii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1073847
1073850 Orchis × loreziana loreziana subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1073850
1558412 Pinguicula × scullyi gresivaudanica subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1558412
1558413 Pinguicula × scullyi scullyi subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1558413
1637970 Quercus × kerneri montserratii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1637970
1544361 Rosa × engelmannii britannicae-columbiae subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1544361
1544362 Rosa × engelmannii engelmannii subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1544362
1544363 Rosa × engelmannii occidentalis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1544363
1540046 Salix × friesiana antverpiensis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1540046
1191692 Salix × friesiana friesiana subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1191692
1472208 Salvia × hegelmaieri accidentalis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1472208
1472207 Salvia × hegelmaieri hegelmaieri subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1472207
1600191 Schoenoplectus × carinatus carinatus subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1600191
1600192 Schoenoplectus × carinatus triquetriformis subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1600192
1558972 Viola × contempta bohemica subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1558972
1558973 Viola × contempta contempta subspecies https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1558973
1103452 Betula × intermedia intermedia variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1103452
1103451 Betula × intermedia sukatschewii variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1103451
1508509 Crataegus × kyrtostyla domicensis variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1508509
1508511 Crataegus × kyrtostyla kyrtostyla variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1508511
1568788 Crataegus × macrocarpa hadensis variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1568788
1568804 Crataegus × macrocarpa macrocarpa variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1568804
1551802 Dactylorhiza × aschersoniana mulignensis variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1551802
1605660 Dendrobium × speciokingianum delicatum variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1605660
1605659 Dendrobium × speciokingianum speciokingianum variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1605659
895877 Drosera × californica arenaria variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/895877
1526402 Rhododendron × psammogenes inundatum variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1526402
1526404 Rhododendron × psammogenes psammogenes variety https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1526404

and here are some bonus taxa that use x instead of ×

id name rank url
1066550 Barleria obtusa x repens hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1066550
1682704 Castilleja hispida x levisecta hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1682704
1441648 Celmisia viscosa x brevifolia hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1441648
1576472 Chorthippus brunneus x jacobsi hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1576472
1664253 Cobitis longicorpus x multifasciata hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1664253
1651010 Coptotermes formosanus x gestroi hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1651010
1232170 Fritillaria spetsiotica x rhodocanakis hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1232170
1359379 Gaultheria colensoi x Depressa novae-zealandiae hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1359379
1670629 Gladiolus alatus x carinatus hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1670629
881506 Grevillea gaudichaudii x longifolia hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/881506
637698 Hypolepis ambigua x H rufobarbata hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/637698
524576 Kunzea linearis x K robusta hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/524576
524573 Kunzea robusta x K sinclairii hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/524573
1076429 Leucospermum cordifolium x glabrum x Vestitum hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1076429
782110 Myrsine divaricata x salicina hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/782110
1568220 Nematanthus fissus x tessmannii hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1568220
1641987 Neotibicen linnei x canicularis hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1641987
1641983 Neotibicen linnei x pruinosus hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1641983
1641985 Neotibicen linnei x winnemanna hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1641985
1689879 Olearia arborescens x quinquevulnera hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1689879
1562684 Pedicularis tuberosa x Pedicularis rostratocapitata hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1562684
1630686 Phormium cookianum x tenax hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1630686
1147441 Protea neriifolia x susannae hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1147441
1689011 Quercus ajoensis x turbinella hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1689011
1604258 Quercus berberidifolia x cornelius-mulleri hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1604258
1642298 Rubus ulmifolius x vestitus hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1642298
1647462 Selago anatrichota x goetzei hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1647462
1680474 Setophaga coronata x nigrescens hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1680474
1655916 Sophora chathamica x microphylla hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1655916
1642297 Sophora microphylla x prostrata hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1642297
1592923 Spiranthes casei x ochroleuca hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1592923
1602889 Streptocarpus formosus x porphyrostachys hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1602889
1602893 Streptocarpus grandis grandis x candidus hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1602893
1602894 Streptocarpus grandis grandis x gardenii hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1602894
1602892 Streptocarpus polyanthus verecundus x haygarthii hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1602892
1602891 Streptocarpus wilmsii x fenestra-dei hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1602891
1600542 Vriesea erythrodactylon x incurvata hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1600542
1400998 Wahlenbergia fernandeziana x grahamae hybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1400998
1631016 Tritoma biguttata biguttata x biguttata affinis infrahybrid https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1631016
1668653 Calonarious sp. ‘az03 x vellingae’ species https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1668653
4

thank you so much!

i’ve flagged the ones that are erroneously rank species or genus. did not touch the rest because i have no idea how hybrids of infraspecific ranks are supposed to be handled and did not want to create even more of a mess of flags for others

5

you’re welcome. this may or may not help keep track of the progress of the flags more easily for the whole set:
https://jumear.github.io/stirfry/iNatAPIv1_taxa?id=1680479,1685451,1684139,1655170,1687300,1680483,1686533,1621332,1686518,1686950,1686263,1688848,1686940,1686956,1688509,1684476,1515671,1515673,1515674

6

Looking at related flags, it seems like many hybrids were mislabeled by a single curator. I would reach out to them about correctly labeling hybrids while they are being added. This repeated error creates unnecessary work for other curators.

7

it’s too much work for a regular user like to me to try to figure out who mislabeled what. curators probably have more insight into all that, and if someone’s going to deliver a message about minimizing unnecessary curation work, it might make the most sense for that message to come from a curator (not me nor youngestation) or staff.

8

When a taxon is flagged, you can often view the creator of that taxon on iNaturalist. It can usually be assumed that the creator of the taxon is the one who accidentally mislabeled it. This information should be visible to all users.

I do agree though that perhaps it should be other curators or staff to reach out.

9

yes, i noticed this too but didn’t want to call them out publicly or anything for what was probably just an innocent mistake. maybe i should have messaged them, but i also sort of agree with you and pisum that it might make the most sense for a curator to reach out. i also sort of assumed curators would be notified if someone flags taxa they created but maybe that’s not the case?

10

this is not the case