Source of common names for Canadian species

[pfau_tarleton]

@JeremyHussell

The part that’s relevant to curators is that the only way (I’m aware of) for non-curators to get a name deleted is to create a flag on the species and convince a curator to do it. So, in this situation, where the same source has created many names which have been added to iNaturalist, each flag attracts the attention of a new curator who has likely never heard of wildspecies.ca, resulting in the same evidence and arguments having to be presented repeatedly. In my case, I think I’ve gotten involved with this same issue too many times, and I need advice on how to handle it better.

Is there a better way to handle this, when the bad names are scattered across multiple taxa, and each name is bad in its own unique way?

Since no one has offered a suggestion, I’ll propose one. I know you’ve compiled a list of names that are low-quality, and posted it on a flag for salticids. Consider creating a wiki here in the curator forum to briefly explain the situation and to have an editable list of these problematic names. Anyone can then link to that wiki when making decisions or comments regarding a specific name (such as when creating a flag). This way, the list is available in a single location and it can grow and be updated over time. This will help with tracking decisions and inform future whack-a-moleing.

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-do-i-create-a-wiki/10819

[upupa-epops]

I’ve previously stated elsewhere that the wildspecies.ca names seem to consistently have issues constituting

@upupa-epops

basically a checklist of “what not to do when making your own common names”, which to me seems fairly predictable for an effort by a relatively small group of people to come up with names for literally every species in an entire country. You need to have both expertise and creativity to do it well.

…so I agree with not using names from that source unless they’re starting to be used elsewhere.

@pfau_tarleton

To be more careful in their creation of common names so that you’re not unhappy with the result. And perhaps to remove (or replace) particularly egregious names like the pink orbweaver.

What number or quality of names on such a petition do you think would be sufficient to inspire change? Does anyone have any connections within that team who can give intel on why they’re doing it (and doing it poorly)? It’s obviously a lot of effort but seems futile if curators and specialists of iNat, which is likely the platform with the most compatibility in interests and values, view the names disfavourably. Perhaps someone from iNat Canada/Canadian Wildlife Federation reaching out would be more effective?

But as I said earlier

@upupa-epops

You need to have both expertise and creativity to do it well.

and I don’t know if that team realistically has the resources to accomplish that.

[pfau_tarleton]

@upupa-epops

What number or quality of names on such a petition do you think would be sufficient to inspire change?

I sent an email to wildspecies.ca (the email at their website), and included a link to the Salticidae flag as an example of our concern. They replied acknowledging some issues and will be investigating those once they have the capacity to do so. They also said that the program and their processes are changing and that now is the perfect time for them to receive feedback to inform those changes. My recommendation is for those with concerns to reach out to them directly.

[sjl197]

Reading with popcorn.

There was once such a thing as “iNaturalist Canada Steering Committee”
https://www.inaturalist.ca/pages/supporters

I’ll keep my feelings on that to myself.