What species have you seen with the most and least TOTAL observations?

I noticed one species I’d seen only had 9 total observations, which got me thinking: of the species you’ve seen, which has the most and least observations? This is TOTAL observations, not how many times you have observed it.

For me, the species with the most observations is the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) with 570,849 observations. And the species I mentioned earlier with the least observations, a mere 9, is the polychaete Phyllodoce lamelligera!

7 Likes

Harmonia axyridis, “Asian Ladybeetle”, is the most commonly observed species on iNat, and it happens to also be the species which I have observed most often simply because I like taking photos of it.
Edit: It is Mallard. H. axyridis isn’t the most common species after all.

For the “rarest” one: I have seen a couple of iNat firsts, most of which are copepods:

Two other taxa that were iNat firsts on upload, but aren’t anymore are:

6 Likes

I see Mallard in first place, this one takes third.

2 Likes

Oops. You’re right. I have misremembered that apparently. Maybe because I’m used to looking at ladybeetle species list.
In that case, it is mallard for me too :D

1 Like

I have at least two, which are still the only observations on iNat.

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1332489-Aricoris-domina
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/745799-Dolichopoda-lycia

the one with the most observations is a spider:

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/67706-Argiope-argentata

2 Likes

My highest one is Mallard (I’m assuming most people will have mallard for this)

My lowest ones are Dosinia contracta and my iNat first, Asyndetus appendiculatus.

I’m also going to drop this helpful link: https://elias.pschernig.com/wildflower/leastobserved.html?user=

(Just insert your username after user= and it will show you species you’ve seen with the least number of observations on iNat).

7 Likes

Several iNat firsts is so impressive!

3 Likes

Bless you, what a great tool!

Thank you! :)
It’s honestly just a matter of time, though, when looking at less frequently sampled habitats. And a microscope significantly enhances the odds of finding one as well. Haha
Then all that’s missing is a specialist iNatter for the ID and enough luck (or knowledge) to have taken photos that show the features necessary for ID (for me it has always been luck).

That’s a very cool fly! I also love the discussion underneath it. The observations where people who know far more about the taxon than I do discuss the identification are my favourite and very informative!

3 Likes

I currently have 41 iNat firsts which are still the only ones on the site. It really doesn’t take a great deal of effort if you visit unusual places.
Among the species I’ve observed Trichocereus macrogonus has the greatest number of observations at a meagre 1469.
Surprisingly I don’t have an observation of a mallard!

6 Likes

I don’t have any firsts yet (hopefully I will eventually!), but I have seen a ton of Scarletback Taildropper slugs. Or maybe I just take a lot of photos of them, while no one else would really bother, because they’re nondescript slugs? I figured I would, since they’re marked endangered. I see them almost every time I go hiking.

1 Like

Wow! 41 iNat firsts! I only have one or two.

3 Likes

I think my observation with the lowest is Western Dusted Skipper, which only has 21 observations. I’m not really a moth person and almost didn’t even bother to take a photo of it. Highest is mallard.

Tied for least with 1 other observation other than mine:
Draba thompsonii


Listrus gentry

As for most observed, mallard duck, same as some other people

2 Likes

My highest is mallard.
I have one or two iNat firsts (the isopod in my profile picture is one). I also have several other species which only have a few observations on iNat. Mostly just amphipods and rove beetles.

2 Likes

Of course, the most posted species I’ve posted is the Mallard. By far. I don’t know which is the least posted, but Poa mansfieldii (a bluegrass) must be close. It has only 10 observations, 9 of them mine.

4 Likes

Least observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1246782-Coreura-eion

Most observations:
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/129505-Desmodium-canadense

2 Likes

I’m sitting at 87 species that I’ve observed once and it’s the only observation on iNat. (They’re all Lepidoptera. Unfortunately, for most of them, no one has confirmed the IDs… though I have no reason to doubt my identifications.)

Most observations: probably https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/5268-Milvus-migrans

3 Likes

My most observed, most observed species is the mallard (like most people’s here).
My species with the least observations was an inat first, a robber fly in the genus Machimus called Machimus autumnalis. Still frustrated the photo was taken so terribly on my phone instead of my camera!!

2 Likes

I recentrly learned that GBIF is collecting observations from many datasets around the world where Inaturalist is one of them. When checking my rare observations I was suprised how many obervations there where of this specimen outside of Inaturalist:

38 observations on Inat:
Fynd · iNaturalist
2679 on GBIF:
Pilaria discicollis (Meigen, 1818)

Perhaps someone has a first on GBIF? :)

1 Like