# What to cite when marking a species as "present" in a checklist

**URL:** <https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-cite-when-marking-a-species-as-present-in-a-checklist/57601>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [October 25, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-cite-when-marking-a-species-as-present-in-a-checklist/57601 "2024-10-25T20:44:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![skyfaller](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/skyfaller/32/43550_2.png) [@skyfaller](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/skyfaller)\
**Post date:** [October 25, 2024, 8:44pm UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-cite-when-marking-a-species-as-present-in-a-checklist/57601/1 "2024-10-25T20:44:22Z")

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I often check [the North America checklist](https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/313169-North-America-Check-List) because I’m trying to keep track of how many native species I observe, and if it isn’t marked in a relevant checklist as “native”, it won’t show up in my search of my observations for native species. While I’m there, I often find that the “Occurrence status” is “unknown”, and if I’ve observed the species myself, I can be confident that it’s at least present, so I also mark it as present. But it seems silly to cite my own observation, even if it’s research grade, and it also seems silly to cite however many other observations are listed there on iNaturalist. Few sources seem to clearly state the occurrence status of a species across North America.

What should I cite when I mark a species present on a checklist, such as for North America?

Are there better sources for other occurrence statuses, such as “common” or “uncommon”?

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**Author:** ![twainwright](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/forum.inaturalist.org/twainwright/32/304_2.png) [@twainwright](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/twainwright)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2024, 3:17am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-cite-when-marking-a-species-as-present-in-a-checklist/57601/2 "2024-10-26T03:17:27Z")

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For plants, for the simple “present” status you could site the Flora of North America ([http://floranorthamerica.org](http://floranorthamerica.org)) taxon page (if it exists). They don’t discuss other occurrence status categories. I assume there are similar catalogs for other kingdoms for North America.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/inaturalist/original/2X/7/7831452cf7f0d653ff1ffd34176334b7ef1b6a17.png) [@system](https://forum.inaturalist.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2024, 3:17am UTC](https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-to-cite-when-marking-a-species-as-present-in-a-checklist/57601/3 "2024-12-25T03:17:59Z")

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Closed on December 25, 2024, 3:17am UTC

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