Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

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Species (Taxonomy)

Definition:

Observations:

1. If the specimen contains more than one species, enter only the most significant or most abundant species in this field. Enter the other species in the Associated Species field. Use the following criteria to determine the order of importance:
   • the species is not represented elsewhere in the collection;
   • the species is rare or valuable, and
   • the specimen is a particularly good or the unique example of that species.
2. For better search results in your database, avoid a large variety of terms; draw up an authority list and add names as necessary.
3. For the biological sciences: this field is used in conjunction with the Genus field.

Entry rules:

1. Enter the full name; do not use abbreviations.
   Example

   	Discipline	mineralogy
   	Species	fluorite

2. In accordance with the International Code of Nomenclature, the first letter of the taxon is lower case.
   Example

   	Discipline	ornithology
   	Genus	Ortygospiza
   	Species	gabonensis

3. Do not enter the word "species" before the name of the species.
   Example

   	Species	virosa
   	and not
   	Species	species virosa

4. If the specimen is a hybrid (biology), enter "x", a space and its name.
   Example

   	Family	Salicaceae
   	Genus	Salix
   	Species	x rubens

5. If you are unsure whether your information is correct, include a space and a question mark after the name.
   Example

   	Species	racemosa ?

6. If the genus of a biological specimen has been identified, but not its species, enter "sp" in the Species field.
   Example

   	Family	Violaceae
   	Genus	Viola
   	Species	sp

7. This field may not contain more than one entry.