are Catalogue of Life ids expected to be stable over time?

[jhpoelen]

In https://github.com/globalbioticinteractions/nomer/issues/159#issuecomment-1655696571 (see below), various observations were documented in which the catalogue of life identifier for a specific taxon name appear to change over time.

For instance, Adoretosoma elegans was associated with col:ID 64SCW in a version of COL accessed in 2022-09 . However, a recent version of COL no longer appears that contains that col:ID. Instead, Adoretosoma elegans appears to be associated with a different col:ID - (9JQSG)[https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/9JQSG] . Note also that the previously issued col;ID no longer redirects to the newly issued ID.

So, I am wondering - what is the policy of the Catalogue of Life related to taxonomic identifiers? And, related, how should I cite the taxonomic information provided by the Catalogue of Life at some specific point in time?

from https://github.com/globalbioticinteractions/nomer/issues/159#issuecomment-1655696571

---

I ran a test and higher taxonomy is with subfamily and tribe is exactly what I want. I encountered a bug where the alignedExternalId from catalog of life gives a 404 error. It happened for the first two URLs I spot checked but it did not repeat on the other ones. a list of the errors are below. It is a low frequency but getting the wrong externalID should be looked at.

Adoretosoma elegans Nomer: alignedExternalId: https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/64SCW gives a 404 error

Search catalog of life for Adoretosoma elegans url: https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/9JQSG

Anisoplia baetica Nomer: alignedExternalId: https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/7RCD4 gives a 404 error catalog of life: https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/9JRX8

Paracotalpa ursina Works Nomer: alignedExternalId: https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/75NC5

Lagochile trigona Works Nomer: alignedExternalId: https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/6NV7R

Strigoderma arboricola Works Nomer: alignedExternalId: ttps://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/5322V

Nomer: alignedExternalId: Chlorota aulica Works https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/5XZ78 globi_Scarab_Rutelinae.csv

Adoretus semperi Works https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/8VR2D globi_Scarab_Rutelinae.csv

I have som number.s I submitted ~650 names. 550 of the names matched in catalog of life. I then tested the url associated with each name. ~13% of the names gave a 404 error. The results file is attached.

Originally posted by @whitfarnum in https://github.com/globalbioticinteractions/nomer/issues/159#issuecomment-1655696571

[mdoering]

See https://www.catalogueoflife.org/2022/03/23/name-ids and https://github.com/CatalogueOfLife/general/issues/35

You cannot resolve deleted ids through the COL portal at this stage, but have to go to checklistbank instead, e.g. here for the annual release that was live in 2022-09: https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/9837/taxon/64SCW

Here are all releases with their dataset keys: https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset?limit=50&offset=0&releasedFrom=3 if you need other versions.

[mdoering]

In the case of Adoretosoma elegans the authorship changed from Blanchard, 1850 to Blanchard, 1851 which required a new name identifier.

[mdoering]

Bottomline, if you want stable links and immutable content include the datasetKey of the release you have accessed to build a composite key like 9837:64SCW

[jhpoelen]

@mdoering thanks for taking the time to respond and for suggesting a way to help point towards a more resolvable version of the Catalogue of Name links.

However, I'd say that stable links and immutable content are not guaranteed by this approach.

For stable links and immutable content, I'd want to be able to answer question like:

1. How can I measure the stability of a link?
2. What is the method to associate a name identifier to their associated content?
3. Do I need to be online to make this association?
4. Do I have to trust an online third party service available on demand?
5. How can detect whether expected immutable content actually has not changed?

I don't expect you to respond to this, I am just reflecting on the (common) use of "stable" and "immutable" without clear definition or providing methods for measuring these qualities.

[jhpoelen]

Note to self: Catalogue of Life name identifiers are used in wikidata without providing the dataset key they are associated with.

For instance, Enhydra lutris (Sea otter), appears to be linked to https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/39TWB via https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41407 , where https://doi.org/10.48580/DFPX is cited as the reference. On 2023-08-14, the resolved to https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/9828 (see evidence below).

So, if I understand it correctly, the reference to the specific catalogue of life landing page for 39TWB will break if something changes in the name definition of Enhydra lutris .

For future versions of GloBI / Nomer, I'll attempt to include the Cataogue of Life dataset key and point to appropriate checklist bank landing page.

$ curl -I  https://doi.org/10.48580/DFPX
HTTP/2 302 
date: Mon, 14 Aug 2023 15:21:39 GMT
content-type: text/html;charset=utf-8
content-length: 169
location: https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/9828
vary: Accept
expires: Mon, 14 Aug 2023 16:18:37 GMT
permissions-policy: interest-cohort=(),browsing-topics=()
cf-cache-status: DYNAMIC
report-to: {"endpoints":[{"url":"https:\/\/a.nel.cloudflare.com\/report\/v3?s=kXJSyB1AeCLr32cTadH40pHiOenMNkIr%2B10sDyLrkBaCTaeoFsHSfXocxkQcpmG%2FGe%2BuXEbzRAgbfZAwpDIAPL3QAxmgcJrJaHauBEpX1s0it9mAHsHRYHY%3D"}],"group":"cf-nel","max_age":604800}
nel: {"success_fraction":0,"report_to":"cf-nel","max_age":604800}
strict-transport-security: max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload
server: cloudflare
cf-ray: 7f6a3057795b6314-ORD
alt-svc: h3=":443"; ma=86400

and https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/9828 generated an html landing page as shown in screenshot capture with associated bibtex reference:

@misc{9828,
    publisher = {Catalogue of Life},
    address = {Leiden, Netherlands},
    version = {2022-06-23},
    issn = {2405-8858},
    url = {https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/9828},
    doi = {10.48580/dfpx},
    title = {Catalogue of Life Checklist},
    author = {{Bánki}, {Olaf} and {Roskov}, {Yury} and {Döring}, {Markus} and {Ower}, {Geoff} and {Vandepitte}, {Leen} and {Hobern}, {Donald} and {Remsen}, {David} and {Schalk}, {Peter} and {DeWalt}, {R. Edward} and {Keping}, {Ma} and {Miller}, {Joe} and {Orrell}, {Thomas} and {Aalbu}, {Rolf} and {Adlard}, {Robert} and {Adriaenssens}, {Evelien M.} and {Aedo}, {Carlos} and {Aescht}, {E.} and {Akkari}, {Nesrine} and {Alfenas-Zerbini}, {Poliane} and {Alonso-Zarazaga}, {Miguel A.} and {Altenburger}, {Katrin} and {Alvarez}, {Belinda} and {Alvarez}, {Fernando} and {Anderson}, {Gary} and {Antić}, {Dragan Z.} and {Antonietto}, {Lucas Silveira} and {Appeltans}, {Ward} and {Arango}, {Claudia} and {Artois}, {Tom} and {Arvanitidis}, {Christos} and {Atkinson}, {Stephen} and {Auffenberg}, {Kurt} and {Baeyens}, {Willy} and {Bailly}, {Nicolas} and {Baker}, {Edward} and {Bamber}, {Roger} and {Bandesha}, {Farida} and {Bank}, {Ruud} and {Barber}, {Anthony} and {Barber-James}, {H.} and {Barbosa}, {Joao Paulo} and {Barthe}, {Jean-François} and {Bartolozzi}, {L.} and {Bartsch}, {I.} and {Beccaloni}, {George W} and {Bellamy}, {C.L.} and {Bellan-Santini}, {Denise} and {Bellinger}, {P.F.} and {Ben-Dov}, {Yair} and {Bernot}, {James} and {Bezerra}, {Tania Nara} and {Bieler}, {Rüdiger} and {Bisby}, {F.} and {Bitner}, {Maria Aleksandra} and {Blasco-Costa}, {Isabel} and {Bock}, {Phil} and {Bouchard}, {Patrice} and {Bouchet}, {Philippe} and {Bourgoin}, {T.} and {Boury-Esnault}, {Nicole} and {Bouzan}, {Rodrigo} and {Boxshall}, {Geoff} and {Boyko}, {Christopher} and {Brandão}, {Simone} and {Braun}, {Holger} and {Bray}, {Rod} and {Brock}, {Paul D} and {Bronstein}, {Omri} and {Bruce}, {Niel} and {Bueno-Villegas}, {Julian} and {Burckhardt}, {Daniel} and {Bush}, {Louise} and {Böttger-Schnack}, {Ruth} and {Büscher}, {Thies} and {Błażewicz-Paszkowycz}, {Magdalena} and {Cairns}, {Stephen} and {Calonje}, {Michael} and {Carballo}, {José Luis} and {Cardoso}, {Lilian} and {Carrera-Parra}, {Luis} and {Castilho}, {R.C.} and {Catalano}, {Sarah} and {Chatrou}, {L.W.} and {Chevillotte}, {Herve} and {Christiansen}, {K.A.} and {Cianferoni}, {F.} and {Cigliano}, {María Marta} and {Coleman}, {Charles Oliver} and {Collins}, {Allen} and {Corbari}, {Laure} and {Cordeiro}, {Ralf} and {CoreoideaSF Team} and {Cornils}, {Astrid} and {Costello}, {Mark} and {Crosby}, {Marshall R} and {Cruz-López}, {Jesus A.} and {Culham}, {A.} and {Cárdenas}, {Paco} and {Daly}, {Meg} and {Daneliya}, {Mikhail} and {Dauvin}, {Jean-Claude} and {Davie}, {Peter} and {Davison}, {Andrew J.} and {De Broyer}, {Claude} and {De Prins}, {Jurate} and {De Prins}, {Willy} and {DeSalle}, {Rob} and {Decker}, {Peter} and {Decock}, {Wim} and {Deem}, {Lesley S} and {Defaye}, {Danielle} and {Dekker}, {Henk} and {Dellapé}, {Pablo M} and {Dempsey}, {Donald M.} and {Den Heyer}, {J.} and {Deneudt}, {Klaas} and {Deprez}, {Tim} and {Dippenaar}, {Susan M} and {Dmitriev}, {D.A.} and {Dohrmann}, {Martin} and {Doner}, {Stacy} and {Dorkeld}, {Franck} and {Downey}, {Rachel} and {Ducarme}, {Frédéric} and {Dutilh}, {Bas E.} and {Díaz}, {Maria-Cristina} and {Eades}, {David C} and {Eibye-Jacobsen}, {Danny} and {Eisendle}, {Ursula} and {Eitel}, {Michael} and {El Nagar}, {Aliya} and {Emig}, {Christian} and {Emig}, {Christian C.} and {Encarnação}, {Sarita Camacho da} and {Engel}, {Michael S.} and {Enghoff}, {Henrik} and {Evans}, {G.A.} and {Evenhuis}, {Neal L} and {Faber}, {Marien} and {Farjon}, {A.} and {Fauchald}, {Kristian} and {Fautin}, {Daphne} and {Favret}, {Colin} and {Fernández-Rodríguez}, {Vanessa} and {Figueroa}, {Diego} and {Fišer}, {Cene} and {Forró}, {L.} and {Forstner}, {Martina} and {Francis}, {Ardath} and {Froese}, {Rainer} and {Fuchs}, {Anne} and {Furuya}, {Hidetaka} and {Gabelle}, {Cédric} and {Gao}, {Yue} and {Garcia-Alvarez}, {Oscar} and {García}, {María Laura} and {Gardner}, {M.} and {Garic}, {Rade} and {Garnett}, {Stephen} and {Gasca}, {Rebeca} and {Gattolliat}, {J.-L.} and {Gaviria-Melo}, {Santiago} and {Gerken}, {Sarah} and {Gibson}, {David} and {Gibson}, {Raymond} and {Gielis}, {Cees} and {Giribet}, {Gonzalo} and {Gittenberger}, {Arjan} and {Glasby}, {Christopher} and {Glover}, {Adrian G.} and {Gofas}, {Serge} and {Grabowski}, {Michal} and {Granado}, {Alexia de A.} and {Gray}, {Alex} and {Grimaldi}, {David A.} and {Gross}, {Onno} and {Grun}, {Tobias B.} and {Guerra-García}, {José Manuel} and {Guglielmone}, {Alberto} and {Guilbert}, {E.} and {Guimarães}, {Stéfhanne} and {Gusenleitner}, {Josef} and {Gómez-Noguera}, {Samuel Enrique} and {Haas}, {Fabian} and {Hadfield}, {Kerry A.} and {Hagborg}, {A.} and {Hajdu}, {Eduardo} and {Harrach}, {Balázs} and {Harris}, {Leslie} and {Harrison}, {Robert L.} and {Hassler}, {Michael} and {Hayward}, {Bruce W.} and {Heads}, {Sam W} and {Hendrickson}, {R. Curtis} and {Hendrycks}, {Ed} and {Henry}, {Thomas J} and {Herbert}, {Dai} and {Hernandes}, {F.A.} and {Hernandez}, {Francisco} and {Hernández-Crespo}, {Juan Carlos} and {Herrera Bachiller}, {Alfonso} and {Hine}, {Adrian} and {Ho}, {Ju-shey} and {Hodda}, {Mike} and {Hoeksema}, {Bert} and {Hoenemann}, {Mario} and {Holovachov}, {Oleksandr} and {Holstein}, {J.} and {Hooge}, {Matthew} and {Hooper}, {John} and {Hopcroft}, {Russell} and {Hopkins}, {Heidi} and {Horak}, {Ivan} and {Horton}, {Tammy} and {Hosoya}, {Tsuyoshi} and {Houart}, {Roland} and {Hošek}, {Jirí} and {Hughes}, {Lauren} and {Huijbers}, {Chantal} and {Häuser}, {C.} and {Iniesta}, {Luiz Felipe Moretti} and {Ivanenko}, {Slava} and {Janssen}, {Ronald} and {Janssens}, {F.} and {Jarms}, {Gerhard} and {Jaume}, {Damià} and {Jazdzewski}, {Krzysztof} and {Johnson}, {Kevin P} and {Junglen}, {Sandra} and {Jóźwiak}, {Piotr} and {Kabat}, {Alan} and {Kamiński}, {Marcin Jan} and {Kanda}, {Kojun} and {Kantor}, {Yuri} and {Karanovic}, {Ivana} and {Kathirithamby}, {Jeyaraney} and {Kelly}, {Michelle} and {Kim}, {Young-Hyo} and {King}, {Rachael} and {Kirk}, {Paul} and {Kitching}, {Ian} and {Klautau}, {Michelle} and {Knowles}, {Nick J.} and {Koenemann}, {Stefan} and {Korovchinsky}, {N.M.} and {Kotov}, {A.} and {Kouwenberg}, {Juliana} and {Kovács}, {Zoltan} and {Krapf}, {Andrea} and {Krapp-Schickel}, {Traudl} and {Krishna}, {Kumar} and {Krishna}, {Valerie} and {Kristensen}, {Reinhardt Møbjerg} and {Kroh}, {Andreas} and {Kroupa}, {A.S.} and {Krupovic}, {Mart} and {Kuhn}, {Jens H.} and {Kury}, {Adriano B.} and {Kury}, {Milena S.} and {Kvaček}, {J.} and {Köhler}, {Frank} and {Lado}, {Carlos} and {Lambert}, {Amy J.} and {Lambert}, {Gretchen} and {Lazarus}, {David} and {Le Coze}, {François} and {LeCroy}, {Sara} and {Leduc}, {Daniel} and {Leermakers}, {Martine} and {Lefkowitz}, {Elliot J.} and {Li-Qiang}, {Ji} and {Lichtwardt}, {Robert (†)} and {Lobanov}, {A.} and {Lohrmann}, {V.} and {Lojen}, {Sonja} and {Londoño-Mesa}, {Mario} and {Longhorn}, {Stuart J.} and {Lorenz}, {Wolfgang} and {Lowry}, {Jim} and {Lujan-Toro}, {Beatriz E.} and {Lumen}, {Ryan} and {Lyal}, {Chris HC} and {Lyangouzov}, {I.} and {Lörz}, {Anne-Nina} and {Macklin}, {James A.} and {Madin}, {Larry} and {Maehr}, {Michael D} and {Magill}, {Robert E} and {Magnien}, {Philippe} and {Mah}, {Christopher} and {Mal}, {Noel} and {Mamo}, {Briony} and {Mamos}, {Tomasz} and {Manconi}, {Renata} and {Marek}, {Paul} and {Marshall}, {Bruce} and {Martin}, {Jon H.} and {Martin}, {Sara L.} and {Martínez-Melo}, {Alejandra} and {Maslin}, {Bruce} and {McFadden}, {Catherine} and {McKamey}, {S.} and {McMurtry}, {J.A.} and {Medvedev}, {S.} and {Mees}, {Jan} and {Mendes}, {Amanda C.} and {Merrin}, {Kelly} and {Mesa}, {N.C.} and {Messing}, {Charles} and {Migeon}, {Alain} and {Miller}, {Douglas R} and {Mills}, {Claudia} and {Minelli}, {A.} and {Miskelly}, {Ashley} and {Mokievsky}, {Vadim} and {Molodtsova}, {Tina} and {Mongiardino Koch}, {Nicolas} and {Mooi}, {Richard} and {Morandini}, {André} and {Moreira da Rocha}, {Rosana} and {Morrow}, {Christine} and {Mushegian}, {Arcady R.} and {Narita}, {J.P.Z.} and {Nealova}, {Lenka} and {Nery}, {Davi Galvão} and {Neu-Becker}, {U} and {Neubauer}, {Thomas A.} and {Neubert}, {Eike} and {Neuhaus}, {Birger} and {Newton}, {Alfred} and {Ng Kee Lin}, {Peter} and {Nguyen}, {Anh} and {Nibert}, {Max L.} and {Nicolson}, {David} and {Nijhof}, {Ard} and {Nishikawa}, {Teruaki} and {Norenburg}, {Jon} and {Novoselova}, {M.} and {Noyes}, {John} and {O'Hara}, {Tim} and {Ochoa}, {R.} and {Oksanen}, {Hanna M.} and {Ollerenshaw}, {Justin} and {Oosterbroek}, {P.} and {Opresko}, {Dennis} and {Orton}, {Richard J.} and {Osborne}, {Roy} and {Osigus}, {Hans-Jürgen} and {Oswald}, {J.D.} and {Ota}, {Yuzo} and {Otte}, {Daniel} and {Ouddane}, {Bagdad} and {Ouvrard}, {David} and {Paleobiology Database contributors} and {Pape}, {Thomas} and {Paulay}, {Gustav} and {Pauly}, {Daniel} and {Paxton}, {Hannelore} and {Petrusek}, {A.} and {Peña Santiago}, {Reyes} and {Picton}, {Bernard} and {Pisera}, {Andrzej} and {Pitkin}, {Brian} and {Poore}, {Gary} and {Pulawski}, {W.J.} and {Pyle}, {Richard} and {Páll-Gergely}, {Barna} and {Pérez-García}, {José Andrés} and {Rainer}, {H.} and {Raz}, {Lauren} and {Read}, {Geoffrey} and {Rees}, {Tony} and {Rein}, {Jan Ove} and {Reip}, {Hans} and {Reuscher}, {Michael} and {Richling}, {Ira} and {Rius}, {Marc} and {Robertson}, {David L.} and {Robertson}, {Tim} and {Robinson}, {Gaden} and {Robinson}, {Gaden S (†)} and {Rogacheva}, {Antonina} and {Romani}, {Luigi} and {Rosenberg}, {Gary} and {Rubino}, {Luisa} and {Ruggiero}, {Michael} and {Ríos}, {Pilar} and {Rützler}, {Klaus} and {Sabanadzovic}, {Sead} and {Salazar-Vallejo}, {Sergio} and {Sanborn}, {A.} and {Sartori}, {M.} and {Sattler}, {Klaus} and {Saucède}, {Thomas} and {Schierwater}, {Bernd} and {Schilling}, {Steve} and {Schmid-Egger}, {C.} and {Schmidt-Rhaesa}, {A.} and {Schneider}, {Simon} and {Schoolmeesters}, {Paul} and {Schotte}, {Marilyn} and {Schuchert}, {Peter} and {Schuh}, {R.T.} and {Schönberg}, {Christine} and {Scoble}, {Malcolm} and {Segers}, {H.} and {Senna}, {André} and {Serejo}, {Cristiana} and {Sforzi}, {A.} and {Sharma}, {Jyotsna} and {Shear}, {William} and {Shenkar}, {Noa} and {Short}, {Megan} and {Siciński}, {Jacek} and {Siddell}, {Stuart G.} and {Siegel}, {Volker} and {Sierwald}, {Petra} and {Silva}, {E.S.} and {Simmonds}, {Peter} and {Simmons}, {Elizabeth} and {Simonsen}, {Thomas} and {Sket}, {Boris} and {Smith}, {Aaron D.} and {Smith}, {Donald B.} and {Smith}, {Vincent S} and {Smol}, {Nicole} and {Soulier-Perkins}, {A.} and {South}, {Eric J.} and {Souza-Filho}, {Jesser F.} and {Spearman}, {Lauren} and {Spelda}, {Jörg} and {Stampar}, {Sérgio} and {Steger}, {Jan} and {Steiner}, {A.} and {Stemme}, {Torben} and {Sterrer}, {Wolfgang} and {Stevenson}, {Dennis} and {Stiewe}, {Martin B D} and {Stjernegaard Jeppesen}, {Thomas} and {Stoev}, {Pavel} and {Strand}, {Malin} and {Stueber}, {G} and {Stöhr}, {Sabine} and {Suzuki}, {Nobuhiro} and {Suárez-Morales}, {Eduardo} and {Swalla}, {Billie} and {Swedo}, {Jacek} and {Szumik}, {Claudia} and {Sánchez-Ruiz}, {M.} and {Söderström}, {L.} and {Taiti}, {Stefano} and {Takiya}, {D.M.} and {Tandberg}, {Anne Helene} and {Tang}, {Danny} and {Tavakilian}, {Gerard} and {Taylor}, {John} and {Tchesunov}, {Alexei} and {Thessen}, {A.} and {Thomas}, {James Darwin} and {Thomas}, {P.} and {ThripsWiki} and {Thuesen}, {Erik} and {Thurston}, {Mike} and {Thuy}, {Ben} and {Timm}, {Tarmo} and {Todaro}, {Antonio} and {Turiault}, {M.} and {Turon}, {Xavier} and {Tyler}, {Seth} and {Uetz}, {Peter} and {Ulmer}, {Jonah M.} and {Uribe-Palomino}, {Julian} and {Vacelet}, {Jean} and {Vachard}, {Daniel} and {Vader}, {Wim} and {Van Dooerslaer}, {Koenraad} and {Vandamme}, {Anne-Mieke} and {Vanhoorne}, {Bart} and {Vanreusel}, {Ann} and {Varsani}, {Arvind} and {Venekey}, {Virág} and {Vinarski}, {Maxim} and {Vonk}, {Ronald} and {Vos}, {Chris} and {Väinölä}, {Risto} and {Walker}, {Peter J.} and {Walker-Smith}, {Genefor} and {Walter}, {T. Chad} and {Wambiji}, {Nina} and {Wartel}, {Michel} and {Warwick}, {Suzanne} and {Watling}, {Les} and {Weaver}, {Haylee} and {Webb}, {J.} and {Welbourn}, {W.C.} and {Wesener}, {Thomas} and {Whipps}, {Christopher} and {White}, {Kristine} and {Wieneke}, {Ulrich} and {Wilson}, {George D.F.} and {Wilson}, {Robin} and {Wing}, {Peter} and {Wirth}, {Christopher C.} and {World Spider Catalog} and {Yesson}, {C.} and {Yoder}, {Mathew} and {Yu}, {Dicky Sick Ki} and {Yunakov}, {N.} and {Zahniser}, {J.} and {Zanol}, {Joana} and {Zarucchi}, {J.} and {Zeidler}, {Wolfgang} and {Zerbini}, {Francisco Murilo} and {Zhang}, {Z.Q.} and {Zhao}, {Zeng} and {Ziegler}, {Alexander} and {Zinetti}, {F.} and {d'Hondt}, {Jean-Loup} and {de Moraes}, {G.J.} and {de Reus}, {Mil} and {de Voogd}, {Nicole} and {ten Hove}, {Harry} and {ter Poorten}, {Jan Johan} and {van Nieukerken}, {E.J.} and {van Soest}, {Rob} and {van Tol}, {J.} and {von Konrat}, {M.} and {Łobocka}, {Małgorzata} and {ITIS} and {International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV)} and {The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew}},
    year = 2022,
    month = 6
}

[mdoering]

For instance, Enhydra lutris (Sea otter), appears to be linked to https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/39TWB via https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41407 , where https://doi.org/10.48580/DFPX is cited as the reference. On 2023-08-14, the resolved to https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/9828 (see evidence below).

So, if I understand it correctly, the reference to the specific catalogue of life landing page for 39TWB will break if something changes in the name definition of Enhydra lutris .

Yes, at least until we implement the tombstone page issue I mentioned earlier: https://github.com/CatalogueOfLife/portal/issues/174

Note also that the DOI takes you back to the ChecklistBank and the needed datasetKey, so that is an alternative in specifying the exact version. When a DOI is first minted for a brand new release the DOI will take you to the COL portal instead though. Only once the release is not shown in the COL portal it will be updated to point to ChecklistBank.

[jhpoelen]

@mdoering thanks for your clarification!

Must be quite some fun to tackle these complex integration/publication/referencing issues! Lots of moving pieces.

I assume that you keep an historic list of name ids issued in the past, and do not recycle old name ids.

Also, as far as I understand now, your implemented solution depends on the availability of a (blindly?) trusted source reachable by some resolvable internet address (e.g., doi.org, checklistbank.org). The practice of referencing digital data by their location (or address) is pretty common in publishing digital data on the internet today.

Additional methods can be layered on top of your system to help track changes, sign published content, and package the data without having to rely on some transport medium like the internet. One such methods [1,2] has been actively tracking checklist bank for a while, and should be a way to independently review the dynamics of the wealth of taxonomic resources you and your many collaborators have been keeping.

References

[1] MJ Elliott, JH Poelen, JAB Fortes (2020). Toward Reliable Biodiversity Dataset References. Ecological Informatics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2020.101132 hash://sha256/136c3c1808bcf463bb04b11622bb2e7b5fba28f5be1fc258c5ea55b3b84f482c

[2] Elliott, M.J., Poelen, J.H. & Fortes, J.A.B. Signing data citations enables data verification and citation persistence. Sci Data 10, 419 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-023-02230-y hash://sha256/f849c870565f608899f183ca261365dce9c9f1c5441b1c779e0db49df9c2a19d

[mdoering]

I have added tombstone pages for deleted identifiers now to the COL portal that show basic information as it existed and link to the first and last appearance of the name ID in the respective release, i.e. dataset, in checklistbank. Example: https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/64SCW

[jhpoelen]

@mdoering thanks for adding the tombstone pages. Looking pretty spiffy (see attached screenshot).

Also, but thanks to @whitfarnum of MCZ for bringing up the issue of dead catalogue of life name landing pages. Thanks to you, dead COL names have tombstones now . . .