Can a scientifically credible database of taxonomic names and related data be compiled that reflects both taxonomic standards and rules of nomenclature?
Results/Conclusions
The ITIS mission is to create a scientifically credible database of taxonomic names and related data, with a priority focus on taxa of interest to North America, but including many important global taxonomic treatments (e.g., mammals, birds, amphibians, ants, and bees among others). ITIS is a partnership of several federal agencies, the Smithsonian Institution, NatureServe, Mexico, Canada, and other international organizations and is a vital component of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII). ITIS with nearly 600,000 scientific and common names, is also a partner in the ITIS & Species 2000 Catalogue of Life, a global index to the world's species. The Catalogue of Life (CoL) includes nearly 1.2 million species - a major milestone in its quest to complete the first up-to-date comprehensive catalogue of all described organisms. ITIS and CoL are also developing a consensus hierarchical classification for all living organisms to serve as an international standard. ITIS and CoL provide scientific and common names to the GBIF Electronic Catalogue of Names of Known Organisms, the Encyclopedia of Life, and other global information systems.
