ITIS and the Global Taxonomic Backbone

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) provides a regularly updated, global database that currently contains over 868,000 scientific names and their hierarchy. program exists to communicate comprehensive taxonomy of species across 7 kingdoms enables biodiversity information be discovered, indexed, connected all human endeavors. ITIS partners with taxonomists experts the world assemble taxonomic relationships, then distributes data through publicly available software. A single taxon may represented by multiple names, so makes it priority provide synonymy. Linking valid or accepted subjective objective synonyms is key component name translation increases precision searches organization information. its partner Species2000 create Catalogue Life (CoL) checklist quality for 2.2M species. CoL Global Biodiversity Facility (GBIF) backbone. Providing automated open access complete, current, literature-referenced, expert-validated biological management systems, elemental enhancing utility amassed world. Fully leveraging this public good crucial empowering digital society confront most pressing social environmental challenges.