Terminology

iNaturalist employs a variety of unique terms to describe various aspects of the service. Here we've tried to collect some of them and their definitions for reference.

Export Observations

`captive_cultivated`

Definition	Observation is of an organism that exists in the time and place it was observed because humans intended it to be then and there. For more, see https://help.inaturalist.org/support/solutions/articles/151000169932
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/captive_cultivated

`common_name`

Definition	Common or vernacular name of the observed taxon according to iNaturalist
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/common_name

`coordinates_obscured`

Definition	Whether or not the coordinates have been obscured, either because of geoprivacy or because of a threatened taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/coordinates_obscured

`created_at`

Definition	Datetime observation was created
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/created_at

`description`

Definition	Text written by the observer describing the observation or recording any other notes that seem relevant
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/description

`geoprivacy`

Definition	Whether or not the observer has chosen to obscure or hide the coordinates. See https://help.inaturalist.org/support/solutions/articles/151000169938
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/geoprivacy

`iconic_taxon_name`

Definition	Higher-level taxonomic category for the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/iconic_taxon_name

`id`

Definition	Unique, sequential identifier for the observation
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/id

`image_url`

Definition	URL for the first photo associated with the observation
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/image_url

`latitude`

Definition	Publicly visible latitude from the observation location
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/latitude

`license`

Definition	Identifier for the license or waiver the observer has chosen for this observation. All rights reserved if blank
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/license

`longitude`

Definition	Publicly visible longitude from the observation location
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/longitude

`num_identification_agreements`

Definition	Number of identifications associated with taxa that match or are contained by the taxon from the observer's identification
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/num_identification_agreements

`num_identification_disagreements`

Definition	Number of identifications associated with taxa that do not match and are not contained by the taxon from the observer's identification
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/num_identification_disagreements

`oauth_application_id`

Definition	Sequential identifier for the application that created the observation. For more information about the application, append this number to https://www.inaturalist.org/oauth/applications/
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/oauth_application_id

`observed_on`

Definition	Normalized date of observation
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/observed_on

`observed_on_string`

Definition	Date/time as entered by the observer
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/observed_on_string

`place_admin1_name`

Definition	Name of the administrative place one rank below the country level
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/place_admin1_name

`place_admin2_name`

Definition	Name of the administrative place two ranks below the country level
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/place_admin2_name

`place_country_name`

Definition	The name of the country that contains this observation's coordinates
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/place_country_name

`place_county_name`

Definition	The name of the third-level administrative area that contains this observation's coordinates (e.g. a county in most parts of the United States)
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/place_county_name

`place_guess`

Definition	Locality description as entered by the observer
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/place_guess

`place_state_name`

Definition	The name of the second-level administrative area that contains this observation's coordinates (e.g. a state in most parts of the United States)
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/place_state_name

`place_town_name`

Definition	The name of the town or city that contains this observation's coordinates, if known
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/place_town_name

`positional_accuracy`

Definition	Coordinate precision (yeah, yeah, accuracy != precision, poor choice of names)
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/positional_accuracy

`positioning_device`

Definition	Device used to determine coordinates
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/positioning_device

`positioning_method`

Definition	How the coordinates were determined
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/positioning_method

`private_latitude`

Definition	Private latitude, set if observation private or obscured
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/private_latitude

`private_longitude`

Definition	Private longitude, set if observation private or obscured
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/private_longitude

`private_place_guess`

Definition	Observation location as written by the observer if location obscured
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/private_place_guess

`public_positional_accuracy`

Definition	Maximum horizontal positional uncertainty in meters; includes uncertainty added by coordinate obscuration
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/public_positional_accuracy

`quality_grade`

Definition	Quality grade of this observation. See Help section for details on what this means. See https://help.inaturalist.org/support/solutions/articles/151000169936
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/quality_grade

`scientific_name`

Definition	Scientific name of the observed taxon according to iNaturalist
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/scientific_name

`sound_url`

Definition	URL for the first sound associated with the observation. Note this will only be present for direct uploads, not sounds hosted on 3rd-party services
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/sound_url

`species_guess`

Definition	Plain text name of the observed taxon; can be set by the observer during observation creation, but can get replaced with canonical, localized names when the taxon changes
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/species_guess

`tag_list`

Definition	Comma-separated list of tags
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/tag_list

`taxon_class_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic class containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_class_name

`taxon_family_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic family containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_family_name

`taxon_form_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic form containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_form_name

`taxon_genus_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic genus containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_genus_name

`taxon_genushybrid_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic hybrid genus containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_genushybrid_name

`taxon_geoprivacy`

Definition	Most conservative geoprivacy applied due to the conservation statuses of taxa in current identification.
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_geoprivacy

`taxon_hybrid_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic hybrid containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_hybrid_name

`taxon_id`

Definition	Unique, sequential identifier for the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_id

`taxon_kingdom_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic kingdom containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_kingdom_name

`taxon_order_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic order containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_order_name

`taxon_phylum_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic phylum containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_phylum_name

`taxon_species_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic species containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_species_name

`taxon_subclass_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic subclass containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_subclass_name

`taxon_subfamily_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic subfamily containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_subfamily_name

`taxon_suborder_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic suborder containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_suborder_name

`taxon_subphylum_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic subphylum containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_subphylum_name

`taxon_subspecies_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic subspecies containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_subspecies_name

`taxon_subtribe_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic subtribe containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_subtribe_name

`taxon_superclass_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic superclass containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_superclass_name

`taxon_superfamily_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic superfamily containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_superfamily_name

`taxon_superorder_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic superorder containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_superorder_name

`taxon_supertribe_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic supertribe containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_supertribe_name

`taxon_tribe_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic tribe containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_tribe_name

`taxon_variety_name`

Definition	Name of the taxonomic variety containing the observed taxon
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/taxon_variety_name

`time_observed_at`

Definition	Normalized datetime of observation
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/time_observed_at

`time_zone`

Definition	Time zone of observation
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/time_zone

`updated_at`

Definition	Datetime observation was last updated
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/updated_at

`url`

Definition	URL for the observation
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/url

`user_id`

Definition	Unique, sequential identifier for the observer
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/user_id

`user_login`

Definition	Handle / username of the observer, i.e. a short, unique, alphanumeric identifier for a user
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/user_login

`user_name`

Definition	Name of the observer, generally used for attribution on the site. This is an optional field and may be a pseudonym
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/user_name

`uuid`

Definition	Universally unique identifier for the observation. See https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc9562
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/uuid

Exports can also contain columns with Observation Field values. To find definitions for those, either search for them at https://www.inaturalist.org/observation_fields or append the column name (with the colon) to https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology (e.g. https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/field:count).

Other

`lexicon`

Definition	Name of a collection of words or terms containing a taxon name, e.g. the name of a language or a set of abbreviations
URI	https://www.inaturalist.org/terminology/lexicon