If you’ve found a fungus that isn’t in the Field Mycologist UK database, you can add it when you record your observation. New species are reviewed by the site team before they appear in the Fungi Index.
When to Submit a New Species
- You’ve searched thoroughly, including older names and the genus.
- You’re confident of the identification, or at least the genus.
- It occurs in the UK.
How to Submit
- Start a new observation on the website.
- In the fungus field, type the full scientific name.
- When there’s no match you’ll see New fungus: will be created when you submit.
- Complete the rest of the form and click Submit observation.
You can also suggest a new species as an ID on someone else’s observation, in the same way.
New species can currently only be added on the website. In the app you can choose from the database and the list of recognised UK species names.
What Happens Next
- The new species is created and your observation is linked to it straight away.
- Its classification is fetched automatically from the NBN Atlas.
- If the name is a synonym, your observation is recorded under the currently accepted name instead, so you don’t need to worry about using an older name.
- The site team reviews the species. Once approved, it appears in the Fungi Index.
- If anyone else enters the same name before it’s approved, their observation is linked to the same species.
What the Reviewers Check
- The name is valid and spelled correctly.
- The species occurs in the UK.
- It isn’t already in the database under another name.
- The photos support the identification.
If there’s a problem, the site team may correct the name or get in touch.
Tips
- Check the spelling: scientific names must be exact.
- Use the current name if you know it. The NBN Atlas is a good reference.
- Add good photos showing the key features.