Integrated Taxonomic Information System - DwC-A File Format
ITIS DwC-A File Format
To facilitate the exchange of taxonomic data within the biodiversity informatics community the Global Biodiversity Information Facility created Darwin Core Archive (DwCA), a data standard with features that permit exchange of taxonomic data. On the ITIS single name report page of valid or accepted names there is an option to download ITIS data in DwCA format. ITIS DwCA file is a self contained zipped (.zip) archive consisting of three files. The first file, taxa.txt, includes a header row of the fields mapped to the ITIS standards as described in ITIS Darwin Core Archive Layout and Data Application. The second file, meta.xml, describes the core taxa.txt file in terms of the DwCA format. The third file, eml.xml, describes the common attributes of the records in taxa.txt
For complete definitions of ITIS data elements see ITIS Data Model. For a complete list of Darwin Core terms and their definition see the Darwin Core Terms Quick Reference Guide.
ITIS DwCA Record Layout, with field names and descriptions
taxonID
A taxonomic serial number, TSN, assigned for occurrences of Taxonomic Units at
each level of the hierarchy through genus and for all polynomial infrageneric Taxonomic Units
acceptedNameUsageID
The TSN of the valid/accepted name used to link a synonym (invalid/ not accepted name) to corresponding name
parentNameUsageID
The TSN of the valid/accepted name that is the direct parent of the subject occurrence in taxonID
scientificName
Full scientific name derived concatenated name elements including taxon authorship if applicable
scientificNameAuthorship
Taxon authorship, formatted per the governing nomenclatural code
kingdom
Kingdom in which the valid/accepted name is classified
phylum
Phylum or Division in which the valid/accepted name is classified
class
Class in which the valid/accepted name is classified
order
Order in which the valid/accepted name is classified
superfamily
Superfamily in which the valid/accepted name is classified
family
Family in which the valid/accepted name is classified
genus
Genus in which the valid/accepted infrageneric name is classified, or the first term of the scientific name for
species and below
subgenus
Subgenus in which the valid/accepted name is classified
specificEpithet
The second term of the scientific name for species and below
infraspecificEpithet
The third term of the scientific name for subspecies and below
taxonRank
The rank name for a level in the taxonomic hierarchy
taxonomicStatus
The status of the use of the scientificName
modified
Derived effective date of the record
namePublishedIn
The publication containing the original description
scientificNameID
A taxonomic serial number, TSN, assigned for occurrences of Taxonomic Units at each level of the hierarchy
through genus and for all polynomial infrageneric Taxonomic Units
verbatimTaxonRank
Subspecific rank indicator
taxonRemarks
Notes about the taxon or name
higherClassification
Pipe delimited hierarchy from the trunk down to branch immediately superior to scientificName