What's in a name?

The database will assign each specimen a unique numerical id to keep track of each specimen. You don't need to worry about that.

While you can create whatever Specimen Name and Common Name you like, it should be easier as you add many specimens to follow some type of naming convention. It is recommended to keep the Specimen Name relatively short and meaningful to you. For the specimen name, something along the line of myinitials plus date plus short and descriptive, such as wrj_01_01_1999_first would work. And then the common name may be "Oyster looking on oak tree in park". The genus and species when you get that far will be from a current list of names you can select.

The rest of the basics should be things you know as you collect this specimen.

Radio list or Drop-down or text box (area)?

Yes. No. Maybe. A work in progress.This site relies on lookup tables a lot. For example, what are you choices for a certain character? Cap Surface Texture has 24 options, which as of right now, subject to change, are:

'Smooth', 'No defining features found on the surface.'
'Uneven', 'A bumpy surface.'
'Rugose', 'A wrinkled or rough surface.'
'Rugulose', 'A slightly wrinkled surface.'
'Rivulose', 'A thinly wrinkled surface of branching wavy or crooked lines.'
'Scrobiculate', 'A pitted or furrowed surface.'
'Warty', 'Remnants of the universal veil remain on the surface in small patches.'
'Virgate', 'A streaked surface.'
'Hygrophanous', 'A surface that is transparent when wet and opaque when dry.'
'Sericeous', 'A silky surface.'
'Fibrillose', 'A surface covered in thread-like filaments.'
'Squamose', 'A surface covered with scales.'
'Squarrose', 'A ragged surface covered with small scales.'
'Pruinose', 'A surface covered with a white powdery frost like substance.'
'Pulverulent', 'A surface covered with fine dust or powder.'
'Granulose', 'A surface covered in salt-like granulates.'
'Furfuraceous', 'A surface covered in flaky bran-like particles; dandruff-like.'
'Zonate', 'A surface containing zones or bands that are distinguished by texture or color.'
'Areolate', 'A cracked surface resembling dried-mud or paint.'
'Rimose', 'A surface covered in cracks and crevices.'
'Laccate', 'A waxy or lacquered surface texture.'
'Viscid -', 'A sticky glue-like surface texture.'
'Glutinous', 'A slimy surface.'
'Glabrous - Hairy', 'Hairy - a bald surface.'
'Velvety - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface covered with very fine and soft hairs.'
'Pubescent - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface cover with fuzz or fine hairs.'
'Canescent - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface covered in dense white or gray down-like hairs. Giving a frosted appearance.'
'Floccose - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface covered in Wooly or cotton-like hairs.'
'Tomentose - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface covered densely with matted hairs.'
'Hispid - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface covered with straight bristle-like hairs.'
'Hirsute - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface covered with slightly stiff and shaggy hairs.'
'Villose - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface covered with long soft hairs.'
'Strigose - Hairy', 'Hairy - A surface covered with long bristle-like hairs.', '', 7, 1, '2024-06-02 05:05:27', '2024-06-02 05:05:27');

Some of these character descriptions don't exactly roll off the tongue easily and a drop down list may be a lot to look through. So, for now a long looking radio list may prove more user friendly for the initial input?

What exactly are the "accepted" and/or "standardized" and/or "scientific" character names, anyway?

That is a great question. Hopefully, the process will find or create the answer.

I started with Scates 1982 chart and went from there. I have read of group (s)? that are or have been working on this, but have not found the currently accepted list yet.