Instructions
You may select multiple counties in the search box. If
no county is selected, the entire state (all counties) will be reported by default.
The species name may be entered as either the common name (Indiana bat) or the scientific
name (Myotis sodalis). A general name ("bat") can also be entered
but may bring up additional, unwanted listings containing the letters "b",
"a", and "t".
Nomenclature of species is not contained in any single source. The most recent taxonomic
sources are examined by our staff, and, when necessary, direct consultations with
experts are used to maintain the most scientifically accepted names for all species.
Divergences from these opinions are rare and generally occur while an ongoing taxonomic
study is being conducted. Please contact our research staff if you have any questions
or comments regarding the scientific names used here.
Standard common names have been developed and universally adopted for only a few
species, therefore, more accurate results will be found using scientific names when
possible. Many invertebrate species lack any common name at all and are indicated
as "a caddisfly" or "a millipede", etc.
Species report
Once you have decided how you want to search in the database and have selected your
parameters, you are ready to generate a report. When you click any of the "search
by..." buttons, a new window will open that will display the information requested.
The individual scientific names are listed in red. Click on this name to be taken
to the "Online Encyclopedia of Life" maintained by the international conservation
data center NatureServe.
Species Rank and Status
Global rankings are assigned by a consensus of international conservation organizations
to designate the range-wide rarity of a species. The rankings range from G-1 (extremely
rare) to G-5(very common and secure globally), with additional rankings tied to
historical data and possible extinction.
State ranks are assigned in a similar manner to global rankings, with designations
ranging from S-1 to S-5, but consider only factors within the boundaries of Arkansas.
For example, a species that is endemic to Arkansas (found nowhere else in the world)
would have the same global and state ranks, whereas a species that may be common
in the western U.S. but only known from a few occurrences in Arkansas will have
global and state ranks that differ.
Detailed definitions of each of the global and state ranks, along with details of
the state and federal status, are available in each generated report. When the report
window opens, the information categories are displayed in a large black bar. Click
on the yellow text for any of the "federal", "state", or "global"
categories for a key to the codes.