MIDS Quick Reference Guide

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Overview

MIDS

mids0

PhysicalSpecimenID Organization
PhysicalSpecimenID Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/10
Label Physical Specimen ID
Definition A unique identity for the specimen within the curating institution. Whatever the institution uses to uniquely identify the item. For example: DOI, stable identifier, catalogue number, barcode, etc.
Notes To allow the curator/researcher to identify the physical specimen to which the data refer. To allow citation of the specimen. To enable the attachment of additional information to the specimen record.
Examples
  • http://herbarium.bgbm.org/object/B100277113; (O-F-2201154, 30eff5c2-97b4-4eeb-bb46-8c12a1cf0f37, 12254)
Organization Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/11
Label Organization
Definition A term to indicate in which institution the specimen is held. This may include an institution code and an institution identifier.
Notes To allow a user to discover the location of the physical specimen to access additional information or to request access to the physical specimen.
Examples
  • dwc:ownerInstitutionCode : RBGE, dwc:institutionID : https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/0237598a-853a-492c-af74-a723fe251799; dwc:ownerInstitutionCode : MNHN, dwc:institutionID : https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/fe534fe7-dccd-4d79-8313-c11b2ea854ab; dwc:ownerInstitutionCode : BZ, dwc:institutionID : https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/6a6ac6c5-1b8a-48db-91a2-f8661274ff80

mids1

Name SpecimenType ObjectType License Modified
Name Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/12
Label Name
Definition A name given to the object. Any string of characters and/or numbers by which the object is referenced within a collection. For example, the name the specimen is stored under, its scientific or taxonomic name if known, how it is labelled, etc. This name is not necessarily its name according to an accepted scientific classification, identification, or taxonomic determination (i.e., scientific name) but it often can be the same as that.
Notes Information to aid the discoverability of specimens by users and the ability to retrieve them within a collection.
Examples
  • Colias croceus (Geoffroy, 1785), Ophthalmosaurus, Australian Baobab, Scottish rock, etc.
SpecimenType Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/59
Label Specimen Type
Definition High-level term to delimit and define specimens. For example: preserved specimen, fossil specimen, as opposed to observation.
Notes To delimit the specimens to which the MIDS specification refers.
Examples
  • PreservedSpecimen, FossilSpecimen
ObjectType Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/44
Label Object Type
Definition General term to describe the kind of specimen. In combination with SpecimenType - hierarchical; a more specific classification than described by SpecimenType.
Notes To enable curators to determine equipment/method/cost of imaging the specimen, to enable researchers to determine equipment/method required for viewing/analysing the specimen, to enable curators/researchers to know in which collection/location within the institution the specimen is held.
Examples
  • Microscope slide, pinned insect, herbarium sheet.
License Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/58
Label License
Definition License under which the specimen data are published
Notes To enable all users to determine how they can use the specimen data
Examples
  • CC0, CC BY, CC BY-SA
Modified Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/8
Label Modified
Definition UTC date/time of date/time of first creation or subsequent modification, if any
Notes To enable users (humans/machines) to determine if there have been any changes to the record since it was last viewed.
Examples
  • 2021-01-20 10:54:18

mids2

QualitativeLocation QuantitativeLocation CollectingAgent DateCollected CollectingNumber Media GeologicalAge TypeStatus
QualitativeLocation Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/19
Label Qualitative Location
Definition A term to describe the where the specimen was collected. In combination with quantitativeLocation; should capture textual geographic information.
Notes A human readable location. Can also be used to help identify the quantitativeLocation.
Examples
  • Flinders Ranges, Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, on rough track north of Arkaroola Village by Radium Creek, 120 meters past the turn-off for the Ridgetop Track, off rough graded track in dry sandy gravely creek bed.
QuantitativeLocation Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/27
Label Quantitative Location
Definition A term to describe where the specimen was collected. A quantitative measure that would include coordinate or shape data, an identifier, or data that can be easily converted into a quantitative measure. In combination with the qualitative term, qualitativeLocality.
Notes To enable a person or machine to identify and/or map the geographical location in which the collection was made.
Examples
  • -30.23713, 139.33683, WGS84; https://www.geonames.org/7839420/flinders-ranges.html; https://gadm.org/maps/AUS/southaustralia/flindersranges.html
CollectingAgent Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/22
Label Collecting Agent
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of names of people, groups, or organizations responsible for recording the original Occurrence.
Notes For many biological collections the collector in combination with collectingNumber has been used as an identifier for the specimen in literature. It also helps in the identification and validation of the collecting location.
Examples
  • Carl Linnaeus (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1043),
DateCollected Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/24
Label Date Collected
Definition The date/time at which a gathering event occurred. For specimen gathering, this is the date/time when the event was recorded.
Notes To provide accurate information about when the specimen was collected.
Examples
  • 2023-12-08; s.d.
CollectingNumber Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/23
Label Collecting Number
Definition An identifier given to the specimen at the time it was recorded. Often serves as a link between field notes and a specimen record.
Notes For many biological collections the collector in combination with collectingNumber has been used as an identifier for the specimen in literature. It also helps in the identification and validation of the collecting location.
Examples
  • BPL-1001, 154/23, 254, s.n
Media Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/33
Label Media
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of media associated with the specimen.
Notes To allow a user to locate mediafiles of the specimen
Examples
  • https://www.unimus.no/felles/bilder/web_hent_bilde.php?id=14501286&type=jpeg
GeologicalAge Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/61
Label Geological Age
Definition Refers to the geological age of a Earth Science specimen (i.e. Fossil, Rock, Mineral or Meteorite) and can be any kind of stratigraphic age, isotopically determined age or structural age.
Notes To provide information about the age of the geological, mineralogical, fossil or meteorite specimen
TypeStatus Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/26
Label Type Status
Definition An indication of the nomenclatural type status of the specimen, where a null value is taken to mean Assumed not to be a type.
Notes The nomenclatural type specimens are some of the most important specimens in a collection, particularly for taxonomic research. They anchor the taxon name to a physical object.
Examples
  • Holotype, Isotype, Syntype, Cotype, Epitype, Neotype, Lectotype

mids3

InstitutionID CollectorID ScientificNameID GeographicalLocalityID IdentifiedByID AssociatedMediaID Mass
InstitutionID Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/57
Label Institution ID
Definition An identifier for the institution having custody of the object(s)
Notes To allow a user (human or machine) to locate the physical location of the specimen.
Examples
  • https://ror.org/01xtthb56, https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/collection/772f9e37-4643-452b-82b4-a06550283096, https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/e3d4dcc4-81e2-444c-8a5c-41d1044b5381
CollectorID Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/79
Label Collector ID
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of the identifier(s) for the person, people, groups, or expeditions responsible for collecting the specimen.
Notes To uniquely identify the collector of a specimen in a machine readable format.
Examples
  • https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1568-xxxx | https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?title=Q94522
ScientificNameID Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/74
Label Scientific Name ID
Definition An identifier for the nomenclatural (not taxonomic) details of a scientific name.
Notes To uniquly identify the taxon name of a specimen in a machine readable format.
Examples
  • urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:184409-1; mindat:1:1:1375:4 ; https://mindat.org/4ca61d6f-4208-8fb2-3b0eecbcs8f0
GeographicalLocalityID Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/81
Label Geographical Locality ID
Definition An identifier for the geographical locality where the specimen was collected.
Notes To provide an identifier for the geographical locality which ensures that there is no ambiguity, particular for geographical locality names which are not unique. Also has the potential to create a link between the geographical locality name and a shape file.
IdentifiedByID Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/72
Label Identified By ID
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of the identifier(s) for the person, people, groups, or organizations responsible for assigning the scientific name to the subject.
Notes To provide provenance for the identification of the specimen.
Examples
  • https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q94522; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7698-3945 | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q276405
AssociatedMediaID Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/75
Label Associated Media ID
Definition A list (concatenated and separated) of identifiers of media associated with the Specimen.
Notes To allow a user (human or machine) to locate mediafiles of the specimen
Mass Information Element
Element URI https://github.com/tdwg/mids/issues/44
Label Mass
Definition The quantity of matter in a specimen, particularly for minerals, phases and meteorites