Species & taxonomy

Wherever you see Search for species (browse filters, the taxa picker, or when creating a listing), type at least two characters. Results match:

• Scientific names (taxa — genus, species, and subspecies when present)
• Common / vernacular names stored in the catalogue

Pick a row from the list to apply that species. If your profile country of origin is set, common names in that language may rank slightly higher in results.

Species search matches both Latin (scientific) names and vernacular (common) names in the catalogue. You can type either — you do not need to know the Latin name to start, but understanding the limits below helps you get to the right taxon faster.

Latin names — most reliable

Every catalogue row is keyed to a scientific name (genus, species, and subspecies when applicable). Latin search is the most consistent way to find a species: spelling is standardized, and scientific matches are ranked ahead of common-name-only hits.

If you know the genus and part of the epithet, type them together with the incomplete word last (for example morelia spil for Morelia spilota, not spil morelia). Only the final word is matched as a prefix; earlier words must appear in full in the catalogue name.

Vernacular names — helpful but incomplete

Common names are optional metadata. They are stored in many languages where the catalogue provides them, but the set is not exhaustive:

• A species may have several common names in one language, or names only in some languages — not every regional or hobby name is listed.
• The same animal is often called different things in different countries; search only finds names we have imported for that taxon.
• If your profile country of origin is set, names in that language may appear slightly higher in the list, but missing names are not created automatically.

If a common name returns nothing, try the Latin name, a shorter fragment of the scientific name, or browse from Browse species.

Tips for better results

Search runs after a short pause while you type (about half a second), then matches the catalogue in two steps: the server finds candidates, and the dropdown re-orders them with scientific names weighted more heavily than common names. Up to 25 results are shown.

• At least two characters — shorter queries do not run.
• Put the partial word last. Multi-word queries require every word to match; only the final word can be incomplete. Examples: abronia gr or morelia spil work; a lone middle fragment like thon only works if it is the only word you type (then it is treated as a prefix).
• Start from the beginning of the name. Matches closer to the start of the scientific or common name rank higher in the list — prefer morelia spil over a reversed or middle fragment such as spil morelia.
• Use spaces for multi-word names. A common name with several words (e.g. ball python) must match each word. If nothing appears, try one distinctive word or switch to Latin.
• Stick to letters and numbers. Punctuation and symbols are stripped from your query before matching. Accented letters are normalized, so unaccented typing usually works.
• Spell closely; typos are not corrected. There is no fuzzy “did you mean” step — if a misspelling returns nothing, shorten to a correct prefix on the last word or use the Latin name.
• Narrow a noisy list. If you see many unrelated species, add another word (genus + epithet, or a longer common name) so the match is more specific.
• Set country of origin on your profile for a small boost when sorting results that have common names in your language (English, German, French, Spanish, and others mapped from country).
• When creating a listing, pick the most specific row (species or subspecies) and confirm the Latin name in the result, not only the common name shown beside it.

When results still look wrong

• Prefer scientific names when you know them, especially for similar species or subspecies.
• The dropdown may show up to eight common names per species for context; the name you searched for might not be the one displayed even when the taxon matched.
• If the species is missing entirely, it is not in the catalogue yet — browse Browse species or pick the closest taxon and contact support if you need a new entry.

Each species has a stable URL: /taxa/[slug]. The slug is derived from the taxonomic name. On that page you typically see:

• Active listings for that taxon (and sometimes related taxa)
• Species label and taxonomy context
• Market history — chart of past sale prices over time (depth depends on your plan; see Plans & limits)

Open Browse species to search when you do not already have a link.

Country / category browse is organized by geography and animal group. Species pages are organized by taxonomy — best when you already know the exact animal you want. You can combine both: set country filters on a species page grid when those controls are available.

When you create or edit a listing, species search is required so your ad appears on the right taxa page and in species filters. Choose the most specific match (species or subspecies) that describes what you are selling.