Dutch Caribbean Species Register

Export search results as a CSV file
The selection with the search results can be exported as a CSV file, via the option "Export (as CSV)" in the left column. It should be noted that the export file of the Dutch Caribbean Species register consists of fields that are separated by tabs instead of commas. This export file can be read with a spreadsheet program such as Microsoft Excel, Google sheets or LibreOffice Calc as follows:

1. Excel. An intermediate step is required to read the sheet. In Windows Explorer (or Finder on a Mac) change extension "csv" to "txt" and ignore the warning. Make sure that the extension is actually displayed (i.e. that ".txt" is visible in the file name). Start Excel and then open the file in an empty Excel page (do not double click!). You will then get a Text Import Wizard with three steps. Click twice on next and then on finish. You now have an Excel file with the information in columns.
2. Google sheet: click on the file and open it with Google sheets. You now have a file with the information in columns.
3. LibreOffice Calc: click on the file and an import wizard will follow. Make sure that under Separator options, "Separated by: Tab" is checked. Click OK and you now have a file with the information in columns.

The CSV file contains a limited set of data from the taxa in the search results. The following three fields are exported: scientific name, English preferred name and a URL to the web page of the taxon. The filters allow you to narrow down the search results.

You can download up to 5,000 search results. If you want more records and/or a list with all the vernacular names that are available (in English, Dutch and Papiamento), please send an email to speciesregister@naturalis.nl.
 

Request customised export
Do you need more data than the CSV export of the search results (e.g. more fields or data from more than 5,000 taxa)? Then please contact speciesregister@naturalis.nl to request a customized export. Please clearly indicate in the request from which taxa data is needed, and which fields (such as names, higher classification, attributes) need to be included in the export.

A customized export is delivered by email as CSV or Excel file, usually within one to three weeks.
 

Checklist as DarwinCore-Archive
The Dutch Caribbean Species Register is also available as a checklist through the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). This is updated periodically and is always slightly behind www.dutchcaribbeanspecies.org. Through GBIF the data is searchable in many ways, and can also be downloaded in whole or in part as DarwinCore-Archive (DwCA); use this link.

This download produces a zip file containing a number of txt files in the DarwinCore format, a standard for biodiversity data. The file taxa.txt contains the species list. These files can also be read into a spreadsheet program.

Please keep in mind that the dataset on GBIF does not contain detailed information about records per island. If you need this, please request a customised export.
 

API
If you are, for example, a software developer or data scientist, and need automated access to the taxonomic tree, multimedia or species texts of the Dutch Caribbean Species Register, you can use the Netherlands Biodiversity API of Naturalis. To do so, use the taxonomic data services and search specifically for 'sourceSystem.code' = DCSR. The data is served in the form of Javascript Object Notation (JSON) documents. For more information, read the extensive technical documentation here.
 

Terms of use / license
The species list of the Dutch Caribbean Species Register (taxonomic tree, classification, species names, characteristics) are available under a Creative Commons BY license and may be freely used provided the source is cited.

Of the photographs in the Dutch Caribbean Species Register, the copyright rests with the photographers. However, a large part is available for re-use under Creative Commons licenses. You can read more about this on this page.