taxonKey for occurrences and species list CSVs

Data Use
1

I made a search query and downloaded the occurrences and species list CSVs. The occurrences list have a 5 character alphanumeric taxonKey, the species list have a numeric taxonKey. Since the two files have different taxonKey formats, I can’t join the two tables using the taxonKey.

For instance, Pituophis catenifer. The species CSV taxonKey is 2453826. The occurrences CSV taxonKey is 4JCGM.

Is there a way to get the two files to have the same taxonKey format?

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2

Hi @wy_bio , Could you please share with us both download links for the occurrences and species list? In theory, they should be using the same taxonKey, so maybe some download was made before we migrated to CoL identifiers or there is a problem and we should fix it

3

@estebanmhGBIF I created the downloads June 23, 2026. I used CoL to populate the taxonomic columns.

occurrence https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.nzth33

species https://doi.org/10.15468/dl.ndjex3

4

Thanks @wy_bio, it is indeed a bug in our side, I have logged an issue so our informatics team can review and fix it.

In the meantime, you have two options to get the same taxonKey. First using the “taxon matching” service in your species list to get the new identifier, you can use the API or the species Lookup: How to migrate from the legacy GBIF Backbone Taxonomy to Catalogue of Life Extended Release - GBIF Data Blog

Second you can do a new download using the old GBIF backbone taxonomy for the occurrence download, that way both will have the same taxonKeys

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