Documenting Your Collections
Info-Muse Network Documentation Guide

Les guides électroniques de la SMQ

Latitude (Site/Habitat/Origin)

Field used for natural science collections

Definition:

  • This field contains the latitude or parallel of the collection site.

Observation:

  • N.B.: Separate records must be made for similar specimens from different latitudes.

Entry rules:

  1. The data in the Latitude field must always be recorded as a series of seven digits, followed by a space and the letter "N" or "S". Enter the data as follows: DDD MM ss (D for "degree", M for "minute" and s for "second"), a space and the direction (N for North and S for South).
    Example

    Latitude 56 50 50 N
  2. Zero-fill partial latitude data to seven digits.
    Example

    Latitude 46 00 00 N
  3. If you are unsure whether your information is correct, include a space and a question mark after the latitude.
  4. If you do not know the exact latitude of the collection site but know that it was between two latitudes, enter the first latitude, a semicolon, a space and the second latitude. Make a note in the Habitat/Locality Remarks field that the figure is an interval.
    Example

    Latitude 20 00 00 S; 15 00 00 S
      Habitat/Locality Remarks The figure in the Latitude field is an interval.

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