Scientific death-knell against databases? Errors induced by database manipulations and its consequences

摘要

References to Terebratulina caputserpentis attributing its authorship to Zbyszewski, 1957, not to Linnæus, 1767, have been found in three recent publications, in the collections of the Muséum National d'Histoire naturelle de Paris and in several online databases. The use in these databases seems to have arisen from WoRMS (World Register of Marine Species), specifically from WBD (World Brachiopoda Database) of which the three authors of this paper are the editors (authors). The page concerning T. caputserpentis (Linnæus, 1767) has been modified by WoRMS staff without the knowledge of these editors (authors). The decrease of the specialists in systematics and their replacement by IT specialists question the scientific reliability of the online databases as well as the specimen labelling in museums. The absence of scientific rigour becomes their Achilles' heel. Several other cases of errors are quoted and developed. In spite of applications to the staff of databases in biodiversity, the situation continued degrading so much so that today these bases are reached by the Peter principle and can no longer be used for scientific requirements, except if verifying all the desired data.