Reddit Launches Crowdsourced Species Identification

There is no shortage of ridiculous, juvenile and, well, hilariously embarrassing threads on Reddit. But contrary to popular belief, there is also plenty of do-gooding done by flocks of Redditors. One of the newest features the social site has launched is a crowdsourced effort to help users identify species, such as: insects, plants, fungi, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals.

The goal is to label the questionable specimen in each post with the species name, common name, and links to information sources to back up claims and provide additional information.

Upvotes and downvotes are also used to help reach a consensus, one common feature on all Reddit threads.

Pretty neat, right? Next time you’re vacationing in a foreign land and spot a unique bird or a questionable little frog hops up to your doorstep and you have no idea what he is, you can snap a pic, upload it to Reddit, and see what the consensus has to say.

Do you think this could actually bring about knowledge of so far unknown species? It’s possible.

Via Reddit
Photo by John Johnston: Tree frog found in a lettuce from a supermarket