The records from citizen science of an “endemic” agouti are not thoroughly evaluated nor examined

Abstract

Objective: Citizen science supports conservation by contributing species occurrence data and promoting environmental education. However, the accuracy of these data remains a concern, particularly for endemic and poorly studied species. This study evaluates the spatial accuracy of citizen science records for the Roatán agouti (Dasyprocta ruatanica), an insular mammal endemic to the Bay Islands of Honduras. We specifically analysed geographic records sourced from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), mainly contributed through iNaturalist, to assess georeferencing quality and discuss potential misidentifications with the more widespread D. punctata. Results: Of 181 georeferenced records analysed, 80.11% were incorrectly placed—many located in the Atlantic Ocean rather than on Roatán—with a mean distance was 8.15 km (SD = 20.9 km), although the distribution was highly skewed due to a few extreme misplaced records. Furthermore, potential confusion between D. ruatanica and D. punctata was noted, likely due to morphological similarities and photographic limitations. These findings highlight the importance of careful precise geolocation and species identification when using citizen science data for conservation purposes, especially for insular endemics. Improved validation protocols and expert oversight are necessary to enhance the reliability of such records in biodiversity monitoring.