Animals

High-quality diagnostic image sets and comparison tools for invertebrates, pathogens and other organisms of biosecurity significance.

Best for

Comparing a suspect pest or vector against expert-prepared views of diagnostic structures and close lookalikes.

Limits

Biosecurity-oriented rather than a complete fauna, and its presence in the library does not establish regulatory status. Some identifications still require a diagnostic laboratory.

Coverage

Australia-focused biosecurity taxa with international pest and disease coverage.

Reuse

PaDIL site and contributed-image terms apply; check the item before reuse.

Contributing

Public browsing is open; contributor functions require authorisation.

High-quality diagnostic image sets and comparison tools for invertebrates, pathogens and other organisms of biosecurity significance.

Best for

Comparing a suspect pest or vector against expert-prepared views of diagnostic structures and close lookalikes.

Limits

Biosecurity-oriented rather than a complete fauna, and its presence in the library does not establish regulatory status. Some identifications still require a diagnostic laboratory.

Coverage

Australia-focused biosecurity taxa with international pest and disease coverage.

Reuse

PaDIL site and contributed-image terms apply; check the item before reuse.

Contributing

Public browsing is open; contributor functions require authorisation.

A global ant reference collection with standardised specimen images, type material, regional lists and taxonomic records.

Best for

Comparing an ant specimen from several standard views and locating type or curated collection material for the candidate taxon.

Limits

Restricted to ants, and many determinations require microscopic characters or a regional key. Image matching alone is especially weak in species-rich genera.

Coverage

Global Formicidae, with uneven digitisation among regions and collections.

Reuse

Specimen data and many images are CC BY; retain the photographer, specimen and collection attribution shown on each record.

A guided mobile identification tool using location, date, description, photographs and supported sound recordings with a global bird reference library.

Best for

Generating a short list from a field observation or recording and learning which visible or acoustic features separate candidates.

Limits

Mobile-first, with regional gaps in Sound ID. Photo and sound suggestions are model outputs that require confirmation against field marks, calls, range and season.

Coverage

Global bird reference coverage; assisted features and sound models vary by region.

Reuse

Cornell Lab terms apply; reference media retain contributor and Macaulay Library rights.

Contributing

The app is free; email or account confirmation is required for continued use and contribution-linked features.

Searchable Australian bird profiles using shape, size, colour, habitat, family and state, with calls and conservation context where available.

Best for

Narrowing a photographed Australian bird and checking habitat, range and call against a conservation organisation's account.

Limits

The profile collection is still growing and does not cover every Australian bird. It is a visual aid rather than a complete diagnostic key.

Coverage

Australian birds; profile depth and taxon coverage vary.

Reuse

BirdLife Australia and individual media rights apply; no blanket open-media licence is stated.

A current global reference for living reptile taxonomy, synonyms, distributions, literature and many images.

Best for

Checking a reptile name and distribution, then following the literature and images attached to the taxon.

Limits

It is not a universal diagnostic key. Images can narrow candidates but rarely replace scale counts, measurements, locality-specific literature or examination of the animal.

Coverage

Global living reptiles.

Reuse

Database and contributed-image terms apply; no blanket open-media licence is stated.

An Australian citizen-science app that identifies frogs from georeferenced call recordings reviewed by frog experts.

Best for

Turning a good Australian frog-call recording into a reviewable, expert-checked candidate with date and place attached.

Limits

Australia only and call-based. It cannot identify silent animals or image-only records, and overlapping callers or poor recordings may remain unresolved.

Coverage

Australian frogs and their calls.

Reuse

Australian Museum and FrogID terms apply to records, audio and derived data.

Contributing

A free account and the mobile app are required to submit recordings.

Australia's primary national compilation of accepted animal names, synonyms, classification, distribution and bibliography.

Best for

Checking the accepted Australian name and taxonomic placement after an animal has been identified from appropriate evidence.

Limits

Australia and its territories only. Coverage depth and update date differ among groups, and image or identification-key support is limited.

Coverage

Australian animals across terrestrial, freshwater and marine groups.

Reuse

Australian Government citation and reuse terms apply.

A current global mammal checklist with accepted species, synonyms, higher classification, ranges and downloadable releases.

Best for

Verifying a mammal name against a release maintained by specialist mammalogists.

Limits

Taxonomy-focused, with limited help identifying an unknown from tracks, photographs, hair or skeletal material. Living and recently extinct mammals are its core scope.

Coverage

Global living and recently extinct mammals.

Reuse

Release and dataset terms are stated with each Mammal Diversity Database download; cite the release used.

A global ant reference collection with standardised specimen images, type material, regional lists and taxonomic records.

Best for

Comparing an ant specimen from several standard views and locating type or curated collection material for the candidate taxon.

Limits

Restricted to ants, and many determinations require microscopic characters or a regional key. Image matching alone is especially weak in species-rich genera.

Coverage

Global Formicidae, with uneven digitisation among regions and collections.

Reuse

Specimen data and many images are CC BY; retain the photographer, specimen and collection attribution shown on each record.

The current global authority for accepted spider names, synonyms, literature and brief distributions.

Best for

Checking spider nomenclature and tracing the taxonomic literature after morphology has produced a candidate.

Limits

Spiders only and not a visual key. Geographic detail is brief, and species-level determination commonly requires adult genital morphology.

Coverage

Global Araneae.

Reuse

World Spider Catalog terms apply; API and bulk use are controlled separately.

A guided mobile identification tool using location, date, description, photographs and supported sound recordings with a global bird reference library.

Best for

Generating a short list from a field observation or recording and learning which visible or acoustic features separate candidates.

Limits

Mobile-first, with regional gaps in Sound ID. Photo and sound suggestions are model outputs that require confirmation against field marks, calls, range and season.

Coverage

Global bird reference coverage; assisted features and sound models vary by region.

Reuse

Cornell Lab terms apply; reference media retain contributor and Macaulay Library rights.

Contributing

The app is free; email or account confirmation is required for continued use and contribution-linked features.

A current global reference for living reptile taxonomy, synonyms, distributions, literature and many images.

Best for

Checking a reptile name and distribution, then following the literature and images attached to the taxon.

Limits

It is not a universal diagnostic key. Images can narrow candidates but rarely replace scale counts, measurements, locality-specific literature or examination of the animal.

Coverage

Global living reptiles.

Reuse

Database and contributed-image terms apply; no blanket open-media licence is stated.

A global reference for amphibian names, nomenclatural history, country distributions and taxonomic literature.

Best for

Verifying an amphibian name and tracing its synonymy and original or revising literature.

Limits

Taxonomy-heavy rather than a field or call-identification tool, with limited visual support. Country-level distribution cannot confirm a local observation.

Coverage

Global living amphibians.

Reuse

All rights reserved by the maintainer; citation is required for scholarly use.

An Australian citizen-science app that identifies frogs from georeferenced call recordings reviewed by frog experts.

Best for

Turning a good Australian frog-call recording into a reviewable, expert-checked candidate with date and place attached.

Limits

Australia only and call-based. It cannot identify silent animals or image-only records, and overlapping callers or poor recordings may remain unresolved.

Coverage

Australian frogs and their calls.

Reuse

Australian Museum and FrogID terms apply to records, audio and derived data.

Contributing

A free account and the mobile app are required to submit recordings.

Australia's primary national compilation of accepted animal names, synonyms, classification, distribution and bibliography.

Best for

Checking the accepted Australian name and taxonomic placement after an animal has been identified from appropriate evidence.

Limits

Australia and its territories only. Coverage depth and update date differ among groups, and image or identification-key support is limited.

Coverage

Australian animals across terrestrial, freshwater and marine groups.

Reuse

Australian Government citation and reuse terms apply.

A current global mammal checklist with accepted species, synonyms, higher classification, ranges and downloadable releases.

Best for

Verifying a mammal name against a release maintained by specialist mammalogists.

Limits

Taxonomy-focused, with limited help identifying an unknown from tracks, photographs, hair or skeletal material. Living and recently extinct mammals are its core scope.

Coverage

Global living and recently extinct mammals.

Reuse

Release and dataset terms are stated with each Mammal Diversity Database download; cite the release used.

A global ant reference collection with standardised specimen images, type material, regional lists and taxonomic records.

Best for

Comparing an ant specimen from several standard views and locating type or curated collection material for the candidate taxon.

Limits

Restricted to ants, and many determinations require microscopic characters or a regional key. Image matching alone is especially weak in species-rich genera.

Coverage

Global Formicidae, with uneven digitisation among regions and collections.

Reuse

Specimen data and many images are CC BY; retain the photographer, specimen and collection attribution shown on each record.

The current global authority for accepted spider names, synonyms, literature and brief distributions.

Best for

Checking spider nomenclature and tracing the taxonomic literature after morphology has produced a candidate.

Limits

Spiders only and not a visual key. Geographic detail is brief, and species-level determination commonly requires adult genital morphology.

Coverage

Global Araneae.

Reuse

World Spider Catalog terms apply; API and bulk use are controlled separately.

Searchable Australian bird profiles using shape, size, colour, habitat, family and state, with calls and conservation context where available.

Best for

Narrowing a photographed Australian bird and checking habitat, range and call against a conservation organisation's account.

Limits

The profile collection is still growing and does not cover every Australian bird. It is a visual aid rather than a complete diagnostic key.

Coverage

Australian birds; profile depth and taxon coverage vary.

Reuse

BirdLife Australia and individual media rights apply; no blanket open-media licence is stated.

A current global reference for living reptile taxonomy, synonyms, distributions, literature and many images.

Best for

Checking a reptile name and distribution, then following the literature and images attached to the taxon.

Limits

It is not a universal diagnostic key. Images can narrow candidates but rarely replace scale counts, measurements, locality-specific literature or examination of the animal.

Coverage

Global living reptiles.

Reuse

Database and contributed-image terms apply; no blanket open-media licence is stated.

A global reference for amphibian names, nomenclatural history, country distributions and taxonomic literature.

Best for

Verifying an amphibian name and tracing its synonymy and original or revising literature.

Limits

Taxonomy-heavy rather than a field or call-identification tool, with limited visual support. Country-level distribution cannot confirm a local observation.

Coverage

Global living amphibians.

Reuse

All rights reserved by the maintainer; citation is required for scholarly use.

An Australian citizen-science app that identifies frogs from georeferenced call recordings reviewed by frog experts.

Best for

Turning a good Australian frog-call recording into a reviewable, expert-checked candidate with date and place attached.

Limits

Australia only and call-based. It cannot identify silent animals or image-only records, and overlapping callers or poor recordings may remain unresolved.

Coverage

Australian frogs and their calls.

Reuse

Australian Museum and FrogID terms apply to records, audio and derived data.

Contributing

A free account and the mobile app are required to submit recordings.

A guided mobile identification tool using location, date, description, photographs and supported sound recordings with a global bird reference library.

Best for

Generating a short list from a field observation or recording and learning which visible or acoustic features separate candidates.

Limits

Mobile-first, with regional gaps in Sound ID. Photo and sound suggestions are model outputs that require confirmation against field marks, calls, range and season.

Coverage

Global bird reference coverage; assisted features and sound models vary by region.

Reuse

Cornell Lab terms apply; reference media retain contributor and Macaulay Library rights.

Contributing

The app is free; email or account confirmation is required for continued use and contribution-linked features.

Searchable Australian bird profiles using shape, size, colour, habitat, family and state, with calls and conservation context where available.

Best for

Narrowing a photographed Australian bird and checking habitat, range and call against a conservation organisation's account.

Limits

The profile collection is still growing and does not cover every Australian bird. It is a visual aid rather than a complete diagnostic key.

Coverage

Australian birds; profile depth and taxon coverage vary.

Reuse

BirdLife Australia and individual media rights apply; no blanket open-media licence is stated.