How do I add a missing species to the iNaturalist database?

If a species or other taxon is missing from the iNaturalist database, first try clicking the "Search external name providers" button that appears after you search for a name and get no results. 

You can also try alternative names that we might recognize (common names, old scientific names). If that doesn't work, add the original name to the description or as a comment. 

Then navigate to the taxon page where the name should appear (you can use the Header Search), such as the genus of the missing species, and click "Curation," then "Flag for curation" on the right side of the page. Leave a short message explaining what needs to be done as well as some information establishing the legitimacy of the name, like links to websites or books that use it.