The Calypso Ichthyological Database numbering system is an open source

Open source

The term open source describes practices in production and development that promote access to the end product's source materials. Some consider open source a philosophy, others consider it a pragmatic methodology...

 free repository allowing the unique identification numbering of all fish

Fish

Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...

 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 with a six-numeral

Numeral system

A numeral system is a writing system for expressing numbers, that is a mathematical notation for representing numbers of a given set, using graphemes or symbols in a consistent manner....

 fixed number. This number remains the same throughout any alterations or taxonomic

Taxonomy

Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...

 changes to the species' accepted current scientific name and allows for recording of species data in 32 unique data field

Data field

A data field is a place where you can store data. Commonly used to refer to a column in a database or a field in a data entry form or web form.The field may contain data to be entered as well as data to be displayed.-See also:*Data dictionary...

s including all previous names in 32 language

Language

Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...

s. It has been in use since 1994 and was pioneered by its inventor, Gerald H. Jennings

Gerald H. Jennings

Gerald Jennings is an aquarist and ichthyological taxonomist who is author of over 100 books on fishes and fish related subjects. His photographic library has also been made freely available online.-Works:...

, with the technical assistance of Terry Hall. It is accompanied by a vast photographic library of fish species and is free at the point of use to all researchers and academics. Much of the data is also available in published format and online.