A chance encounter led to a scientific breakthrough for biologist David Alejandro Sánchez Gómez (@davidsanchez10), Yudy Gallego (@yudyalejag), and collaborators. "In 2019, during a trip to a páramo in the municipality of Sonsón (known locally as Las Palomas), I photographed an orchid and uploaded it to iNaturalist," says David, who calls El Carmen de Viboral, Colombia home. "That observation turned out to be very special."
The iNaturalist community was pivotal when it came to setting the record straight; this was a never-before-described species. "Through the platform, Mark Wilson contacted me and suggested we collaborate to describe it as a new species," says David. "Since I wasn't an orchid expert, I invited my colleague Yudy Gallego, a national specialist in orchids, and together we carried out multiple field visits, photographed the plants, studied their habitat, and documented their flowering. That teamwork eventually led us to formally describe the species."
Very special and very vulnerable
Pleurothallis maitamae, the newly described orchid, is as distinctive and unique as the high altitude ecosystem it calls home. Keeping tabs on its populations could help shed light on the health of its critical habitat.
"In Colombia, páramos are unique high-mountain ecosystems located above the continuous forest line and below the glaciers," says David. "They are globally important because they provide fresh water to millions of people, host an extraordinary diversity of plants and animals, and act as natural regulators of the climate. Unfortunately, they are also highly threatened by agriculture, cattle ranching, mining, and climate change."
"Within this fragile context, what I find most fascinating about Pleurothallis maitamae — also known locally as the Maitama Orchid — is that it is restricted to a single páramo fragment in Sonsón," continues David. "That makes it both very special and very vulnerable. Despite previous botanical studies in the area, it had never been noticed before. It's also a very striking orchid that blooms only once a year, between July and August, which makes it even harder to find and even more remarkable to study."
As Yudy shares, "the genus Pleurothallis is particularly fascinating to me because of its huge diversity and morphological variation. In the case of the species we described, what captivated me most was its labellum, a finely ornamented structure so intricate and delicate that it can only be truly appreciated under a magnifying lens or stereoscope. It's amazing how a plant can develop such tiny, complex forms in service of its pollination."
To capture the orchid in full detail, researchers had to be resourceful. "One of the main challenges we faced was photographing such small floral structures without specialized equipment," says Yudy. "We had to collect a few flowers, keep them in a damp cloth, and get up early the next morning to work in the lab — to dissect the flowers and document them before they dried or became damaged. It was a very careful but deeply rewarding process."
"When we confirmed it was an undescribed species, we felt an incredible mix of joy and responsibility," says David. "It was our first time going through the process of describing a species, and that can be intimidating. At the same time, it was very motivating because we knew the description was also an important step toward future conservation actions, given the threats that the species and its habitat face."
"Anyone could have uploaded those photos"
"What is really striking to me is that when we first came across this orchid, we were just early undergraduate students," says David. "In other words, anyone could have uploaded those photos — and in fact, several other iNaturalist users (at least seven people) had also documented the same orchid. It was the collective perspective of these records that gave us the confidence to realize we were looking at something new."
Photos that may seem casual can hold great conservation value. As Yudy shares, "it was truly striking to realize that a plant simply photographed in the field turned out to be a unique record for the region and for the country."
So continue taking those photographs and adding them to iNaturalist! And a tip for the perfectionists out there: "Don't be afraid to upload your photos, even if they're not 'perfect,'" says David. "Follow your curiosity about the natural world — biodiversity is everywhere, not just in pristine forests but also in gardens, farms, and urban areas. With just a simple photo, you can contribute to conservation and connect with a global community that shares your passion."
The power of community science
Community science is empowering — "It allows people to be active participants, not just recipients of information, but true partners in the care and appreciation of the natural wealth of their territories," says David.
"For me," says David, "community science means the democratization of scientific knowledge. It's about building global networks of naturalists, fostering collaboration, and creating opportunities for anyone to contribute to biodiversity research. I also see it as a way of learning through photography, not only from a scientific perspective but also by appreciating the beauty of the species around us."
"In the future, I hope to develop projects where local communities not only collect data but also ask questions, generate hypotheses, analyze results, and share outcomes," says David, who is part of Viboral Biodiverso, an organization which shines a light on the rich biodiversity in eastern Antioquia, in Colombia. "That way, community science can expand from simple observation to becoming a more complete and empowering research process."
"I'd also like to highlight that this is not the only case in Colombia where iNaturalist has helped connect people and contributed to the discovery of new species. I think it's really important to give more visibility to these stories, as they show how the platform is actively shaping biodiversity research and conservation.
"One more piece of advice I would share, especially with biologists, is to spend more time exploring iNaturalist," says David. "Review observations, and if you are an expert in a particular group, take the time to help others learn more about the species in their territory. Who knows — in the process, you might even stumble upon a new discovery yourself."
Week 1 Activity: Identifying “Unknowns”
