faunabr: An R package to explore taxonomic data and map species distributions using the Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil

The Catálogo Taxonômico da Fauna do Brasil (CTFB) is a comprehensive digital biodiversity database that provides standardized taxonomic and ecological information for animal species in Brazil. Although widely used in biodiversity studies, its accessibility and reproducibility can be enhanced through integration with computational tools like R packages. Here, we introduce faunabr, an R package designed to facilitate the retrieval, exploration, and spatialization of taxonomic data from CTFB. I demonstrate its application in key biogeographic and conservation tasks, including taxonomic verification, selection of target species based on traits and distribution, and identification of erroneous occurrence records outside their known ranges. By simplifying these processes, faunabr enhances the accessibility and practical use of CTFB data for zoologists, biogeographers, ecologists, taxonomists, and curators of biological collections, ultimately supporting more rigorous and reproducible biodiversity research.

KEYWORDS:
Biodiversity database; Brazilian fauna; species information; taxonomic verification