A reference to or citation of one, a part of, or multiple specimens in scholarly publications.

This class constitutes a new value for the controlled vocabulary in the recommendations for basisOfRecord. When importing Darwin Core Archives of literature-based datasets to GBIF, the basisOfRecord should be changed from “Occurrence”, "PreservedSpecimen" or "Literature" to “MaterialCitation”.

A citation of a physical specimen from a scientific collection in a taxonomic treatment in a scientific publication. A citation of a group of physical specimens, such as paratypes in a taxonomic treatment in a scientific publication. An occurrence mentioned in a field note book.

http://rs.tdwg.org/dwc/terms/