diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Species/Tabs/SynonymTab.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Species/Tabs/SynonymTab.tsx
index 914b5f12..8e8cd9ef 100755
--- a/frontend/src/components/Species/Tabs/SynonymTab.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Species/Tabs/SynonymTab.tsx
@@ -7,9 +7,13 @@ import { EditingForm, EditingFormField } from '@/components/DetailView/common/Ed
 import { useNotify } from '@/hooks/notification'
 import { validateSynonym } from '@/shared/validators/synonym'
 import { convertSynonymTaxonomyFields } from '@/util/taxonomyUtilities'
+import { useGetAllSpeciesQuery } from '@/redux/speciesReducer'
+import { skipToken } from '@reduxjs/toolkit/query'
+import { CircularProgress } from '@mui/material'
 
 export const SynonymTab = () => {
   const { mode, setEditData, editData } = useDetailContext<SpeciesDetailsType>()
+  const { data: speciesQueryData, isFetching } = useGetAllSpeciesQuery(mode.read ? skipToken : undefined)
   const { notify } = useNotify()
 
   const convertAndCheckNewSynonymTaxonomy = (newSynonym: EditDataType<SpeciesSynonym>) => {
@@ -43,6 +47,21 @@ export const SynonymTab = () => {
       }
     }
 
+    for (const existingSpecies of speciesQueryData!) {
+      if (
+        convertedSynonym.syn_genus_name === existingSpecies.genus_name &&
+        convertedSynonym.syn_species_name === existingSpecies.species_name
+      ) {
+        notify(
+          `${convertedSynonym.syn_genus_name} ${convertedSynonym.syn_species_name} \
+          has already been created as a separate species, adding it as a synonym is currently not allowed.`,
+          'error',
+          null
+        )
+        return false
+      }
+    }
+
     return convertedSynonym
   }
 
@@ -88,6 +107,8 @@ export const SynonymTab = () => {
     />
   )
 
+  if (isFetching) return <CircularProgress />
+
   return (
     <>
       <Grouped title="Synonyms">
diff --git a/frontend/src/util/taxonomyUtilities.tsx b/frontend/src/util/taxonomyUtilities.tsx
index 73644ae4..4c226a66 100644
--- a/frontend/src/util/taxonomyUtilities.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/util/taxonomyUtilities.tsx
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ const isDuplicateTaxon = (newSpecies: EditDataType<Species>, existingSpecies: Sp
     newSpecies.species_name === existingSpecies.species_name &&
     newSpecies.unique_identifier === existingSpecies.unique_identifier
   ) {
+    console.log('joo')
+    console.log(newSpecies)
+    console.log(existingSpecies)
     return true
   }