EDIT

The distribution status of a higher area (area with subareas) should usually not have a higher status then the highest status of it's subareas if subarea information exists.

This can be found by the following sql

SELECT n.titleCache nameTitle, n.nameCache, a.titleCache area, a.idInVocabulary areaId, st.titleCache statusTitle,
sec.titleCache sec 
FROM DescriptionElementBase deb 
INNER JOIN DescriptionBase db ON db.id = deb.inDescription_id
INNER JOIN TaxonBase tb ON tb.id = db.taxon_id
INNER JOIN TaxonName n ON n.id = tb.name_id
INNER JOIN DefinedTermBase a ON a.id = deb.area_id
INNER JOIN DefinedTermBase st ON st.id = deb.status_id
INNER JOIN Reference sec ON sec.id = tb.sec_id
WHERE tb.publish = 1 AND deb.DTYPE = 'Distribution' AND EXISTS (
  SELECT *
  FROM DescriptionElementBase deb2 INNER JOIN DescriptionBase db2 ON db2.id = deb2.inDescription_id
  INNER JOIN DefinedTermBase a2 ON a2.id = deb2.area_id
  LEFT JOIN DefinedTermBase st2 ON st2.id = deb2.status_id
  WHERE a.id = a2.partOf_id AND tb.id = db2.taxon_id AND st.orderIndex < st2.orderIndex   AND st2.id <> 2409
) AND NOT EXISTS (
  SELECT *
  FROM DescriptionElementBase deb3 INNER JOIN DescriptionBase db3 ON db3.id = deb3.inDescription_id
  INNER JOIN DefinedTermBase a3 ON a3.id = deb3.area_id
  LEFT JOIN DefinedTermBase st3 ON st3.id = deb3.status_id
  WHERE a.id = a3.partOf_id AND tb.id = db3.taxon_id AND st.orderIndex >= st3.orderIndex
)
AND a.id <> 2269 -- EM area
ORDER BY n.titleCache, a.titleCache

For areas with status "undefined" change to "st2.id = 2409"

===

other data cleaning issues concerning status:

• undefined: #4822#note-22