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GBIF provides free and open access to biodiversity data

Actions22

  • Collection Actions
  • Dataset Actions
  • Dataset Search Actions
  • Installation Actions
  • Institution Actions
  • Occurrence Actions
  • Occurrence Count Actions
  • Occurrence Search Actions
  • Occurrence Search Catalog Number Actions
  • Occurrence Search Collection Code Actions
  • Occurrence Search Occurrence ID Actions
  • Occurrence Search Recorded By Actions
  • Occurrence Search Record Number Actions
  • Occurrence Search Institution Code Actions
  • Organization Actions
  • Name Parser Actions
  • Network Actions
  • Node Actions
  • Species Actions
  • Species Match Actions
  • Species Search Actions
  • Species Suggest Actions

Species Suggest → Get

AI-generated

Overview

The "Species Suggest - Get" operation in this node queries the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) API to provide suggestions for species names based on a partial or full text query. This is useful when you want to autocomplete or find possible species matches from a given input string, helping users discover valid taxonomic names and related information.

Common scenarios include:

  • Autocompleting species names in biodiversity data entry forms.
  • Validating user input against known species names.
  • Exploring taxonomic suggestions filtered by dataset or taxonomic rank.

For example, entering "Panthera" as a query will return suggested species names starting with or related to "Panthera," optionally filtered by dataset or taxonomic rank.

Properties

Name Meaning
Query (q) A simple full-text search parameter; can be a word or phrase to find matching species names.
Additional Fields Optional filters including:
- Dataset Key Filter suggestions by a specific checklist dataset key (UUID).
- Rank Filter suggestions by taxonomic rank. Options include Aberration, Biovar, Class, Family, Genus, Species, Variety, etc. (see full list in properties).

Output

The output is a JSON array of species suggestion objects returned by the GBIF API's /species/suggest endpoint. Each object typically contains taxonomic details such as scientific name, canonical name, rank, dataset key, and other metadata relevant to the suggested species.

The node does not output binary data.

Dependencies

  • The node depends on access to the public GBIF API at https://api.gbif.org/v1.
  • No authentication or API keys are required for this endpoint.
  • Requires internet connectivity to reach the GBIF service.

Troubleshooting

  • Empty results: If the query string is empty or too vague, the API may return no suggestions. Provide a more specific query.
  • Invalid datasetKey or rank: Using an incorrect dataset UUID or unsupported rank value may result in no matches.
  • API downtime or network issues: The node relies on the GBIF API being available. Network failures or API outages will cause errors.
  • Rate limiting: Although not explicitly handled, excessive requests might be throttled by GBIF.

If errors occur, check the error message returned by the HTTP request. Common fixes include verifying the query parameters and ensuring network access.

Links and References

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