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GBIF

GBIF provides free and open access to biodiversity data

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  • Dataset Search Actions
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  • Occurrence Count Actions
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  • Occurrence Search Catalog Number Actions
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Species → Get

AI-generated

Overview

This node integrates with the GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) API to retrieve biodiversity data. Specifically, for the Species - Get operation, it fetches detailed information about a species using its taxon ID. Users can also request related sub-resources such as children taxa, synonyms, distributions, media, vernacular names, and more.

This node is beneficial in scenarios where you need to enrich datasets with authoritative species information, perform biodiversity research, or integrate species taxonomy data into workflows. For example, a researcher could use this node to get detailed taxonomic data and associated media for a species of interest by providing its taxon ID.

Properties

Name Meaning
ID The taxon ID of the species to retrieve. This uniquely identifies the species in the GBIF database.
Sub-Resource Optional related data to fetch along with the species. Options include: Children, Combinations, Descriptions, Distributions, Media, Name, Parents, References, Species Profiles, Synonyms, Type Specimens, Verbatim, Vernacular Names.
Additional Fields A collection of optional filters and parameters:
- Dataset Key: Filter by checklist dataset UUID.
- Language: ISO 639-1 two-letter code to specify language for vernacular names.
- Name: Filter by a name string.
- Source ID: Filter by source identifier.
- Facet, Habitat, Issue, Name Type, Nomenclatural Status, Rank, Status, Threat: Multi-value filters applied as query parameters.

Output

The output is a JSON array containing the species data retrieved from the GBIF API. The structure depends on the requested sub-resource but generally includes:

  • Core species details such as scientific name, taxonomic rank, status, and classification keys.
  • If a sub-resource is specified, additional nested data related to that sub-resource (e.g., children taxa, synonyms, media).
  • Filters and language options affect the returned data scope and localization (e.g., vernacular names in a specific language).

No binary data output is produced by this node.

Dependencies

  • Requires internet access to call the public GBIF API at https://api.gbif.org/v1.
  • No authentication or API key is required as the GBIF API is open.
  • Uses standard HTTP GET requests with JSON responses.

Troubleshooting

  • Empty or invalid ID: If the taxon ID is missing or incorrect, the API will return an error or empty result. Ensure the ID corresponds to a valid GBIF taxon key.
  • Invalid sub-resource: Providing an unsupported sub-resource value may cause the API to return an error or no data.
  • Network issues: Connectivity problems will prevent API calls; verify network access.
  • Rate limiting: Although GBIF API is open, excessive requests might be throttled; consider adding delays if running many queries.
  • Filter conflicts: Using incompatible filter combinations in additional fields may yield no results.

Links and References

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