gbif-biodiversity-mcp-server

Get Species Classification

gbif_get_species_classification

Read-onlyIdempotent

Return the parent chain for a taxon — from kingdom (or domain) down to the immediate parent of the queried taxon — as an ordered array. Each entry has its rank, canonical name, and taxon key. The array is returned root-first (kingdom → phylum → class → … → immediate parent of the queried taxon); the queried taxon itself is not included — call gbif_get_species for its own record. Useful for building taxonomic trees or understanding placement without navigating the backbone level-by-level.

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`taxonKey`	Yes	GBIF backbone taxon key from gbif_match_species or another taxonomy tool.

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`notice`	No	Guidance when the chain is empty because the taxon sits at the root of the backbone. Absent when the chain has entries.
`classification`	No	Classification chain ordered from root (kingdom) to the immediate parent of the queried taxon. The queried taxon itself is not included — call gbif_get_species for its own record.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed4 schema fields changedNov 1, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / taxonKey / maximum
```
Added value: +9007199254740991
```
addedInput schema / properties / taxonKey / minimum
```
Added value: +0
```

changedInput schema / properties / taxonKey / type

Previous value: -"number"New value: +"integer"

changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description

Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `not_found`: The taxonKey does not exist in the GBIF backbone. `invalid_filter`: GBIF rejected the taxonKey as unparseable — a fraction, or a value outside the 32-bit signed integer range. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `not_found`: The taxonKey does not exist in the GBIF backbone. `invalid_filter`: GBIF rejected the taxonKey as unparseable — a value outside the 32-bit signed integer range. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."

Changed6 schema fields changedAug 25, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

changedOutput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

addedOutput schema / anyOf

Added value: +[
+  {
+    "not": {
+      "required": [
+        "error"
+      ]
+    },
+    "required": [
+      "classification"
+    ]
+  },
+  {
+    "required": [
+      "error"
+    ]
+  }
+]

addedOutput schema / properties / error

Added value: +{
+  "additionalProperties": {},
+  "description": "Present when the call failed. Absent on success.",
+  "properties": {
+    "code": {
+      "description": "JSON-RPC error code for this failure.",
+      "maximum": 9007199254740991,
+      "minimum": -9007199254740991,
+      "type": "integer"
+    },
+    "data": {
+      "additionalProperties": {},
+      "properties": {
+        "reason": {
+          "description": "Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `not_found`: The taxonKey does not exist in the GBIF backbone. `invalid_filter`: GBIF rejected the taxonKey as unparseable — a fraction, or a value outside the 32-bit signed integer range. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler.",
+          "examples": [
+            "not_found",
+            "invalid_filter"
+          ],
+          "type": "string"
+        },
+        "recovery": {
+          "additionalProperties": {},
+          "description": "Actionable next step for the caller.",
+          "properties": {
+            "hint": {
+              "type": "string"
+            }
+          },
+          "required": [
+            "hint"
+          ],
+          "type": "object"
+        },
+        "retryable": {
+          "description": "Whether retrying may succeed.",
+          "type": "boolean"
+        }
+      },
+      "type": "object"
+    },
+    "message": {
+      "description": "Human-readable description of what went wrong.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "code",
+    "message"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

removedOutput schema / required

Removed value: -[
-  "classification"
-]

Changed1 schema field changedAug 6, 2026

addedOutput schema / properties / notice

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Guidance when the chain is empty because the taxon sits at the root of the backbone. Absent when the chain has entries.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

Changed1 schema field changedJul 14, 2026

changedOutput schema / properties / classification / description

Previous value: -"Classification chain ordered from root (kingdom) to the immediate parent of the queried taxon."New value: +"Classification chain ordered from root (kingdom) to the immediate parent of the queried taxon. The queried taxon itself is not included — call gbif_get_species for its own record."

First observedMay 25, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly/idempotent/openWorld, so the safety profile is covered. The description goes beyond them by disclosing result shape and ordering (root-first), the exclusion of the queried taxon, and per-entry contents — behavior an agent cannot infer from annotations alone. It stops short of stating edge cases such as what happens for a kingdom-level or unmatched taxon key.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the core behavior and ordering in the first two sentences, then a routing pointer, then the rationale. Three sentences, each carrying distinct information, with no repetition of the schema or annotations.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

An output schema exists, yet the description still gives the shape and ordering an agent needs for planning. With one fully documented parameter and annotations covering the safety profile, nothing an agent needs in order to call this correctly is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and the single parameter's description already names its source (gbif_match_species or another taxonomy tool). The description adds nothing about taxonKey — no mention of what keys are valid, what happens with a non-backbone key — so the baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ("Return the parent chain for a taxon") and pins down the exact scope: kingdom/domain down to the immediate parent, queried taxon excluded. The root-first ordering and per-entry fields (rank, canonical name, taxon key) make it unmistakable what this returns versus a plain species lookup.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Explicitly routes the agent to gbif_get_species when it wants the queried taxon's own record, and frames the use case (building taxonomic trees, understanding placement without walking the backbone). It does not address the nearest potential confusion, gbif_get_species_children (descendants vs. ancestors), so the sibling differentiation is strong but not exhaustive.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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