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inaturalist-mcp-server

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Inaturalist Find Places

inaturalist_find_places
Read-only

Resolve a place name to a place id, or list places covering a map area. Pass q to match a display-name prefix or all analyzed query terms within it, or all four of nelat, nelng, swlat and swlng for a map area — exactly one of the two, never both. Each result carries its bounding box, place type, and containment chain. Upstream serves at most 20 places per list and may omit more.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
qNoPlace text to search. Matches the beginning of the display name or all analyzed query terms within it. Try whole words or the beginning of the official name. Mutually exclusive with the bounding box.
nelatNoNorth-east corner latitude of the map area, at or north of swlat. All four corners or none.
nelngNoNorth-east corner longitude of the map area. All four corners or none. West of swlng is accepted: it describes a box crossing the antimeridian.
swlatNoSouth-west corner latitude of the map area. All four corners or none.
swlngNoSouth-west corner longitude of the map area. All four corners or none.
per_pageNoMaximum places per list, applied to name queries and to standard and community lists separately on map queries. Served ceiling: 20; requests above it are reduced to 20. Positive safe integer requests are accepted.

Output Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
capNoThe applied per_page on name queries, or twice the applied per_page on map queries where it bounds each list separately.
errorNoPresent when the call failed. Absent on success.
shownNoHow many places this response carries.
noticeNoGuidance when nothing matched, or when the page capped the result set.
placesNoPlace-name matches. Present on the q arm.
standardNoCurated administrative places covering the area. Present on the bounding-box arm.
communityNoMember-created places covering the area. Present on the bounding-box arm.
truncatedNoTrue when more places may exist than were returned — on the bounding-box arm, when the standard or community list reached per_page.
totalCountNoPlaces upstream reports. On name queries, every match before the applied size; on map queries, only returned standard plus community places, not an exhaustive match count.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed5 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / per_page / description
      Previous value: -"Maximum places per list. Honoured on the bounding-box arm only, where it bounds the standard and community lists separately, so up to twice this many places come back. The name-prefix endpoint publishes no page size and returns a fixed page. Ceiling: 30; oversized values are clamped."New value: +"Maximum places per list, applied to name queries and to standard and community lists separately on map queries. Served ceiling: 20; requests above it are reduced to 20. Positive safe integer requests are accepted."
    • changedInput schema / properties / q / description
      Previous value: -"Place-name prefix to search. Matches the start of a name, not words inside it. Mutually exclusive with the bounding box."New value: +"Place text to search. Matches the beginning of the display name or all analyzed query terms within it. Try whole words or the beginning of the official name. Mutually exclusive with the bounding box."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / cap / description
      Previous value: -"The most places this response could carry — per_page × 2 on the bounding-box arm, where per_page bounds each list separately; the fixed page upstream served on the name-prefix arm."New value: +"The applied per_page on name queries, or twice the applied per_page on map queries where it bounds each list separately."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / places / description
      Previous value: -"Name-prefix matches. Present on the q arm."New value: +"Place-name matches. Present on the q arm."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / totalCount / description
      Previous value: -"Places upstream reports. On the name-prefix arm, every match before the fixed page; on the bounding-box arm, only the places returned (standard plus community), so it is bounded by the page size rather than a full count."New value: +"Places upstream reports. On name queries, every match before the applied size; on map queries, only returned standard plus community places, not an exhaustive match count."
  2. Changed4 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / per_page / description
      Previous value: -"Maximum places per list. Honoured on the bounding-box arm only, where it bounds the standard and community lists separately, so up to twice this many places come back. The name-prefix endpoint publishes no page size and returns a fixed page."New value: +"Maximum places per list. Honoured on the bounding-box arm only, where it bounds the standard and community lists separately, so up to twice this many places come back. The name-prefix endpoint publishes no page size and returns a fixed page. Ceiling: 30; oversized values are clamped."
    • addedInput schema / properties / per_page / exclusiveMinimum
      Added value: +0
    • changedInput schema / properties / per_page / maximum
      Previous value: -30New value: +9007199254740991
    • removedInput schema / properties / per_page / minimum
      Removed value: -1
  3. Changed7 schema fields changed
    • changedInput schema / properties / nelat / description
      Previous value: -"North-east corner latitude of the map area. All four corners or none."New value: +"North-east corner latitude of the map area, at or north of swlat. All four corners or none."
    • changedInput schema / properties / nelng / description
      Previous value: -"North-east corner longitude of the map area. All four corners or none."New value: +"North-east corner longitude of the map area. All four corners or none. West of swlng is accepted: it describes a box crossing the antimeridian."
    • changedInput schema / properties / per_page / description
      Previous value: -"Maximum places to return. Honoured on the bounding-box arm only — the name-prefix endpoint publishes no page size and returns a fixed page."New value: +"Maximum places per list. Honoured on the bounding-box arm only, where it bounds the standard and community lists separately, so up to twice this many places come back. The name-prefix endpoint publishes no page size and returns a fixed page."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / cap / description
      Previous value: -"The page size that bounded this response — per_page on the bounding-box arm, the fixed page upstream served on the name-prefix arm."New value: +"The most places this response could carry — per_page × 2 on the bounding-box arm, where per_page bounds each list separately; the fixed page upstream served on the name-prefix arm."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / error / properties / data / properties / reason / description
      Previous value: -"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `invalid_geography`: Neither q nor a complete bounding box was given, or both were. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."New value: +"Machine-readable failure mode. Declared by this tool: `invalid_geography`: Neither q nor a complete bounding box was given, both were, or the box has nelat south of swlat. Other values are possible when a failure originates below the handler."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / totalCount / description
      Previous value: -"Total places upstream matched, before any page limit."New value: +"Places upstream reports. On the name-prefix arm, every match before the fixed page; on the bounding-box arm, only the places returned (standard plus community), so it is bounded by the page size rather than a full count."
    • changedOutput schema / properties / truncated / description
      Previous value: -"True when more places matched than were returned."New value: +"True when more places may exist than were returned — on the bounding-box arm, when the standard or community list reached per_page."
  4. First observed

TDQS

A4.7/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the description does not need to re-establish safety. It adds useful upstream behavior: at most 20 places are served per list and more may be omitted, which is important for interpreting results.

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?

The description is compact and front-loaded: it states the purpose first, then the two input modes, then result contents and the upstream limit. Every sentence contributes useful information without repetition.

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?

Given the 100% schema coverage, read-only/open-world annotations, and the presence of an output schema, the description contains everything an agent needs to select the right mode and understand the main upstream limitation. Return-value details are appropriately left to the output schema.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3, but the description adds the meaningful exact-one constraint: either q or all four bounding-box coordinates, never both. It also clarifies that q matches display-name prefixes or analyzed query terms, though much of this is already present in the schema.

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?

The description states a specific verb and resource: resolve a place name to a place id, or list places covering a map area. It clearly distinguishes the two operating modes and is not confusable with the sibling observation/species/taxon tools.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

It explicitly states how to use each mode: pass q for name matching, or pass all four bounding-box coordinates for a map area, and says exactly one mode must be used, never both. This removes ambiguity that would otherwise require inspecting the schema.

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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