inaturalist-mcp-server

Inaturalist Resolve Name

inaturalist_resolve_name

Read-only

Resolve a common or scientific name to a taxon id, or a place, project, or observer name to its id. Returns ranked candidates carrying the identifiers every other tool takes. A miss is a result rather than a failure: found comes back false with guidance naming why. Taxon lookup matches a name PREFIX, not words inside a name, so "monarch butterfly" misses where "monarch" hits.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`q`	Yes	The name to resolve. On type "taxon" this is a name prefix or an exact taxon id; on the other types it is matched across the record text.
`rank`	No	Restrict taxon candidates to one rank. Honoured only on type "taxon" — the cross-kind search has no rank filter.
`type`	No	Which kind of record to resolve. "taxon" uses the taxon autocomplete; the rest use the scored cross-kind search, and "any" searches every kind at once. For a place’s bounding box and containment chain rather than just its id, use inaturalist_find_places instead.	taxon
`limit`	No	Maximum candidates to return, applied to every type.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`error`	No	Present when the call failed. Absent on success.
`found`	No	True when at least one candidate matched.
`guidance`	No	Why nothing matched and what to try instead. Present only when found is false — this is the primary result of a miss.
`candidates`	No	Ranked candidates, best match first.
`totalCount`	No	Total candidates upstream matched, before the limit was applied.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed3 schema fields changedSep 22, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / limit / description

Previous value: -"Maximum candidates to return."New value: +"Maximum candidates to return, applied to every type."

addedOutput schema / properties / candidates / items / properties / login

Added value: +{
+  "description": "Observer login, on users only — the value inaturalist_get_leaderboard entries and an observation’s observer carry.",
+  "type": "string"
+}

changedOutput schema / properties / candidates / items / properties / name / description

Previous value: -"Scientific name, place name, or login."New value: +"Scientific name on taxa, place name, project title, or an observer’s display name — which falls back to the login when the observer set none."

First observedSep 20, 2026

TDQS

A4.7/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

The description discloses key behaviors beyond the read-only and open-world annotations: miss semantics ('found comes back false with guidance naming why'), prefix matching ('Taxon lookup matches a name PREFIX, not words inside a name'), and that rank is only honored on taxon type. These are critical behavioral traits that the agent needs to know, and they are not present in the annotations.

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 four sentences, each earning its place: purpose, tool-relationship, miss behavior, and prefix rule. It is front-loaded with the core action and immediately gives the most important behavioral caveat. There is no redundancy or filler.

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?

With an output schema present, the description does not need to detail return values. It covers the non-obvious usage caveats (prefix matching, miss semantics, rank scoping) and points to the sibling tool for a different need. The description is sufficiently complete for the tool's complexity, complementing the rich schema and annotations.

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?

The input schema already documents all parameters with 100% coverage, including the prefix behavior and rank restrictions. However, the description adds a clarifying example ('monarch butterfly' misses where 'monarch' hits) that reinforces the non-obvious substring-matching pitfall, which goes slightly beyond the schema's wording. This extra clarification earns a 4 rather than the baseline 3.

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 opens with a specific verb and resource: 'Resolve a common or scientific name to a taxon id, or a place, project, or observer name to its id.' It distinguishes the tool from siblings by stating it returns 'the identifiers every other tool takes' and by naming inaturalist_find_places as the alternative for bounding boxes and containment chains. This is unambiguous and not a tautology.

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?

The description provides clear context: use this tool to get IDs for other tools, and explicitly names when to use inaturalist_find_places instead ('For a place’s bounding box and containment chain rather than just its id'). It also gives an implicit usage rule with the prefix example. However, it does not comprehensively contrast against all sibling tools (e.g., inaturalist_get_taxon or search_observations), so it falls short of a full when/when-not guide.

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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