# bhl.taxonomy.name_search

Search the Biodiversity Heritage Library for confirmed scientific (Latin) names matching a given taxonomic query. Useful for discovering historical name variants, author citations, and subspecies/variety designations for a taxon as recorded in classic natural-history literature. Returns a list of confirmed name strings in the form "Genus species Author, Year". Use bhl.literature.search with the confirmed name to find publications containing it.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `bhl.taxonomy.name_search`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase/bhl.taxonomy.name-search

## Facts

- Tool: `bhl.taxonomy.name_search`
- Server: Apibase (`apibase-mcp-client`) — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase.md
- Install: `npx -y apibase-mcp-client`
- Homepage: https://github.com/whiteknightonhorse/APIbase
- Risk category: Read (Low risk)
- Registry record: grade F, identity unverified
- Server auth posture: open
- Server rate-limited: no
- Parameters: 1 (1 required)
- Recommended policy verdict: Allowed

## Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `name` | string | yes | Scientific name to look up in BHL — full or partial Latin binomial (e.g. "Quercus robur", "Homo sapiens") |

Parameters from the server's own tool schema.

## Example call (MCP tools/call, JSON-RPC 2.0)

```json
{
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "id": 1,
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "name": "bhl.taxonomy.name_search",
    "arguments": {
      "name": "<name>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why bhl.taxonomy.name_search is rated Low

Queries taxonomic database without side effects or data modification.

From the tool's own definition: "Search for confirmed scientific names, returns list of name strings."

## Use case

AI agents call bhl.taxonomy.name_search to retrieve information from Apibase without modifying anything. It is typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.

## Recommended policy (PolicyLayer)

Verdict: **Allowed**. Enforced by the PolicyLayer MCP gateway (https://policylayer.com/mcp-gateway) before a call reaches Apibase:

```json
{
  "version": "1",
  "default": "deny",
  "tools": {
    "bhl.taxonomy.name_search": {}
  }
}
```

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## For agents

This record is a snapshot. Live verdicts and the full registry:

- Check every server in your MCP config at once: `npx -y policylayer stack`
- Vet a server before you add it: install the mcp-precheck skill — `npx skills add https://policylayer.com` (skill text: https://policylayer.com/skill.md)
- Query the registry over MCP: endpoint `https://api.policylayer.com/mcp` — tools `check_mcp_server`, `check_mcp_stack`, `check_tool`, `search_registry`, `get_change_events`

---

Source: the PolicyLayer MCP registry — one continuously verified record per MCP server. Full record: https://policylayer.com/registry?q=io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase · API: https://policylayer.com/registry/api · Policy library: https://policylayer.com/policies/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase