# col.species.detail

Retrieve full taxonomic details for a specific taxon in the Catalogue of Life by its COL usage ID. Returns scientific name with authorship, taxonomic rank, acceptance status, extinction flag, parent taxon ID, scrutinizer (the expert who verified the record), scrutinizer date, and an external link to the COL web page for the taxon. Unlike col.species.search, the detail record does not include full higher-classification breadcrumbs — use the parent_id to walk the tree or pass the scientific name to col.species.search with rank=KINGDOM/PHYLUM etc. to retrieve ancestors. Obtain the taxon_id from a prior col.species.search or col.species.suggest call.

Agent View of the PolicyLayer registry record for `col.species.detail`. HTML page: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase/col.species.detail

## Facts

- Tool: `col.species.detail`
- 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 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `taxon_id` | string | yes | Catalogue of Life usage ID for the taxon (e.g. "lom19ReAZMtfEGnM999rz1"). Obtain from col.search or col.suggest results. |

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": "col.species.detail",
    "arguments": {
      "taxon_id": "<taxon_id>"
    }
  }
}
```

## Why col.species.detail is rated Low

Tool queries taxonomic data without modification, side effects, code execution, or financial impact.

From the tool's own definition: "Retrieve full taxonomic details for a specific taxon, Returns scientific name, rank, status"

## Use case

AI agents call col.species.detail 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": {
    "col.species.detail": {}
  }
}
```

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- `polymarket.trading.cancel_order` — Destructive — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase/polymarket.trading.cancel-order.md
- `ai.image.generate` — Execute — https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase/ai.image.generate.md
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- …and 1353 more: https://policylayer.com/tools/io-github-whiteknightonhorse-apibase.md

## 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