Paleobiology Database Connector for AI agents.

27 live capabilities

Query millions of fossil records and analyze evolutionary diversity.

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AI Agent

Why people use Paleobiology Database

Paleobiology Database Fossil Data for Accurate Research

This Connector lets your agent do that work in seconds. You can query the entire PBDB for occurrences, diversity metrics, and taxonomic hierarchies in a single conversation.

What Vinkius changes

You get a paleontological expert in your pocket that knows the world's largest fossil database by heart.

Use it from Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or another AI client you already have.

One account · 5,900+ Connectors

Real-world use case 01

Mapping dinosaur records

A researcher needs to find all Tyrannosaurus occurrences in the Cretaceous to check for regional trends.
Real-world use case 02

Visualizing diversity peaks

A student wants to see a diversity peak for Trilobites during the Ordovician period.
Real-world use case 03

Identifying high-density beds

A curator wants to map out fossil collections in Montana to see which sites are most dense.

Complete set · 27capabilities

The complete Paleobiology Database capability set.

These are the exact actions your AI can choose when you ask it to work with Paleobiology Database.

Capability set01 / 07

01—04

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 27 available through Paleobiology Database.

01 Capability
List intervals
List geological time intervals like the Cretaceous. Use this to see the available time frames in the database.
02 Capability
Get specimen
Get detailed information about a single fossil specimen. This provides a look at individual records within the database.
03 Capability
Get taxon
Get information about a specific taxonomic name. This is the primary way to look up details for any group of organisms.
04 Capability
List collections
List fossil collections based on your specific filters. This is great for finding records from specific museums or regions.

Capability set02 / 07

05—08

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 27 available through Paleobiology Database.

05 Capability
List opinions
List taxonomic opinions based on your search filters. This helps you see how different scientists classify the same group.
06 Capability
List references
List bibliographic references based on your search filters. This helps you quickly find the papers associated with specific records.
07 Capability
List specimen measurements
List measurements associated with specimens. Use this to get physical data like length or weight for specific finds.
08 Capability
List specimens
List individual specimens based on your provided filters. Use this to see a list of specific items in a collection.

Capability set03 / 07

09—12

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 27 available through Paleobiology Database.

09 Capability
List strata
List geological strata including formations, groups, and members. This helps place your finds in the correct rock layers.
10 Capability
List taxa
List taxa including their parents and children. This is the best way to navigate the tree of life.
11 Capability
List timescales
List the available geological time scales. This shows you the broad temporal context available in the database.
12 Capability
Match reference
Check if a specific reference already exists in the PBDB. Use this to avoid duplicate work when citing sources.

Capability set04 / 07

13—16

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 27 available through Paleobiology Database.

13 Capability
Get collections summary
Get a geographic summary of fossil collections to see where they cluster. This helps identify high-density fossil beds in specific regions.
14 Capability
Get config
View the database configuration for ranks, continents, and lithologies. Use this to understand the available data categories.
15 Capability
Get occurrence
Retrieve detailed information about a single fossil occurrence. This is useful for deep-diving into a specific find.
16 Capability
Get occurrences diversity
Tabulate fossil diversity over time with a full computation. This provides a complete picture of evolutionary changes.

Capability set05 / 07

17—20

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 27 available through Paleobiology Database.

17 Capability
Get occurrences geosum
Summarize multiple occurrences into distinct geographic clusters. Use this to see where fossil finds are most concentrated.
18 Capability
Get occurrences prevalence
Identify the most common taxa in a selected set of occurrences. This helps you see which species dominated a specific area.
19 Capability
Get occurrences quickdiv
Get a quick tabulation of fossil diversity over time. This is perfect for fast checks on evolutionary trends.
20 Capability
Get occurrences taxa
List the taxonomic hierarchy for a selected group of occurrences. This shows how specific finds fit into the tree of life.

Capability set06 / 07

21—24

4 capabilities in this set.

Part of 27 available through Paleobiology Database.

21 Capability
Get opinion
Retrieve information about a specific taxonomic opinion. Use this to see how experts classify a particular group.
22 Capability
Get reference
Get information about a specific bibliographic reference. This helps you find the original source of a fossil record.
23 Capability
List occurrences
List fossil occurrences based on your chosen filters. This is your primary way to find records for specific taxa or locations.
24 Capability
Autocomplete combined
Get auto-completion across taxa, strata, intervals, and people. This ensures you use the correct database names every time.

Capability set07 / 07

25—27

3 capabilities in this set.

Part of 27 available through Paleobiology Database.

25 Capability
Autocomplete strata
Get auto-completion specifically for strata names. Use this to find the correct geological formation names.
26 Capability
Autocomplete taxa
Get auto-completion specifically for taxonomic names. This ensures you are using the correct names for species and genera.
27 Capability
Get collection
Get information about a single fossil collection. This is useful for understanding the scope of a specific museum's holdings.

Set up in minutes

One URL. Then ask Paleobiology Database to work.

Claude and ChatGPT only need the Connector URL. Copy it once, add it in settings, and use Paleobiology Database from the conversation.

Choose your client

Live preview

Advanced clients IDE · CLI

Claude · Web + desktop

Official guide ↗

Connector URL · ready to paste

Streamable HTTP

https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_LMsuNJagRnlZ0WZkj1f9bs5AIS0QnltioKnEzw67/mcp

Step 01

Open Connectors

In Claude Web or Claude Desktop, open Settings and choose Connectors.
Step 02

Add the URL

Choose Add custom connector, name it Paleobiology Database, and paste the URL above.
Step 03

Turn it on in chat

Select +, open Connectors, and enable Paleobiology Database for the conversation.

ChatGPT · Web + desktop

Official guide ↗

Connector URL · ready to paste

Streamable HTTP

https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_LMsuNJagRnlZ0WZkj1f9bs5AIS0QnltioKnEzw67/mcp

Step 01

Open MCP settings

On desktop, open Settings and MCP servers. On web, open your workspace app or connector settings.
Step 02

Add the URL

Choose Add server with Streamable HTTP, or create a custom MCP app, then paste the Paleobiology Database URL.
Step 03

Save and start

Save the connection and enable Paleobiology Database in your conversation. Desktop may ask you to restart once.

Cursor · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paleobiology-database": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_LMsuNJagRnlZ0WZkj1f9bs5AIS0QnltioKnEzw67/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open MCP Settings

Press Cmd+Shift+P (macOS) or Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) → search "MCP Settings"
Step 02

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above into the mcp.json file that opens
Step 03

Save the file

Cursor will automatically detect the new Connector
Step 04

Start using Paleobiology Database

Open Agent mode in chat and ask: "Using Paleobiology Database, help me...". 27 tools available

VS Code Copilot · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paleobiology-database": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_LMsuNJagRnlZ0WZkj1f9bs5AIS0QnltioKnEzw67/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Create MCP config

Create a .vscode/mcp.json file in your project root
Step 02

Add the server config

Paste the JSON configuration above
Step 03

Enable Agent mode

Open GitHub Copilot Chat and switch to Agent mode using the dropdown
Step 04

Start using Paleobiology Database

Ask Copilot: "Using Paleobiology Database, help me...". 27 tools available

Windsurf · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paleobiology-database": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_LMsuNJagRnlZ0WZkj1f9bs5AIS0QnltioKnEzw67/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open MCP Settings

Go to Settings → MCP Configuration or press Cmd+Shift+P and search "MCP"
Step 02

Add the server

Paste the JSON configuration above into mcp_config.json
Step 03

Save and reload

Windsurf will detect the new server automatically
Step 04

Start using Paleobiology Database

Open Cascade and ask: "Using Paleobiology Database, help me...". 27 tools available

Cline · IDE configuration

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paleobiology-database": {
      "url": "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_LMsuNJagRnlZ0WZkj1f9bs5AIS0QnltioKnEzw67/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Step 01

Open Cline MCP Settings

Click the Connectors icon in the Cline sidebar panel
Step 02

Add remote server

Click "Add Connector" and paste the configuration above
Step 03

Enable the server

Toggle the server switch to ON
Step 04

Start using Paleobiology Database

Ask Cline: "Using Paleobiology Database, help me...". 27 tools available

Claude Code · Terminal command

Official guide ↗

Advanced setup

claude mcp add paleobiology-database --transport http "https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_LMsuNJagRnlZ0WZkj1f9bs5AIS0QnltioKnEzw67/mcp"

Step 01

Install Claude Code

Run npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code if not already installed
Step 02

Add the Connector

Run the command above in your terminal
Step 03

Verify the connection

Run claude mcp to list connected servers, or type /mcp inside a session
Step 04

Start using Paleobiology Database

Ask Claude: "Using Paleobiology Database, show me...". 27 tools are ready

Where the request belongs

Work Paleobiology Database can move forward.

Built around the request

Paleontology researchers and geology students who spend too much time manually searching through disparate museum records and academic papers.

01

Paleontology Researcher

Pulls occurrence data and diversity metrics for peer-reviewed papers without manual data entry.

02

Geology Student

Visualizes evolutionary history and fossil distributions across different geological strata for coursework.

03

Museum Curator

Verifies taxonomic opinions and bibliographic references for specific specimens in a collection.

Build the capability set

Each Connector adds new actions and data without changing how you work.

Browse Connectors

01 3 capabilities

GBIF

Search 2.4 billion biodiversity records. find any species on Earth with full taxonomy, observation locations, and geographic distribution from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

02 10 capabilities

Species

Access the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy to search, match, and explore species data, hierarchies, and biological media directly from your AI agent.

03 10 capabilities

iNaturalist

Explore biodiversity data. search wildlife observations, identify species, find taxa and discover nature projects.

04 12 capabilities

Trefle

Access the world's largest botanical database. search for plants, species, and genera, and explore distribution data directly from your AI agent.

05 11 capabilities

Plants

Access a massive botanical database. search for plants, species, and distributions directly from any AI agent.

06 5 capabilities

FishBase

Access the world's largest database of fish species. Query common names, database versions, and technical documentation for FishBase and SeaLifeBase.

Bring your own AI

Change the model, client or framework. Keep Paleobiology Database connected.

Before you connect

Questions about Paleobiology Database.

The practical details behind the request, access and result.

Can I use the Paleobiology Database MCP for academic research?

Yes, it's designed for researchers to pull occurrence data and diversity metrics for peer-reviewed papers and analysis.

Does this Connector help with identifying fossil locations?

Yes, it can summarize occurrences into geographic clusters to help identify high-density fossil beds and migration patterns.

Can I use it to find specific dinosaur records?

You can query any fossil record using taxonomic names, geographic coordinates, or geological time periods like the Jurassic.

How does it handle different geological periods?

It provides access to geological time scales and strata, allowing you to place finds in their correct temporal context.

Is this suitable for students learning about evolution?

Absolutely, it lets students explore evolutionary history and fossil distributions through interactive, guided discovery.

Can I search for fossils within a specific geological time period like the Cretaceous?

Yes! Use the list_occurrences capability and provide the period name in the interval parameter. The agent will return all recorded fossil occurrences from that specific time block.

How do I analyze the diversity of a specific group of animals over time?

You can use the get_occurrences_diversity or get_occurrences_quickdiv capabilities. By providing a base_name (like 'Trilobita'), the agent will generate a tabulation of how many different taxa existed across different geological intervals.

Can I find fossil collections based on geographic coordinates?

Absolutely. The list_collections and list_occurrences capabilities allow you to specify a bounding box using lngmin, lngmax, latmin, and latmax to find all records within a specific map area.

One connection away

Give your agent a direct line to Paleobiology Database.

Connect Paleobiology Database once. Keep it beside 5,900+ managed Connectors when the next task needs more.

Explore every Connector No credit card required · Free tier available