Pbdb Query

# Basic taxon search
curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/taxa/list.json?name=Tyrannosaurus&rank=genus" | jq '.'

# Get taxon info with classification
curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/taxa/list.json?name=Tyrannosaurus&rank=genus&show=class" | jq '.'

Occurrence Query

# Fossil occurrences for a taxon
curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/occs/list.json?taxon=Tyrannosaurus&limit=10" | jq '.records[] | {taxon: .taxon_name, lat: .lat, lng: .lng, age: .max_ma, formation: .formation}'

# Occurrences by location
curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/occs/list.json?lat=45.0&lng=-110.0&dist=100&limit=20" | jq '.'

Time Range Query

# Get first and last appearance
curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/taxa/list.json?name=Tyrannosaurus&rank=genus&show=firstlast" | jq '.'

Classification Lookup

# Full taxonomic hierarchy
curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/taxa/list.json?name=Tyrannosaurus&rank=genus&show=class" | jq '.records[0] | {name: .name, rank: .rank, parent: .parent_name, class: .class, order: .order, family: .family}'

Formation Query

# Fossils in specific formation
curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/occs/list.json?formation=Yixian&limit=10" | jq '.records[] | {taxon: .taxon_name, age: .max_ma}'

Response Format

Taxon Query Result

**Taxon**: [Name]
**Rank**: [genus/species/family/etc.]
**Classification**:
  - Kingdom: Animalia
  - Phylum: Chordata
  - Class: [Class]
  - Order: [Order]
  - Family: [Family]
  - Genus: [Genus]

**Time Range**: [Start] - [End] Ma
**First Appearance**: [Period/Epoch]
**Last Appearance**: [Period/Epoch]

Occurrence Result

**Fossil Occurrences** for [Taxon]:

1. **Location**: [Country/Region]
   Coordinates: [lat, lng]
   Age: [Ma]
   Formation: [Formation name]
   Taxon: [Species/Genus]
   Reference: [Collection ID]

[Continue for N occurrences...]

Example Queries

Tyrannosaurus Query

# Get full taxon info
curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/taxa/list.json?name=Tyrannosaurus&rank=genus&show=class,firstlast" | jq -r '
  .records[0] | 
  "**Taxon**: \(.name)\n**Rank**: \(.rank)\n**Time Range**: \(.firstapp) - \(.lastapp) Ma\n**Classification**: \(.class) > \(.order) > \(.family)"
'

Triceratops Occurrences

curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/occs/list.json?taxon=Triceratops&limit=5" | jq -r '
  .records[] | 
  "**Location**: \(.country // "Unknown")\nAge: \(.max_ma) Ma\nFormation: \(.formation // "Unknown")\nTaxon: \(.taxon_name)\n"
'

Yixian Formation Fossils

curl -s "https://paleobiodb.org/data1.2/occs/list.json?formation=Yixian&limit=10" | jq -r '
  .records[] | 
  "- \(.taxon_name) (~\(.max_ma) Ma)"
'

Scientific Integrity Rules

⚠️ CRITICAL:

• NEVER fabricate fossil occurrences or taxa
• If PBDB returns no records: "No verified fossil occurrences found in PBDB for [query]."
• Always report age ranges in Ma (Mega-annum)
• Distinguish between identified and tentative classifications
• Note when data is incomplete or uncertain
• PBDB is community-curated; verify critical data

Time Scale Reference

• Cambrian: 541-485 Ma
• Ordovician: 485-444 Ma
• Silurian: 444-419 Ma
• Devonian: 419-359 Ma
• Carboniferous: 359-299 Ma
• Permian: 299-252 Ma
• Triassic: 252-201 Ma
• Jurassic: 201-145 Ma
• Cretaceous: 145-66 Ma
• Paleogene: 66-23 Ma
• Neogene: 23-2.6 Ma
• Quaternary: 2.6 Ma-present

Notes

• PBDB is free and open access
• No API key required
• Rate limit: ~100 requests/minute
• Data quality varies by taxon group
• Cite PBDB in publications: https://paleobiodb.org/#/cite