Paleobiodb

Paleobiology Database (PBDB) MCP — the global fossil record. Keyless.

Quick Install

Automated & IDE Setup

Copy the AI prompt to install this server into Claude Code, Cursor, or another agent — or use 1-click editor setup below.

Add to Cursor Add to VS Code

Manual Client & Custom JSON ConfigExpand JSON ▾

Client Config & Setup

Choose your client or environment

Target File:~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paleobiodb": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "paleobiodb"
      ]
    }
  }
}

💡 Paste the JSON block into your client's configuration file under mcpServers, then restart the application.

Documentation Overview

mcp-paleobiodb

Paleobiology Database (PBDB) MCP — the global fossil record. Keyless.

Part of Pipeworx — an MCP gateway connecting AI agents to 1476+ live data sources.

Tools

Tool	Description
`find_fossils`	Find fossil occurrences for a taxon from the Paleobiology Database (the global fossil record). Returns occurrences with collection locations (lat/lng, country) and geologic ages. base_name matching includes the taxon and all of its subtaxa. Ages are in millions of years (Ma). Keyless.
`get_taxon`	Look up a single taxon in the Paleobiology Database: its taxonomic rank, attribution (author + year), first/last appearance intervals and ages (in millions of years, Ma), and number of subtaxa. Keyless.
`list_subtaxa`	List the direct child taxa (subtaxa) of a taxon from the Paleobiology Database, with each child's rank and number of its own subtaxa. Keyless.

Quick Start

Add to your MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.):

config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paleobiodb": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/paleobiodb/mcp"
    }
  }
}

What this endpoint actually serves

tools/list at https://gateway.pipeworx.io/paleobiodb/mcp returns the tools in the table above plus the shared Pipeworx meta-tools — ask_pipeworx, discover_tools, search_within, remember/recall and the rest of the gateway-wide set. So the tool count you see is larger than this table: a single-pack endpoint currently lists roughly 30 shared tools alongside the pack's own. The connection's initialize response states its exact scope, and is the authoritative answer for a given day.

This is deliberate, not multiplexing by accident. The meta-tools are what let a scoped connection answer a question this pack does not cover — via ask_pipeworx, which routes across the whole catalog — without you adding a second MCP server. There is currently no way to mount a pack endpoint without them; if the extra schemas cost you more context than the routing is worth, connect to the full gateway once rather than to several pack endpoints.

Or connect to the full Pipeworx gateway to get every pack's tools listed directly, instead of just this one's:

config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipeworx": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Both URLs reach the same gateway and the same 1476+ data sources. The only difference is which pack's tools are listed directly; ask_pipeworx reaches all of them from either one.

Using with ask_pipeworx

Instead of calling tools directly, you can ask questions in plain English — this works on the pack endpoint above as well as on the full gateway:

Code

ask_pipeworx({ question: "your question about Paleobiodb data" })

The gateway picks the right tool and fills the arguments automatically.

License

MIT

Read the full README →View source on GitHub →

Related MCP Servers

View all in Databases View all alternatives

Reviews

No reviews yet — be the first to share how this listing worked for you.

Frequently Asked Questions about Paleobiodb

Add the following block to your claude_desktop_config.json under mcpServers: "mcpServers": { "paleobiodb": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "Paleobiodb"] } }

AllMCPs Directory Badge

Full Badge Customizer

Showcase your server listing on GitHub or your project documentation. Embed this dynamic SVG badge to highlight official listing status and live engagement.

Badge Style:

Live Dynamic SVG Preview

Markdown (GitHub README)

[![AllMCPs](https://allmcps.com/api/badge/paleobiodb?style=directory)](https://allmcps.com/mcp/paleobiodb)

HTML Embed

<a href="https://allmcps.com/mcp/paleobiodb"><img src="https://allmcps.com/api/badge/paleobiodb?style=directory" alt="Paleobiodb on AllMCPs" /></a>

Technical Specs & Signals

CategoryDatabases

27Quality signal: Emerging · 27/100How this signal is calculated ▾

Server availabilityNot measured

Not scored for repo-hosted servers — we can't reach the running server, only its GitHub page. Hosted MCP endpoints are health-checked live.

Verified ownership8/20

Documentation & tools11/30

Adoption & activity1/15

Community engagement0/10

A guidance signal from public completeness & health data — not a user rating. New listings start lower and rise as they add docs, get verified, and grow adoption. Signals we can't observe for a listing are skipped, not counted against it.

★ Featured

AllMCPs Server

The official MCP server for AllMCPs.com - submit and manage tools directly from your AI. The open directory for MCP servers. Connect Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and AI agents to databases, tools, files, and APIs. Explore 10,000+ servers. AllMCPs is the premier, open directory for discovering, evaluating, and installing Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers to equip AI agents and LLMs with real-world superpowers.

Explore Server →

Own this project?

This directory is pre-filled from public sources. Claim via GitHub README, site badge, or DNS TXT to unlock edit access and the Official badge — proof is checked automatically, then reviewed by our team.

Free dofollow backlink: add your website and place the AllMCPs badge on it — no claim needed. We detect it automatically and keep it verified as long as the badge stays live.

Claim & get free dofollow

Share & Embed

Add our SVG badge (dark/light directory styles) or embeddable widget to your site.

Explore more

More in 🗄️ Databases →Best MCP servers for Databases →Alternatives to Paleobiodb →Install in Claude Desktop Install in Cursor Install in VS Code

Documentation Overview

mcp-paleobiodb

Paleobiology Database (PBDB) MCP — the global fossil record. Keyless.

Part of Pipeworx — an MCP gateway connecting AI agents to 1476+ live data sources.

Tools

Tool	Description
`find_fossils`	Find fossil occurrences for a taxon from the Paleobiology Database (the global fossil record). Returns occurrences with collection locations (lat/lng, country) and geologic ages. base_name matching includes the taxon and all of its subtaxa. Ages are in millions of years (Ma). Keyless.
`get_taxon`	Look up a single taxon in the Paleobiology Database: its taxonomic rank, attribution (author + year), first/last appearance intervals and ages (in millions of years, Ma), and number of subtaxa. Keyless.
`list_subtaxa`	List the direct child taxa (subtaxa) of a taxon from the Paleobiology Database, with each child's rank and number of its own subtaxa. Keyless.

Quick Start

Add to your MCP client (Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, etc.):

config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "paleobiodb": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/paleobiodb/mcp"
    }
  }
}

What this endpoint actually serves

Or connect to the full Pipeworx gateway to get every pack's tools listed directly, instead of just this one's:

config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pipeworx": {
      "url": "https://gateway.pipeworx.io/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Both URLs reach the same gateway and the same 1476+ data sources. The only difference is which pack's tools are listed directly; ask_pipeworx reaches all of them from either one.

Using with ask_pipeworx

Instead of calling tools directly, you can ask questions in plain English — this works on the pack endpoint above as well as on the full gateway:

Code

ask_pipeworx({ question: "your question about Paleobiodb data" })

The gateway picks the right tool and fills the arguments automatically.

License

MIT