Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes

This is a demonstration site for an API server of CoF data. You access the data by using URLs as shown below, all of which have Acanthurus sohal among the results.

• /Acanthuridae
                  (all records assigned to the family Acanthuridae)

• /Acanthurus
                  (all records that include a name with genus 'Acanthurus')

• /lineatus
                  (all records that include a name with specific epithet 'sohal')

• /Acanthurus/lineatus
                  (all records that include the binomen 'Acanthurus lineatus')

Use the following rules in constructing URLs

• Family names must be capitalized and end in idae
• Subfamily names must be capitalized and end in inae
• Genus names must be capitalized
• The specific epithet must not be capitalized
• Author names must follow the genus name (otherwise it is interpreted as a genus name)
• For an author search without genus name, prepend the 'author' keyword: e.g. /author/Randall
• For multiple authors list one or more in the proper order without parentheses: e.g. for (Erdmann, Allen & Randall, 1983) use
  /Erdmann/Allan/Randall/1983 or just /Erdmann/1983
• Publication years must have 4 digits and be in the range of 1700-2099
• Other numbers, or numbers following a publication year are interpreted as a page number

CoF records often contain multiple names; the original name, revised named, synonyms, etc. By default, the api server accepts a record if at least one name on the record matches the query. The special keywords listed below allow extra control at either the record or name level.

• Record-based restrictions (based on its 'current status')
• accepted only return records with current status = valid as
• synonymous only return records with current status = synonym of
• uncertain only return records where there is doubt about its status
• zombie only return records without current status (these have not be assigned to an accepted taxon)
• assigned only return results that are not zombie records
• Name-based restrictions (considered for each individual name)
• valid only accept names with status = valid as (this includes the original name and revisions)
• synonym only accept names with status = synonym of
• undefined only accept names with status = neither 'valid as' or 'synonym of'
• original only accept names that were given on the original taxonomic act
• current only accept names that reflect the currently accepted interpretation (current status = valid)