API Documentation

Paleoportal offers services that correspond to the different sections of paleoportal.org. The following API methods are available:

Time & Space

  1. getAvailableStates
  2. getAvailablePeriods
  3. getAvailablePeriodsForState
  4. getState
  5. getPeriod
  6. getStateInPeriod

Fossil Gallery

  1. getAvailableGroups
  2. getAvailableSubGroups
  3. getGroup
  4. getGroupImages

Famous Flora & Fauna

  1. getAvailableAssemblages
  2. getAssemblage

Collections

  1. getProviders
  2. getConcepts

Time & Space

Method - getAvailableStates.php

Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getAvailableStates.php

Parameters - none

Description - Returns name and state_id for all available states

Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getAvailableStates.php

Returns
  • name - name of state
  • state_id - unique identifier for state
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Method - getAvailablePeriods.php

Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getAvailablePeriods.php

Parameters - none

Description - Returns name and period_id for all available periods

Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getAvailablePeriods.php

Returns
  • name - name of period
  • period_id - unique identifier for period
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Method - getAvailablePeriodsForState.php

Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getAvailablePeriodsForState.php

Parameters
  • state_id
Description - Returns name and period_id of all periods associated with a state

Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getAvailablePeriodsForState.php?state_id=10

Returns
  • name - name of period
  • period_id - unique identifier for period
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Method - getState.php

Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getState.php

Parameters
  • state_id
  • numLinks - Optional - maximum number of links returned. Defaults to maximum of 100
  • noLinks - Optional - will omit links if set to 1
Description - Returns information for state. Also returns links to resources associated with state. If noLinks = 1 is passed, no links will be returned.

Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getState.php?period_id=10&state_id=10

Returns
State information:
  • state_id - unique identifier for state
  • name
  • country
  • map - URL to map graphic of state
  • map_road - URL to map graphic of state with roads
  • fossil_img - URL to state fossil graphic
  • fossil_description - description of state fossil, caption to fossil_img
  • fossil_acknowledgements - credit for fossil_img
  • paleo_description - paleontological and geological description for the state
  • acknowledgements
  • map_link - link to additional map
  • map_link_title - title to use as link text for map_link
  • map_link_description - descriptive text to follow linked map_title
  • rank - rank to order state records
  • image_map - image map to be used with map and map_road - has links to bordering states
  • created_on - date record was created_on
  • last_modified - date record was last modified on

Links associated with state:
  • type_parent - name of parent link type category
  • type - name of link type category
  • type_id - unique identifier of link type
  • submission_id - unique identifier of link submission record
  • url - URL of link
  • title - title of link
  • description - description of link content
  • has_k16_teacher_guide - 1 = true, 0 = false
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Method - getPeriod.php

Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getPeriod.php

Parameters
  • period_id
  • numLinks - Optional - maximum number of links returned. Defaults to maximum of 100
  • noLinks - Optional - will omit links if set to 1
Description - Returns information for period. Also returns links to resources associated with this period. If noLinks = 1 is passed, no links will be returned.

Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getPeriod.php?period_id=10&period_id=10

Returns
Period information:
  • period_id - unique identifier for period
  • name
  • synonyms - synonyms of period name
  • description
  • date_range - date range when period occurred, displayed in Million of Years Ago
  • era - geological era of period
  • acknowledgements
  • per_map - URL to large map graphic showing deposits of rocks for this period in North America
  • per_map_small - URL to small map graphic showing deposits of rocks for this period in North America
  • per_text - descriptive text to accompany per_map_small graphic
  • pal_map - URL to map graphic specific to the period
  • pal_text - descriptive text for period
  • image_bar_on - graphic used in period bar navigation - activated state
  • image_bar_off - graphic used in period bar navigation - off state
  • image_date - graphic used in period bar navigation - with date
  • rank - used to order periods

Links associated with period (Optional):
  • type_parent - name of parent link type category
  • type - name of link type category
  • type_id - unique identifier of link type
  • submission_id - unique identifier of link submission record
  • url - URL of link
  • title - title of link
  • description - description of link content
  • has_k16_teacher_guide - 1 = true, 0 = false
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Method - getStateInPeriod.php

Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getStateInPeriod.php

Parameters
  • period_id
  • state_id
  • numLinks - Optional - maximum number of links returned. Defaults to maximum of 100
  • noLinks - Optional - will omit links if set to 1
    • Description - Returns information for state in period combination. If noLinks = 1 is passed, no links will be returned.

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/timespace/getStateInPeriod.php?period_id=10&state_id=10

    Returns
    State in Period information:
    • link_id - unique identifier for state/period combination
    • state_id - unique identifier for state
    • period_id - unique identifier for period
    • map - URL to map of state with deposits from this period indicated
    • alt_map - URL to map of state with deposits from this period indicated - including undifferentiated rock units
    • description - description of paleontology and geology for state/period combination
    • acknowledgements
    • slide_image1 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image2 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image3 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image4 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image5 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image6 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image7 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image8 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_caption1 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption2 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption3 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption4 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption5 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption6 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption7 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption8 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • created_on - date record was created_on
    • last_modified - date record was last modified on

    Links associated with period/state combination (Optional):
    • type_parent - name of parent link type category
    • type - name of link type category
    • type_id - unique identifier of link type
    • submission_id - unique identifier of link submission record
    • url - URL of link
    • title - title of link
    • description - description of link content
    • has_k16_teacher_guide - 1 = true, 0 = false
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    Fossil Gallery

    Method - getAvailableGroups.php

    Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/fossilgallery/getAvailableGroups.php

    Parameters - none

    Description - Returns name, taxon_id and parent_id for all groups

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/fossilgallery/getAvailableGroups.php

    Returns
    • taxon_id - unique identifier for record
    • parent_id - unique identifier for parent of record
    • name - name of group
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    Method - getAvailableSubGroups.php

    Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/fossilgallery/getAvailableSubGroups.php

    Parameters
    • parent_id - taxon_id of the parent group
    Description - Returns name and taxon_id for all subgroups for a specified group.

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/fossilgallery/getAvailableSubGroups.php?parent_id=14

    Returns
    • taxon_id - unique identifier for record
    • name - name of group
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    Method - getGroup.php

    Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/fossilgallery/getGroup.php

    Parameters
    • taxon_id
    • noImages - Optional - pass noImages=1 to exclude image results
    Description - Returns information for specified group. Also passes urls to fossil images associated with the group unless pass noImages = 1.

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/fossilgallery/getGroup.php?taxon_id=14

    Returns
    Taxon information:
    • taxon_id - unique identifier for record
    • name - name of group
    • synonyms - synonyms for name of group
    • description - descriptive text for group
    • google_search - text to use to execute google search link
    • acknowledgements
    • parent_id - unique identifier for parent of record
    • first_occurrence - period_id of period group first appeared in
    • last_occurrence - period_id of period group last appeared in
    • created_on - date record was created_on
    • last_modified - date record was last modified on

    Images of fossils associated with group (Optional):
    • submission_id - unique identifier for record
    • genus_species - Genus and species information of fossil pictured
    • image_small - to small image of fossil
    • image_medium - to medium image of fossil
    • image_large - to large image of fossil
    • copyright_holder_email - email address of copyright holder
    • copyright_holder_name - name of copyright holder
    • copyright_year - year of copyright
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    Method - getGroupImages.php

    Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/fossilgallery/getGroupImages.php

    Parameters
    • taxon_id
    • state_id - Optional
    • period_id - Optional
    • assemblage_id - Optional
    Description - Returns fossil images associated with the combination of group, state, period and assemblage specified.

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/fossilgallery/getGroupImages.php?taxon_id=14

    Returns
    • submission_id - unique identifier for record
    • genus_species - Genus and species information of fossil pictured
    • image_small - to small image of fossil
    • image_medium - to medium image of fossil
    • image_large - to large image of fossil
    • copyright_holder_email - email address of copyright holder
    • copyright_holder_name - name of copyright holder
    • copyright_year - year of copyright
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    Famous Flora & Fauna

    Method - getAvailableAssemblages.php

    Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/assemblages/getAvailableAssemblages.php

    Parameters - none

    Description - Returns list of assemblages with name and id.

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/assemblages/getAvailableAssemblages.php

    Returns
    • assemblage_id - unique identifier for record
    • name - name of group
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    Method - getAssemblage.php

    Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/assemblages/getAssemblage.php

    Parameters
    • assemblage_id
    • numLinks - Optional - maximum number of links returned. Defaults to maximum of 100
    • noLinks - Optional - will omit links if set to 1
    Description - Returns information for assemblage. Also returns links to resources associated with this assemblage. If noLinks = 1 is passed, no links will be returned.

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/assemblages/getAssemblage.php?assemblage_id=1440

    Returns
    Assemblage information:
    • submission_id - unique identifier for assemblage
    • title - tile of assemblage
    • description - description of assemblage
    • location - text description of location of assemblage
    • contributor_id - unique identifier of contributor
    • text_acknowledgements
    • image_acknowledgements
    • status
    • country
    • date_range - period and date range in millions of years ago
    • slide_image1 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image2 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image3 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image4 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image5 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image6 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image7 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_image8 - URL to image of fossil in slide show
    • slide_caption1 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption2 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption3 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption4 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption5 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption6 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption7 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • slide_caption8 - URL to image of caption text to accompany corresponding slide_image graphic in slide show
    • created_on - date record was created_on
    • last_modified - date record was last modified on

    Links associated with assemblage:
    • type_parent - name of parent link type category
    • type - name of link type category
    • type_id - unique identifier of link type
    • submission_id - unique identifier of link submission record
    • url - URL of link
    • title - title of link
    • description - description of link content
    • has_k16_teacher_guide - 1 = true, 0 = false
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    Collections

    Method - getProviders.php

    Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/collections/getProviders.php

    Parameters - none

    Description - Returns list of search portal providers. Providers can be queried by using the Digir standard.

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/collections/getProviders.php

    Returns
    • name - name of provider
    • resource
    • url - url for provider
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    Method - getConcepts.php

    Url - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/collections/getConcepts.php

    Parameters - none

    Description - Returns list of concepts used in constructing Digir queries on Paleoportal providers (See also: getProviders).

    Example Response - http://paleoportal-dev.berkeley.edu/services/collections/getConcepts.php

    Returns
    • name - name of concept
    • type
    • documentation
    • substitution_group
    • display
    • displayname
    • shortname
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