# ITIS Species Taxonomy Scraper (`parseforge/itis-taxonomy-scraper`) Actor

Search ITIS by common or scientific name and get back the full taxonomic hierarchy, TSN, synonyms, and expert review status for each matching species.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/itis-taxonomy-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Automation, Other
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $4.52 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### ITIS Species Taxonomy Scraper

**Scrape taxonomic hierarchy, synonyms, and TSNs from ITIS by common or scientific name.** Each record returns the full kingdom-to-species classification, accepted names, and expert review status. No API key required. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

The Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) is the authoritative source for North American species taxonomy, but querying it manually or through its SOAP API means wrestling with XML and one-record-at-a-time lookups. This Actor searches ITIS by common name or scientific name, walks the full taxonomic hierarchy for every match, and returns each species as a flat, analysis-ready row.

| Who uses it | What they scrape ITIS for |
|---|---|
| Ecologists and conservation biologists | Building a validated species checklist for a field study or environmental impact assessment. |
| Data engineers and bioinformaticians | Resolving inconsistent species names to ITIS-accepted TSNs before joining biodiversity datasets. |
| Agricultural researchers | Pulling the complete classification of pest or crop species for a risk analysis. |
| Wildlife managers | Verifying the current accepted scientific name and authority for a regulated species. |

### What it does

This Actor searches ITIS by common or scientific name and returns each matching species with its full taxonomic hierarchy, taxonomic serial number (TSN), synonym list, and review status.

- 🔍 **Common name search:** Type everyday names like 'grizzly bear' or 'monarch butterfly' and get the matching scientific records.
- 🧬 **Scientific name search:** Query by Latin binomials such as 'Ursus arctos' or 'Danaus plexippus' for precise matches.
- 🌳 **Full taxonomic hierarchy:** Every record includes kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species with authors.
- 🔄 **Synonym resolution:** Returns both accepted and unaccepted names so you can map legacy labels to the current ITIS standard.
- ✅ **Expert review status:** Each record shows whether the taxonomy has been reviewed by an ITIS steward.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with ITIS data

**📋 Build a validated species checklist.**

An ecologist searches for all 'bear' species before a field survey and exports the accepted names, authors, and TSNs to a CSV for the permit application.

**🔗 Resolve names across datasets.**

A data engineer runs a list of legacy common names through the Actor, collects the accepted TSNs, and uses them as a stable join key between occurrence records and trait tables.

**🌾 Assess agricultural risk.**

An entomologist queries 'aphid' by common name, retrieves every matching species with its full classification, and filters to the taxa known to vector crop diseases.

**📊 Audit taxonomic coverage.**

A biodiversity informatician searches a genus by scientific name, pulls all child species, and compares the ITIS list against a museum collection database to find gaps.

### Why choose this scraper

| | What you get |
|---|---|
| **Authoritative North American taxonomy** | ITIS is the U.S. federal standard for species names, curated by agency scientists. |
| **Resolve name conflicts** | Get the accepted TSN and synonym list so you stop joining on ambiguous labels. |
| **Flat, analysis-ready output** | Every taxonomic rank is a separate column; no nested JSON to unpack. |
| **No API registration** | Reads the public ITIS search and hierarchy endpoints with no key or OAuth. |

### How it compares

This Actor and the existing ITIS Taxonomy Scraper both search ITIS names, but this one returns the full taxonomic hierarchy and review status for every match.

| Feature | ParseForge | ITIS Taxonomy Scraper - Species Name Search |
|---|---|---|
| Full taxonomic hierarchy (kingdom to species) | Yes | Not listed |
| Synonym and unaccepted name list | Yes | Not listed |
| Expert review status per record | Yes | Not listed |
| Common name search | Yes | Yes |
| Scientific name search | Yes | Yes |
| Configurable max records per run | Yes | Not listed |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor with a single species name, choose whether to search by common or scientific name, and set a ceiling on the number of taxonomy records returned. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
 "query": "bear",
 "maxItems": 10
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
 "query": "bear",
 "maxItems": 200
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.005 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $0.50 |
| 1,000 results | $5.00 |
| 10,000 results | $50.00 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [ITIS Species Taxonomy Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/itis-taxonomy-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to ITIS through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/itis-taxonomy-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results for a name I know exists?**

Check your spelling and try both common name and scientific name search modes. ITIS uses exact substring matching, so 'monarch' works but 'monarc' does not. Also verify the species is in ITIS; it covers North American taxa primarily.

**Why do I get too many results for a short query?**

Short common names like 'bear' match many taxa. Use a more specific query like 'black bear' or switch to scientific name search with a genus like 'Ursus'. You can also lower the maxItems to cap the output.

**Why is the taxonomic hierarchy incomplete for some records?**

ITIS may not have every intermediate rank populated for a given taxon. Missing ranks appear as empty cells in the output. This is normal and reflects the data ITIS holds, not a scraping error.

**Why does the run time out on a large query?**

The Actor walks the full hierarchy for every match, which takes one request per taxon. For broad queries like 'plant', set a lower maxItems or use a narrower search term to keep the run within Apify's time limits.

**Why do I see duplicate TSNs in the output?**

A single TSN can appear under multiple names if it has synonyms. The Actor returns one row per name match, not per unique TSN. Deduplicate on the TSN column in your analysis if you need one row per taxon.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is a TSN? | A Taxonomic Serial Number is a stable, unique integer identifier that ITIS assigns to every taxon. It is the standard key for joining ITIS data to other biodiversity databases. |
| Can I search by scientific name only? | Yes. Set the Search By dropdown to 'Scientific Name' and enter a Latin binomial like 'Ursus arctos'. The Actor will match against the ITIS scientific name index. |
| Does this return subspecies and varieties? | Yes. If your query matches infraspecific taxa, the Actor returns them with their full trinomial and rank. The taxonomic hierarchy includes all intermediate ranks down to the terminal node. |
| How many records can I get in one run? | You can set the maximum records up to 1,000,000. The actual number returned depends on how many ITIS taxa match your query string. |
| Does the Actor handle misspellings or fuzzy matching? | No. ITIS search is exact substring match. If you type 'grizzley bear' you will get no results. Use the correct spelling or try a broader term like 'bear' and filter the output. |
| What is the difference between accepted and unaccepted names? | An accepted name is the current ITIS standard for a taxon. Unaccepted names are synonyms or outdated classifications that ITIS still tracks so you can map old labels to the accepted TSN. |
| Can I export the results to Excel? | Yes. The Actor outputs a flat dataset you can download as CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML directly from the Apify run page. |
| Is this the full ITIS database or a search? | This Actor queries the live ITIS web service. It returns the records that match your search term, not a bulk dump of the entire database. |
| Does it include geographic distribution data? | No. ITIS focuses on nomenclature and hierarchy. For distribution data, pair this Actor with a GBIF or iNaturalist scraper using the TSN as the join key. |
| What taxonomic ranks appear in the output? | Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species are always present. Intermediate ranks like subfamily or tribe appear when ITIS has them for that taxon. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Integrated Taxonomic Information System. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `query` (type: `string`):

The species name to search for (for example bear, Ursus, monarch butterfly).

## `searchBy` (type: `string`):

Search by the common (everyday) name or the scientific (Latin) name.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many taxonomy records to collect per run.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "query": "bear",
  "searchBy": "commonName",
  "maxItems": 10
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `results` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "query": "bear",
    "maxItems": 10
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/itis-taxonomy-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "query": "bear",
    "maxItems": 10,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/itis-taxonomy-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "query": "bear",
  "maxItems": 10
}' |
apify call parseforge/itis-taxonomy-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/itis-taxonomy-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/hdkpolGuAqfKLVAK8/builds/v16BdUkZ4hX7ITzzA/openapi.json