itis-mcp

ITIS MCP

Keyless MCP server for ITIS taxonomy: scientific names, TSNs, hierarchy, common names.

Pairs well with gbif-mcp, eol-mcp, inaturalist-mcp, and wikispecies-mcp.

Quick start

npm install
npm run build
node dist/index.js

The server uses stdio, so it can be connected to Claude Desktop, Cursor, VS Code, MCP Inspector, or another compatible MCP client.

Tools at a glance

• search_scientific: Taxa by scientific name with TSNs.
• common_names: Common names for a TSN.
• hierarchy: Ranks below a TSN.

Limits and privacy

This project is intentionally narrow. It should be treated as a practical helper, not a complete certification or security audit. Check the implementation and the returned data before using it with sensitive material. No credentials are required.

Premium tools

These tools need a licence key:

• taxon_profile
• lineage_path
• taxon_range

The tool bodies run on our gateway, not inside this package, so the key is what buys access. Buy one at https://buy.polar.sh/polar_cl_mrO7rS5LZxpqM7oAFFEA10i9121J240U40IIj4JRZO4 and set it in your MCP client config:

"env": { "MCP_LICENSE_KEY": "polar_..." }

The gateway checks the key against Polar and gives every key 1,000 free premium calls a month before per-call billing starts. Every other tool on this server stays free.