OJ Break API Reference

Introduction

OJ_Break is the name of the OSUC biodiversity RESTful(-like) API service. The API responds exclusively in JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) and accepts only HTTP GET and POST requests indiscriminately unlike a true REST API. Built using Oracle's PL/SQL database language, the API is fast but often inflexible and inconsistent, so take note of all of the comments below.

Overview

All API requests must be formatted by first selecting the OJ_Break library then specifying the API method. Also, each method must include a callback argument even if a callback function is unnecessary (e.g. jQuery AJAX requests).

The format for API calls is: http://osuc.biosci.ohio-state.edu/hymDB/OJ_Break.[method]?[argument1]=[value1]&...

• Example: http://osuc.biosci.ohio-state.edu/hymDB/OJ_Break.getTaxonInfo?tnuid=5012&callback=test
• Response: test({"taxon":"Oxyscelio consobrinus","author":"(Kieffer)","status":"Subsequent name/combination","rank":"Species","valid":"Valid","fossil":"N","rel_type":"Member",...

Reference

Procedures

Taxon

getTaxonStats

Parameters

• tnuid: number
• callback: string

Return

• taxon: string
• author: string
• stats: taxon_stats

Example

http://osuc.biosci.ohio-state.edu/hymDB/OJ_Break.getTaxonStats?tnuid=30148&callback=api

Method	Return	Description
getTaxonInfo(tnuid:number, callback:string)
getTaxonHierarchy(tnuid:number, callback:string)
getIncludedTaxa(tnuid:number, showSyns:Y|N, showFossils:Y|N, inst_id:number, types_only:Y|N|P, show_num_spms:Y|N, callback:string)
getTaxonSynonyms(tnuid:number, showFossils:Y|N, callback:string)
getLocalities(tnuid:number, inst_id:number, precDecimals:number, showChildren:Y|N, callback:string)
getLocalities(tnuid:number, inst_id:number, pnids:array of number, precDecimals:number, showChildren:Y|N, callback:string)
getCuids(tnuids:array of number, pnids:array of number, callback:string)
getCuids(tnuid:number, showChildren:Y|N, inst_id:number, pnids:array of number, callback:string)
getTypes(tnuid:number, showSyns:Y|N, inst_id:number, primary_only:Y|N, taxon_author_search:string, offset:number, limit:number, callback:string)
getInsts(tnuid:number, callback:string)
getTaxonLiterature(tnuid:number, showSyns:Y|N, callback:string)
getAssociations(tnuid:number, rank_grouping:string, callback:string)
getHabitats(tnuid:number, callback:string)
getTaxonImages(tnuid:number, callback:string)
getTaxonBreakdown(tnuid:number, callback:string)
getTaxonPhenology(tnuid:number, callback:string)
getTaxonNewTaxaByPub(tnuid:number, validOnly:Y|N, callback:string)
getTaxonNewTaxaByYear(tnuid:number, validOnly:Y|N, callback:string)
getTaxonStatsForYear(tnuid:number, stats_year:number, callback:string)

Occurrence / Specimen

Method	Return	Description
getSpmInfo(cuid:string, callback:string)
getSpmsInfo(cuids:array of string, callback:string)

Locality

Method	Return	Description
getLocalityInfo(locID:number, tnuid:number, inst_id:number, per_id:number, pnid:number, showChildren:Y|N, completeSpmInfo:Y|N, callback:string)

Place / Geopolitical Entity

Method	Return	Description
getPlaceInfo(place_id:number, callback:string)
getSubdivisions(place_id:number, callback:string)
getGeoTaxa(place_id:number, callback:string)
getGeoCollTrips(place_id:number, callback:string)
getGeoCollTrips2(place_id:number, callback:string)
getGeoInsts(place_id:number, callback:string)

Literature

Method	Return	Description
getLitReference(pub_id:number, callback:string)
getLitParts(pub_id:number, callback:string)
getPubTaxonCitation(pub_id:number, callback:string)
getPubAssocCitation(pub_id:number, callback:string)

Journal

Method	Return	Description
getJournalInfo(jrnl_id:number, callback:string)
getJournalPubs(jrnl_id:number, callback:string)
getJournalTaxa(jrnl_id:number, callback:string)

Institution

Method	Return	Description
getCollectionInfo(inst_id:number, callback:string)
getPrimaryTypes(inst_id:number, callback:string)
getSecondaryTypes(inst_id:number, callback:string)
getInstTaxa(inst_id:number, callback:string)
getInstCollTrips2(inst_id:number, callback:string)
getInstPubs(inst_id:number, callback:string)

Unvouchered Record

Method	Return	Description
getUnvoucheredRecord(unv_id:number, callback:string)
getUnvoucheredRecords(tnuid:number, showChildren:Y|N, pnids:array of number, callback:string)
getUnvoucheredRecords(tnuids:array of number, pnids:array of number, callback:string)
getUnvLocalityInfo(locID:number, tnuid:number, per_id:number, pnid:number, showChildren:Y|N, callback:string)

Text Search

Method	Return	Description
getSearchResults(name:string, limit:number, categoryLimit:string, callback:string)
getTaxaFromText(name:string, limit:number, nameOnly:Y|N, callback:string)
getCuidsFromText(name:string, limit:number, callback:string)
getAgentsFromText(name:string, limit:number, includeParty:Y|N, callback:string)
getInstFromText(name:string, limit:number, callback:string)
getJournalsFromText(name:string, limit:number, callback:string)
getOrgsFromText(name:string, limit:number, callback:string)
getPlacesFromText(name:string, limit:number, callback:string)
getLocalitiesFromText(name:string, limit:number, callback:string)
getCollMethodsFromText(name:string, limit:number, callback:string)

Data Type Glossary

Classes

included

String - The number of taxa included within this taxon.

synonym

String - The number of taxa synonymous with this taxon.

maps

String - The number of occurrence records identified to this taxon.

lits

String - The number of literature citations to this taxon.

lits_syns

String - The number of literature citations to this taxon and its synonyms.

assocs

String - The number of number of distinct biological associations for this taxon.

habitats

String - The number of number of distinct habitats for this taxon.

insts

String - The number of collections with occurrence records for this taxon.

type_syns

String - The number of type specimens for this taxon and its synonyms.

Elements

tnid

Number - The taxon name identifier which uniquely identifies a taxon name string.

tnuid

Number - The taxon name use identifier which uniquely identifies a taxon.

taxon

String - A taxon name string.

author

String - The author(s) of a taxon with parenthesis surrounding the name of the author(s) if necessary.