[API-users] language parameter of Species API

Nozomi James Ytow nozomi at biol.tsukuba.ac.jp
Thu Aug 21 03:26:20 CEST 2014


Hi,

SpeciesAPI document
http://www.gbif.org/developer/species
specifies language parameter of simple get species, i.e. species/{int}.
Language parameter is explained at
http://www.gbif.org/developer/species#p_language
as "default=en or use HTTP header for this", 

I tried to specify 'de' in HTTP header as Language request property,
but it doesn't work.   Instead, http://api.gbif.org/v1/species/5231190?language=de works fine.
Do I misunderstand the documentation?

I also tried languages are not included in vernacular names list
http://api.gbif.org/v1/species/5231190/vernacularNames
such as http://api.gbif.org/v1/species/5231190?language=ja or zh or kr...
I expected empty field for vernacularName or no record returned, but I got English one.
It is misleading implementation that one ignorant of the language specified can misundarstand
that the language uses the same word with English.
I suggest to return null vernacularName if vernacular name of specified language is unavailable.

Cheers,
James







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