Paleobiology MCP Server - install, status & alternatives [2026]

01 · Install Paleobiology MCP Server

before you install - you'll need

Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL before connecting.

Claude Code

claude mcp add cyanheads-paleobiology-mcp-server -- npx -y @cyanheads/paleobiology-mcp-server

Claude Desktop / Cursor / VS Code - add to config

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cyanheads-paleobiology-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@cyanheads/paleobiology-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Same JSON for Cursor. For VS Code, rename the top-level key from `mcpServers` to `servers`.

Using another client? Same JSON, different key

Claude Desktop · mcpServers

Cursor · mcpServers

VS Code · servers

Windsurf · mcpServers

Zed · context_servers

Cline · mcpServers

Roo Code · mcpServers

Continue · mcpServers

LibreChat · mcpServers

Gemini CLI · mcpServers

Codex CLI · mcp_servers

Full setup guides: every client.

02 · Evidence

Security posture

What to check before giving this server access to your agent - from the registry, GitHub, and our own probes. We don't score safety; we show what's verifiable.

runs as local process (stdio) - runs on your machine with your user's permissions

license Apache-2.0 - declared in the repository

npm package @cyanheads/paleobiology-mcp-server - published under the repo owner's npm scope (@cyanheads)

registry namespace io.github.cyanheads is GitHub-verified and matches the repo owner

03 · What Paleobiology MCP Server can do

Prose above is summarized from the project's README and registry record - no invented capabilities.

What you can build

With this server connected, an agent can run a read-only SQL SELECT over occurrence sets staged on a DataCanvas by paleobiology_search_occurrences. SELECT only, and list the tables and columns staged on a DataCanvas. Call before paleobiology_dataframe_query to discover table and column names.

The 8 tools it gives your agent

Extracted from the project's README - what paleobiology-mcp-server lets an agent do.

paleobiology_search_occurrences: - Search fossil occurrences by taxon, geologic time, geography, and depositional environment. Every row carries both modern and paleo coordinates. The flagship; b
paleobiology_get_taxon: - Resolve a taxon by name or taxon_no to its accepted name, rank, classification, parent, occurrence count, and first/last-appearance (FAD/LAD) range. Run first t
paleobiology_get_diversity: - Compute a diversity / origination / extinction curve for a clade across geologic time, binned by period, epoch, or age. Returns the full bin set inline.
paleobiology_list_intervals: - Look up the geologic time scale - eons through ages with absolute-age (Ma) boundaries and nesting. Translates named intervals ↔ Ma. Served offline from a bundle
paleobiology_search_collections: - Find fossil collections (localities) by area and geologic time, with their formation, lithology, depositional environment, and co-occurring-fossils count. Paged
paleobiology_dataframe_query: - Run a read-only SQL SELECT over occurrence sets staged on a DataCanvas by paleobiology_search_occurrences. SELECT only.
paleobiology_dataframe_describe: - List the tables and columns staged on a DataCanvas. Call before paleobiology_dataframe_query to discover table and column names.
paleobiology_dataframe_drop: - Drop a single staged table to free memory before its TTL expires. Opt-in - registered only when PALEOBIOLOGY_DATAFRAME_DROP_ENABLED=true.

Latest releases

v0.3.4 · 2026-07-30

PBDB interval fallback · paleobiology_list_intervals falls back to a live PBDB lookup for sub-stage and regional interval names (e.g. Late Maastrichtian, Lancian) the bundled ICS snapshot does not carry, labeled with a…

v0.3.3 · 2026-07-30

offset paging, base_id clade filter, and paged taxon children · paleobiology_search_occurrences gains offset paging with exact next-page notices against PBDB's true match count (#14) · base_id accepted as a clade…

v0.3.2 · 2026-07-30

PBDB warnings and true match totals · search_occurrences, search_collections, and get_diversity surface PBDB's warnings[] instead of discarding them - an unrecognized lithology value no longer silently returns PBDB's…

04 · Who maintains Paleobiology MCP Server

paleobiology-mcp-server is maintained by cyanheads. We track 125 MCP servers from cyanheads - 124 actively maintained, 1,730 combined GitHub stars, oldest repo from Dec 2024. Full record: all servers from cyanheads.

05 · Facts

repository: github.com/cyanheads/paleobiology-mcp-server
category: other - ranked #298 of 848 actively-maintained other servers as of 2026-08-25.
release cadence: 7 releases in the last 90 days (latest 2026-07-30)
registry: io.github.cyanheads/paleobiology-mcp-server (active, first published 2026-06-28 · 6 versions)
packages: npm:@cyanheads/paleobiology-mcp-server · npm:@cyanheads/paleobiology-mcp-server

06 · Paleobiology MCP Server FAQ

Is Paleobiology MCP Server still maintained?

Yes - as of 2026-08-25, its last commit was 2026-08-10 and it shipped 7 releases in the last 90 days. We re-verify nightly.

What can Paleobiology MCP Server do?

With this server connected, an agent can run a read-only SQL SELECT over occurrence sets staged on a DataCanvas by paleobiology_search_occurrences. SELECT only, and list the tables and columns staged on a DataCanvas. Call before paleobiology_dataframe_query to discover table and column names.

How do I install Paleobiology MCP Server?

Run `npx -y @cyanheads/paleobiology-mcp-server`. The README documents 2 environment variables (MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL) to set first. Set MCP_TRANSPORT_TYPE, MCP_LOG_LEVEL before connecting. You can also paste the ready-made client config above.

Does Paleobiology MCP Server run locally?

Yes - it's a stdio server: it runs on your machine (via npx) with your user's permissions. Your data stays local unless the server itself calls external APIs.

07 · Alternatives to Paleobiology MCP Server

Alternatives to Paleobiology MCP Server

Maintained other servers if Paleobiology MCP Server isn't the fit.

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