Actions4
Overview
This node integrates with the BOLD (Barcode of Life Data) Systems public API, a DNA barcode reference library. It allows users to retrieve data related to biological sequences, specimens, combined records, or statistics from the BOLD database. The "Get" operation fetches information based on various filtering criteria such as taxon names, geographic locations, institutions, researchers, and more.
Practical scenarios include:
- Retrieving DNA sequence data for specific taxa or Barcode Index Numbers (BINs).
- Accessing specimen metadata filtered by institution or researcher.
- Gathering combined data that merges specimen and sequence information.
- Obtaining statistical summaries about the dataset.
This node is beneficial for researchers, bioinformaticians, and biodiversity informatics professionals who want to automate queries to the BOLD database within their workflows.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Additional Fields | Optional filters to refine the query. Includes: |
| - BINs | Pipe-separated list of Barcode Index Numbers (e.g., `BOLD:AAA5125 |
| - Container | Pipe-separated list of datasets or projects (e.g., `SSBAA |
| - Geography | Pipe-separated list of geographical names for countries or provinces/states (e.g., `Canada |
| - IDs | Pipe-separated list of process or sample identifiers (e.g., `ACRJP618-11 |
| - Institutions | Pipe-separated list of institutions (e.g., `Biodiversity Institute of Ontario |
| - Researchers | Pipe-separated list of researchers (e.g., `Thibaud Decaens |
| - Taxon | A taxon name or pipe-separated list of taxa (e.g., `Aves |
Output
The node outputs JSON data retrieved from the BOLD API. The structure depends on the selected resource:
- For combined and specimen resources, the output is an array of records found under
bold_records.records. - For other resources like sequence or stats, the raw JSON response from the API is returned.
The output contains detailed biological data such as DNA sequences, specimen metadata, taxonomic information, and statistical summaries depending on the resource queried.
No binary data output is produced by this node.
Dependencies
- Requires internet access to call the public BOLD Systems API endpoints.
- No authentication or API keys are needed since the API is public.
- Uses HTTP GET requests with query parameters to filter results.
- No additional n8n credentials or environment variables are required.
Troubleshooting
- Empty or no results: Ensure that the filter fields (e.g., BINs, Taxon, Geography) are correctly formatted and correspond to existing data in BOLD. Using incorrect or misspelled values may yield empty responses.
- Network errors or timeouts: Check internet connectivity and firewall settings that might block outgoing HTTP requests.
- Unexpected response format: If the API changes its response structure, the node might fail to parse results correctly. Verify the API status and update the node if necessary.
- Large result sets: Querying very broad filters may return large datasets causing performance issues. Narrow down filters to improve response times.