API v1 / Taxa / Common name missing

Bug Reports
#1

When I request this URL in a web browser (Google Chrome), being logged in, the response is as expected, with the common name “Animals” indicated:

https://api.inaturalist.org/v1/taxa/1

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When I request the same URL from a program, using the .Net HttpClient.GetAsync method, the common name is missing (null) in the response:

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I noticed this issue only today.

The previous days, I got the common name as expected when requesting this URL from a program.

The issue occurs with all taxa (all taxa that are supposed to have a common name).

The program has first authenticated using a JSON Web Token (JWT), not expired.
(I updated the JWT and retried, to be sure).
(Anyway, a token is likely not needed at all).

From another web browser (Mozilla Firefox), without being logged in, I also get the common name:

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Amount of "Unknown" records is decreasing
#2

have you tried an unauthenticated request via .Net? it might be doing something like translation based on your preferred taxon location when authenticated.

#3

An unauthenticated request via .Net provides the common names!
It’s a good point for the analysis of this issue.

As my program also performs identifications, it has to authenticate with a token.

As iNaturalist supports common names in serveral languages, as the user profile supports the choice of a language, the API should provide the common names is the profile language. Else, the API should support the language desired in the request to the API.

(An extra optional parameter in the API would not impact existing software using the API).

Please, could this be fixed in one way or another? Thanks a lot!

#4

It seems the issue here is since you are authenticating requests as your user, and since your preference is to not display common names, the API is not returning common names. You can try not authenticating these taxon API requests (and only authenticate your ID create requests), or changing your user preferences.

2 Likes
#5

I opted for “Show common names” in my profile.
Now I get more common names from the API than ever!

Thank your very much!

1 Like
#6