PhyloPic

Browse PhyloPic, an open database of more than 13,000 reusable silhouettes of animals, plants, and other life forms.

phylopic.org
PhyloPic homepage screenshot

About PhyloPic

PhyloPic is an open database of silhouette images of animals, plants, and other life forms. The homepage lists about 13,100 silhouettes, and the site describes them as available for reuse under Creative Commons licenses. Users can download silhouettes for educational materials, research articles, and other projects.

Software engineers can access the database through an API, which has documentation and example recipes. Anyone may upload silhouettes, and the site accepts donations to help keep the service online. Reuse terms depend on the Creative Commons license attached to each image.

Key features

  • Open database of about 13,100 silhouette images of life forms
  • Silhouettes available for reuse under Creative Commons licenses
  • API for software engineers to access PhyloPic data
  • API recipes and API documentation for developers
  • Image uploader that lets anyone submit silhouettes
Best for: Educators, researchers, and developers who need reusable silhouette images of animals, plants, and other life forms.
Good for
  • Silhouettes are offered for reuse under Creative Commons licenses
  • A public API gives developers programmatic access to the database
Watch out for
  • Reuse terms depend on the Creative Commons license for each image, so the license should be checked before use

PhyloPic at a glance

Type
Online tool
Pricing
Not confirmed. Check the site
Platforms
Web
Open source
Not stated
Language
English
Good for
Creators
Last checked
Oct 6, 2026 · Online when checked
Listed
Oct 5, 2026

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PhyloPic FAQ

What can PhyloPic silhouettes be used for?
The site describes them as available for use in educational materials, research articles, and other projects, under Creative Commons licenses.
Who can contribute silhouettes?
Anyone may upload silhouettes to PhyloPic.
How can developers access the database?
Software engineers can access the data using the PhyloPic API, which has API documentation and API recipes.
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