Genus as the species

[Richard Jensen]

I agree wholeheartedly with Tom Lammers.  To simply say Quercus when
referring to the species of oak examined could be quite misleading given
that the genus contains several monophyletic sections that exhibit very
distinctive features.  There are other examples that are similar and many
that are more complex.

We taxonomists need to impress on the rest of our scientific colleagues
that research that does not specify which species in a genus was examined
is of little value - the work can never be verified or properly evaluated
without that information.

If all you are going to do is identify the genus, then why not simplify
things by just identifying the family - perhaps it will become adequate to
simply say it was a plant or an animal.

Richard J. Jensen      |   E-MAIL: rjensen at saintmarys.edu
Dept. of Biology       |   TELEPHONE: 219-284-4674
Saint Mary's College   |   FAX: 219-284-4716
Notre Dame, IN  46556  |