Splitters and Lumpers

[ricardo]

I do not know if is good idea if editor will command authors / scientists
after who species could or has to be named...

Regards

Ricardo

-----P=F9vodn=ED zpr=E1va-----
Od: Petra Sierwald <sierwald at FMPPR.FMNH.ORG>
Komu: Multiple recipients of list TAXACOM <TAXACOM at CMSA.BERKELEY.EDU>
Datum: Thursday, February 18, 1999 4:48 AM
P=F8edm=ECt: Splitters and Lumpers


>I agree with points made by Andreas Gminder regarding the selling of nam=
es
>and the potential increase in new species. I also fear an enormous incre=
ase
>of "new species", and (possibly?) institutional pressure on systematists=
 to
>"discover" them.  In spider systematics there are frightening examples o=
f
>excessive splitting, e.g., with a single author creating over 30 junior
>subjective synonyms for a common African nursery-web spider (literature
>citation available on request). Other examples are in the tarantulas:
>certain authors are describing new species and introduce new genus names=
 in
>groups which also contain CITES-listed species, faster than professional=
s
>can revise them, thus supporting a rather questionable pet trade.
>
>Andreas is right: Where are the funds for the revisions? It will take
>centuries to clean the problem up.
>
>I am grateful for this discussion, because as an editor of an arachnolog=
y
>journal I will now pay closest attention to the publication of new speci=
es
>under such circumstances.  It is here where editors, the reviewers and
>scientific societies must protect the integrity of taxonomy and
systematics.
>The selling of names has the potential to destroy systematics. And with
>still too many journals not having proper review procedures in place, th=
is
>danger is real.
>
>
>***************************************************************
>Petra Sierwald, Adjunct Curator - Zoology, Insects
>Field Museum of Natural History, Roosevelt Rd @ Lake Shore Dr
>Chicago, IL 60605, USA.
>Managing Editor - The Journal of Arachnology -
>Published by the American Arachnological Society
>E-maiL: psierwald at fmnh.org
>Phone: (312)922-9410, ext. 841; Fax: (312)663-5397
>
>http://www.fmnh.org
>***************************************************************
>