Exist sub-species?????

[Santiago Madrinan]

Gerardo Tapia wrote:

> -Do sub-species exist?

Sometimes!  They may spring out and then become "species", or disappear,
or not.  As an unqualified taxonomic rank it bears the same problem as
"species", as too restrictive to be able to relate to many different,
complex, fluid realities.

Its use as a summary of variation should be limited only to clearly
justified individual cases (even for different entities within the same
species).  In checklists, flora/fauna databases, etc., where it may
reflect comparable entities across the board, it should not be used
(unless adequately referenced, i.e., the monograph).

See:
Cracraft, J.  1983.  Species concepts and speciation analysis.  Pp.
159-187, in Current Ornithology, vol. 1,  R.F. Johnston (ed.).  Plenum
Press, New York.
[...abandom the term]

Gaston, K.J. & L.A. Mound.  1993.  Taxonomy, hypothesis testing and the
biodiversity crisis.  Proc. R. Soc. London B 251: 139-142.
[...they are hypothesis]

Hamilton, C.H. & S.H. Reichard.  1992.  Current practice in the use of
subspecies, variety, and forma in the classification of wild plants.
Taxon 41: 485-498.
[...it depends if you're European or American]

Bye,

S.
--
Santiago Madrinan, Ph.D.

Dept. Ciencias Biologicas         Tel:+57(1)286-9211, ext. 2729
Universidad de los Andes        Fax:+57(1)284-1890
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