subspecies

[Ken Kinman]

    I think it depends on what group of organisms you are working on.  When
I was a professional mammalogist, subspecies were very useful and important,
but at the same time I was collecting spiders in my spare time, and I found
very little use of subspecies in the arachnid literature.  Because we are
mammals ourselves, collections of mammals are far more complete and better
studied (as are other groups we gravitate towards, such as birds and
butterflies).  Perhaps it is just natural to subdivide a better known group
more finely than lesser known groups (such as spiders).
                    ------Ken Kinman
P.S.   Personally, I have always had a dislike of subgenera.  Of course, I
might feel differently if I was studying a greatly speciose genus of
beetles.

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