correctness of identification in sequence studies

[Luis A. Ruedas]

A few of us at the Museum of Southwestern Biology of the University of New
Mexico published a brief exposition of the matter last October (focussing
on a plea for maintenance of specimens examined).  The paper contains
some specific examples of misidentifications, but no exact numbers
regarding the same:

Ruedas, L. A., J. Salazar-Bravo, J. W. Dragoo, and T. L. Yates.  2000.
The importance of being earnest: What if anything constitutes a "specimen
examined?"  Mol. Phylo. Evol., 17(1):129-132.

The paper is freely available in pdf format by following the link at:

http://talpa.unm.edu/NewMSBDOM/html/msbdompubs.html#2000

Luis


On Mon, 14 May 2001, Prof. Dr. Gerhard HASZPRUNAR wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> there is rumor that a percentage of 5 - 10 % of identifications of
> animals, plants, or other organisms, sequences of which are published
> in Gene-Bank or other data-basis, is inaccurate or even badly wrong.
> Could anyone provide me (1) with a reference concerning this subject
> or (2) provide me with examples? Thank you in advance.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Gerhard Haszprunar
>
> *********************************************
> Prof. Dr. Gerhard Haszprunar
> Zoologische Staatssammlung Muenchen
> Muenchhausenstr. 21
> D-81247 Muenchen, Germany
> Tel.: ++4989-8107-104, Fax: -8107-300
> e-mail: haszi at zi.biologie.uni-muenchen.de
> http://www.zsm.mwn.de/Direktor
>
> NEW JOURNAL IN SYSTEMATICS:
> Organisms, Diversity & Evolution
> http://www.urbanfischer.de/journals/ode
> *******************************************
>

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                            Luis A. Ruedas
                    Museum of Southwestern Biology
                         Department of Biology
                       University of New Mexico
                  Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131-1091

voice: 505/277-5340                               fax: 505/277-0304
                  e-mail: lruedas at sevilleta.unm.edu
               web: http://sevilleta.unm.edu/~lruedas/
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