[Taxacom] Ethiopian versus Afrotropical

[John D. Oswald]

Can anyone provide commentary on the appropriateness, preference, and/or 
subtleties involved in using the term Ethiopian, versus Afrotropical, in 
referring to the biogeographic faunal region that generally encompasses 
sub-Saharan Africa and parts of the southern/southeastern Arabian 
peninsula? Is usage here largely determined by the historical usage 
found in the literature of different taxa? Does this usage vary 
appreciably based on where one works (e.g., do biologists in Africa tend 
to use one term, while biologists in other areas of the world tend to 
use the other)? Which is the 'better' term, and why? Are there 
substantive reasons for using one term over the other? Are the terms 
considered synonymous in general usage, or are there important 
subtleties of meaning implicit in each? Is there a concise discussion of 
these issues in the literature somewhere (citations please...)?

John Oswald

-- 
John D. Oswald
Associate Professor
Department of Entomology
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX  77843-2475
USA

E-mail: j-oswald at tamu.edu
Phone: (979) 862-3507
More at: http://insects.tamu.edu/people/faculty/oswaldj.cfm

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