[Taxacom] iSpecies with Wikipedia

[Edwards, G.B.]

>...  We can't even agree on how we *should* apply names to taxa, even
if we did know the phylogeny with certainty.

Rich<

>Ocydromus, ranked as a subgenus of Bembidion in a conservative
classification, but as a genus with several subgenera in a (regionally
preferred) alternative classification...

Wolfgang<

Isn't this precisely why we had recent comments on this list about
whether classifications, or at least certain taxon levels, should be
conservative or not?  And isn't this why we get proposals for taxon
names of unspecified rank, or the eschewing of names altogether?  After
all, if you have the phylogeny worked out, all you really need is the
kingdom, a species identifier, and the connecting structure.  I've never
been a supporter of getting rid of intermediate names, they seem kind of
handy to me (except when nobody can agree on them or what level they
should be), but I can see the appeal.  ;-)
-- 
G. B. Edwards, Ph.D.  [Your Friendly Neighborhood Spiderman] 
Curator: Arachnida (except Acari), Myriapoda, Terrestrial Crustacea,
Thysanoptera 
Florida State Collection of Arthropods, FDACS, Division of Plant
Industry 
P.O.Box 147100, 1911 SW 34th St., Gainesville, FL 32614-7100 USA 
(352) 372-3505 x194; fax (352) 334-0737; edwardg at doacs.state.fl.us 
http://fsca.entomology.museum/Arachnida/ArachnidaFrame.htm 
--
Veritas vos liberabit  
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