[Taxacom] molecular species description

[Stephen Thorpe]

Another example from good ol' New Zealand:

Trewick, S.A. 1998: Sympatric cryptic species in New Zealand  
Onychophora. Biological journal of the Linnean Society, 63(3): 307-329.

It is a bit dated now, but I'm told on good authority that the species  
described therein are totally unrecognisable today morphologically or  
molecularly! Something to do with needing the original aliquots which  
weren't kept in reusable condition...

People should remember that today's new toy and cutting edge will be  
old hat before too long, so they should make sure the taxonomy is  
built to last ...



Quoting Rob Smissen <SmissenR at landcareresearch.co.nz>:

> Hi Winston
>
> I'm sure Richard can answer your question, but an example of species  
> named primarily on the basis of DNA sequence from a single  
> non-coding locus can be found in
>
> "A new species of Treubia (Treubiaceae, Hepaticophytina) from New  
> Zealand based on molecular evidence: Studies in austral temperate  
> rain forest bryophytes 20"
>
> Authors: Pfeiffer, Tanja; Frey, Wolfgang; Stech, Michael
>
> Source: Nova  
> Hedwigia<http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/schweiz/novh;jsessionid=di288gc03gk18.alice>, Volume 75, Numbers 1-2, 1 August 2002 , pp.  
> 241-253(13)
> Although I am far from comfortable with this, in defense of the  
> Author's they do claim habitat differences between the clades, and  
> the number of substitutions differing between the "species" is  
> certainly on the high side. On the other hand, sample sizes were far  
> from compelling (2 and 3), and not sympatric.
>
> Quote,
>
>  "This new species is morphologically, anatomically and  
> cytologically similar to Treubia lacunosa, but is clearly  
> differentiated (i) by substitutions in the trnLUAA intron, and (ii)  
> ecologically, by its occurrence in ± exposed, rather open secondary  
> habitats in
> forests."
>
>
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