[Taxacom] Type of Vetularctos inopinatus (and increasing hybridization??)

[Tony.Rees at csiro.au]

Hi all,

Is this not just a case of a pro parte synonym, of which there are many other examples (albeit not with the hybrid complication)?

- Tony

________________________________________
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Kenneth Kinman [kennethkinman at webtv.net]
Sent: Monday, 19 January 2009 4:43 PM
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Type of Vetularctos inopinatus (and increasing   hybridization??)

Christopher Taylor wrote:
      As for how to list such a name in synonymies, I wouldn't think it
could be made a synonym of either parent exclusively. I suppose it would
be a little like an agreed _nomen dubium_ - unable to be used, but
unable to be formally synonymised with anything else.
-------------------------------------------------------
Christopher,
       I agree that it is unavailable to be used, but perhaps it is best
to formally (or at the very least informally) synonymise it with BOTH
parental species, perhaps as something like:  "Vetularctos inopinatus
(partim, one parent of a hybrid)."  It's not really a "dubious name" if
we know what the parental species were, so it seems preferable to list
it as a partial synonym of both species.
              ------Ken
P.S.   If the genetic separation (speciation) of polar bears and
grizzlies was largely due to polar bears mating out on the ice (while
grizzlies mate on land), isn't it likely that global warming (and thus
reduction of ice upon which to mate) will lead to increased
hybridization of polar bears with grizzlies?  And as polar bear
populations decease (and grizzly ranges presumably expand northward), it
seems almost inevitable that more hybridization would result (and that
pure-bred polar bears would become less and less common over time).


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