[Taxacom] Morphological characters was New lizard species

[Stephen Thorpe]

The ICZN Code does not limit taxon circumscriptions to morphological characters only - it leaves it open. No changes are necessary for this. There is however another quite different debate about whether Linnean taxa above genus ought to be replaced with clade names. I imagine that debate will rage on ad nauseam ...

Stephen

 

________________________________
From: Jason Mate <jfmate at hotmail.com>
To: Taxacom <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
Sent: Wed, 9 June, 2010 10:58:42 AM
Subject: [Taxacom] Morphological characters was New lizard species


Dear Fred, your argument assumes that only morphological differences can define species; alas there are numerous examples that prove this argument fallacious. Off the top of my head, the A. gambiae complex. I cannot defend nor criticize the paper that spurred the whole argument in the first place since I don´t have access to a copy but even assuming that it is truly "rubbish", one example doesn´t set a rule. In the end molecular data will become part of the tool-kit of taxonomists. That doesn´t mean that I endorse Phylocode. However their strengths lie precisely in the Code´s weaknesses and this thread is a good example that maybe some changes might be necessary to accomodate the shifting reality "out there". Since we have several commisioners following this thread they could suggest something?

Best 

Jason
                        
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