[Taxacom] a biodiversity rant from me [Wheeler et al. 2012]

[Stephen Thorpe]

I am baffled at this new paper: 
 
DOI:10.1080/14772000.2012.665095
Mapping the biosphere: exploring species to understand the origin, organization and sustainability of biodiversity
Q. D. Wheeler, S. Knapp, D. W. Stevenson, J. Stevenson, S. D. Blum, B. M. Boom, G. G. Borisy, J. L. Buizer, M. R. De Carvalho, A. Cibrian, M. J. Donoghue, V. Doyle, E. M. Gerson, C. H. Graham, P. Graves, S. J. Graves, R. P. Guralnick, A. L. Hamilton, J. Hanken, W. Law, D. L. Lipscomb, T. E. Lovejoy, H. Miller, J. S. Miller, S. Naeem, M. J. Novacek, L. M. Page, N. I. Platnick, H. Porter-Morgan, P. H. Raven, M. A. Solis, A. G. Valdecasas, S. Van Der Leeuw, A. Vasco, N. Vermeulen, J. Vogel, R. L. Walls, E. O. Wilson & J. B. Woolley
 
specifically because of the following quote: 
[quote]Given that we know fewer than one quarter of all eukaryote species (Chapman, 2009; Costello et al., 2011; Mora et al., 2011), what are the chances ...[unquote]
 
this gives the Costello et al. (2011) paper a citation (and is the only mention of it), but for something that Costello et al. (2011)  DIDN"T SAY!!! They said [quote]we predicted that 24-31% to 21-29% more marine and terrestrial species remain to be discovered respectively[unquote], i.e. we know about three quarters of all species!
 
Given that there was plenty of scope indeed for the present paper to justifiably criticise the Costello et al. (2011) paper, it is crazy that they gave it a citation so cheaply, and for something so inaccurate!! What is going on??
 
Stephen