concept 3

[Ron Gatrelle]

Andy Warren wrote

On Nov. 9, Ron Gatrelle wrote:
"Too many subspecies have been described just on the  basis of how they
look alone.  Evolutionary and biogeographic factors are very  important and
often neglected factors in taxonomic study.  I still laugh to  myself when
I see some of the stuff the lumper lists have as subspecies -- based
totally on how a couple populations look to the human eye....   That is why
I chuckle - their listings are totally based on human vision and totally
non scientific."

My [Andy's] reply:
So what is totally non scientific about using
morphological characters to differentiate populations?
snip

Ron:  Since Andy missed my point, it is likely others did too.  (Such is
the nature of email :-)  First, I said nothing about morphological
characters.  My point (and chuckle) was aimed at the _listings_  of taxa
compiled by "lumpers" where hundreds of subspecies are ignored (relegated
to non-validity) and then all of a sudden one or two are included that are
no more (but perhaps less) different from the hundreds that have been
omitted.  What is "non-scientific" is the determination of which subspecies
makes such a _list_ and which don't.  There is no concept or criteria or
what have you - just the compiler's whim.   Are they listed only because
the government also lists them as "endangered species"?  If so, then the
listing is political, not scientific.  Are they listed because the entity
is a "favorite" in the region of the writer?

If someone's species concept is void of subspecies, that is fine with me -
just be consistent and don't recognize any.   If ones criteria for
subspecies is a semi species then that is fine too - but don't go listing
some minor thing just cause it is in ones home state/region.  The same
holds true for genera and subgenera.  We smile (chuckle) when someone goes
way outside their own purported concept.

Ron


 
 ------------------------------------------------------------ 

   For subscription and related information about LEPS-L visit:

   http://www.peabody.yale.edu/other/lepsl