Species concepts (and subspecies)

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

The two taxa listed below are actually good examples of different taxonomic
interpretations.  Almost anyone can certainly recognize them as being
"different" but that is where the agreement stops. If memory serves both
anna and dione were described as distinct species. Subsequently they were
lumped by somebody without any reason that I am aware of.  More recently a
number of people have published these as distinct species again and I view
them as distinct species on the basis of published and unpublished
information at my disposal. 

-----Original Message-----
From: OLIVER JEFFREY CATLIN [mailto:Jeffrey.Oliver at Colorado.EDU]
Sent: Monday, November 26, 2001 12:39 PM
To: Lep List
Subject: RE: Species concepts (and subspecies)


Is there really any objection to the existence to subspecies?  I don't
think anyone could deny that there are definite 'varieties' or 'races' of
species that are consistently more similar to one another than they are to
other members of the species.  Two (more) examples are Lycaeides idas anna
and Lycaena xanthoides dione.  Most everyone can recognize these two
things to subspecies right away.

However, the biological meaning of 'subspecies' seems to be in contention,
at the very least because formal subspecies definitions are few and far
between.  Not to mention the difficulty with species definitions!

It all comes back to the human need to name EVERYTHING.  I don't think
it's a negative quality, we just run into trouble when we try to
standardize things...

Jeff Oliver
jeffrey.oliver at colorado.edu



 
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