As Mr. Harper also points out... In the grand large picture scheme of
things... We can't really even decide what a species is beyond "a shared
evolutionary lineage". It's definately not the neat n tidy singular unit
which taxonomists used to decieve themselves they were describing.
And... This is consequently why I say "Just say 'It's pretty'! Say 'It's
pretty'!" Perhaps I have a new tag line :)
I'm sure there are a couple cladistic zealots running 'round who'll take
some time to point out the righteousness of their craft, however. Perhaps
Lee can serve as the judge that the question in hand has been answered
adequately and to his satisfaction, should someone volunteer to take up this
task.
Todd
MAUMEE! MUD! MADNESS! Toledo, OH
It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
http://www.farmertodd.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "matt ashton" <ashtonmj2003 at yahoo.com>
> Isn't spectabile being broken into species more recently? I just was
mentioning to someone this morning about the "Caney Fork Darter" which was
part of the spectabile complex but described as a species in 1997 by a UIUC
student in his PhD dissertation.
>
> And if someone could quickly clarrify for me what the major points are in
the difference between a subspecies as part of a species complex is and the
clade designation Todd is talking about. In the grand large picture scheme
of things isn't it just the same thing but using different adjectives or
different methods to describe it.
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