technically...

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Rat Snake Forum ]

Posted by Chris H. on November 17, 2001 at 00:11:36:

In Reply to: Re: Who/What governs Taxonomy? posted by tmc on November 16, 2001 at 18:51:53:

There is an International Committee for Zoological Nomenclature who have the final "say" although in practice it is as described in the previous post.

People propose changes based on sound scientific research in peer reviewed journal and other scientists (and non-scientists) accept (use) that new taxonomy or they don't.

Some of the problems we get into are when people publish in obscure journals (often because the mainstream herp journals reject their submissions) or publish the changes without substantiating their position with adequate data.

One of the fundamental issues we have to deal with is different perspectives on the value/importance of taxonomy. While to a hobbyist, recognizing Deckert's Rat Snake may make it more easier to keep a "pure" blood line of that snake in captivity, to the evolutionary biologist, the snake does not represent a taxonomically distinct population and doesn't deserve recognition. And among the evol. biologists, there is contentious disagreement about what the measure of a "taxonomically significant" population is.

There are many cases where people don't accept proposed taxonomic changes and they just seem to fade away into obscurity.

Follow Ups:

Thanks for the many excellent points Terry Parks 11/17/01 (0)

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: There is an International Committee for Zoological Nomenclature who have the final "say" although in practice it is as described in the previous post. : People propose changes based on sound scientific research in peer reviewed journal and other scientists (and non-scientists) accept (use) that new taxonomy or they don't. : Some of the problems we get into are when people publish in obscure journals (often because the mainstream herp journals reject their submissions) or publish the changes without substantiating their position with adequate data. : One of the fundamental issues we have to deal with is different perspectives on the value/importance of taxonomy. While to a hobbyist, recognizing Deckert's Rat Snake may make it more easier to keep a "pure" blood line of that snake in captivity, to the evolutionary biologist, the snake does not represent a taxonomically distinct population and doesn't deserve recognition. And among the evol. biologists, there is contentious disagreement about what the measure of a "taxonomically significant" population is. : There are many cases where people don't accept proposed taxonomic changes and they just seem to fade away into obscurity.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Rat Snake Forum ]