Jim will be thrilled you think so highly of him. n/p

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Posted by EJ on August 05, 2001 at 01:34:16:

In Reply to: Re: So, basicly... posted by A. C. Highfield on August 04, 2001 at 17:08:53:

: : everybody else does not know what they are talking about.>>

: Nope. Some do know. Jarmo Perala is pretty well informed, as is Jim Buskirk. Regretably, very few others even approach their level of experience with this very complex assemblage.>>

: One question. There are two groups of people working on a revision of the Testudo group in North Africa. (going on 3 years in the working and still not published)(indicating that this is a very complex group)>>

: It certainly is.

: >>Why was Higfield and all his wisdom not invited to participate in either of these endeavors>>

: Who knows? Who cares? As long as the final result demonstrates that the tortoises of Cenral Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco are not 'identical species' I really could not give a dammn.

: One thing I am utterly concinced of - if you examine the gigantic 'Testudo whitei' of Algeria, and compare that to the diminutive 'nabeulensis' of Tunisia you are looking at two, entirely separate and distinct biological species. Distinct not only from each other, but also from the Testudo graeca of Morocco. Do you realise that even Gray (19th C.), of the British Museum, believed that these 'whitei' were a "variety of marginated tortoise"? They are incredible animals. Astonishing. I have travelled all over Morocco... for years.... nothing remotely like them is to be found there. Or in Tunisia. They are unique.

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Re: Jim will be thrilled you think so highly of him. n/p A. C. Highfield 08/05/01 (0)

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: : : everybody else does not know what they are talking about.>> : : Nope. Some do know. Jarmo Perala is pretty well informed, as is Jim Buskirk. Regretably, very few others even approach their level of experience with this very complex assemblage.>> : : One question. There are two groups of people working on a revision of the Testudo group in North Africa. (going on 3 years in the working and still not published)(indicating that this is a very complex group)>> : : It certainly is. : : >>Why was Higfield and all his wisdom not invited to participate in either of these endeavors>> : : Who knows? Who cares? As long as the final result demonstrates that the tortoises of Cenral Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco are not 'identical species' I really could not give a dammn. : : One thing I am utterly concinced of - if you examine the gigantic 'Testudo whitei' of Algeria, and compare that to the diminutive 'nabeulensis' of Tunisia you are looking at two, entirely separate and distinct biological species. Distinct not only from each other, but also from the Testudo graeca of Morocco. Do you realise that even Gray (19th C.), of the British Museum, believed that these 'whitei' were a "variety of marginated tortoise"? They are incredible animals. Astonishing. I have travelled all over Morocco... for years.... nothing remotely like them is to be found there. Or in Tunisia. They are unique.

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