Name Changes in Massonia

J.E. Shields jshields@indy.net
Thu, 17 Jan 2013 18:30:15 PST
Hi Jim,

DNA has not just added quantitatively to the body of morphological data of 
some use in distinguishing one species from another.  It is rather in the 
process of changing what we mean by "species."  It may be that traditional 
taxonomists don't see this coming, but it really is.  I've been watching 
science change for as long as I can remember,and it is changing.  It is 
following a trajectory.  We will one day very soon be defining a species by 
its DNA, and the old definitions of "species" -- all of them, and  several 
were really never very good anyway and all of them had problems -- will be 
lost sight of as science focuses on the molecular.

I don't expect many here to agree with me.  Just wait -- you'll see.

Jim Shields



At 06:03 PM 1/17/2013 -0800, Jim McK. wrote:
>.... If we accept a species concept based on a shared gene pool, it 
>follows that similarities - at the gross morphological level or at the 
>more finely granular molecular level - do not in themselves prove that two 
>entities are conspecific.
>...

*************************************************
Jim Shields             USDA Zone 5
P.O. Box 92              WWW:    http://www.shieldsgardens.com/
Westfield, Indiana 46074, USA
Lat. 40° 02.8' N, Long. 086° 06.6' W




More information about the pbs mailing list