Use of type specimens.

[A. Contreras-Ramos]

Don Reynolds wrote:
>The molecular systematist view posed in recent discussions is that if
>taxonomic revision were made on the basis of sequence analysis, then
>there is no compelling reason to examine the type for the species
The reasons would be the same.  A taxonomic species A proposed on
characters 1, 2, and 3, may need to be reinspected because a suspected
species B also has characters 1, 2, and 3.  Insect species A based on
[putative] autapomorphies red elytron and green tarsi may have sclerite x
with shape "a", whereas insect species B has also red elytra and green
tarsi but sclerite x has shape "b"; this was not known until species B
was discovered.  Instead of morphological characters replace them for
molecular ones.

Atilano Contreras-Ramos
Instituto de Biologia, UNAM
Mexico.