[Taxacom] Use of geographic range data as diagnostic characters

Sun Feb 17 19:41:08 CST 2013

Hold on, the original question in this thread was:
>> Does anyone know of a publication that addresses the issue of using geographic range data in a species diagnosis? And /or in an identification key?<<
Diagnoses and keys are what I am talking about ... I'm not sure that there is a clear distinction between circumscription and practical identification?

Stephen

________________________________
From: Kim van der Linde <kim at kimvdlinde.com>
To: Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz> 
Cc: "taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu> 
Sent: Monday, 18 February 2013 2:27 PM
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Use of geographic range data as diagnostic characters

We are talking about the circumscription here, not the day-to-day 
practice where we do use geographical data.

Kim

On 2/17/2013 7:52 PM, Stephen Thorpe wrote:
> As always, geographic ranges can be use as diagnostic characters, but
> only with due care. If two flightless beetles are indistinguishable
> externally (or totally indistinguishable as females, say), but one lives
> on the mainland, and one on a well separated offshore island, then for
> routine ID, you go by where they were collected from. A key to species
> might use this character as the only character. However, if it is
> necessary to be 100% sure, then one must dissect males, or admit that
> one cannot be 100% sure about females. This is rarely a problem. Of
> course, one's reliance on these characters may change in response to
> changing circumstances, like invasion, extinction, or climate change,
> but it might also change is response to any number of other factors,
> like DNA analysis revealing cryptic species, etc.
> Stephen
>
> *From:* Kim van der Linde <kim at kimvdlinde.com>
> *To:* taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> *Sent:* Monday, 18 February 2013 1:36 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [Taxacom] Use of geographic range data as diagnostic
> characters
>
> IMHO, there are not, because they can change due to invasion,
> extinction, climate change.
>
> Kim
>
> On 2/17/2013 4:24 PM, Timothy Jones wrote:
>  > Political and geographic location, are properties of taxa.  When
> attempting
>  > to identify a taxon; do you look for a book/pub concerning distribution
>  > ranges from half-way around the world, or from your locality?
>  >
>  > Best,
>  > Tim
>  >
>  >
>  > On Sun, Feb 17, 2013 at 1:03 PM, Thomas Pape <TPape at snm.ku.dk
> <mailto:TPape at snm.ku.dk>> wrote:
>  >
>  >> The ICodeZN does not deal with geographical range data as these are not
>  >> properties of taxa.
>  >>
>  >> /Thomas Pape - Natural History Museum of Denmark
>  >>
>  >> -----Original Message-----
>  >> From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> <mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
>  >> [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> <mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>] On Behalf Of Derek Sikes
>  >> Sent: 17. februar 2013 19:45
>  >> To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu <mailto:taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>;
> Entomology Discussion List
>  >> Subject: [Taxacom] Use of geographic range data as diagnostic characters
>  >>
>  >> Zoologists,
>  >>
>  >> Does anyone know of a publication that addresses the issue of using
>  >> geographic range data in a species diagnosis? And /or in an
>  >> identification key?
>  >>
>  >>
>  >> Does the ICZN forbid or recommend against this?
>  >>
>  >>
>  >> I expect someone has discussed the issue of range data being somewhat
>  >> like phenotype (inherited from one's parents - both a habitat preference
>  >> and a geographic location).
>  >>
>  >> We all know species turn out well outside their known ranges all the
>  >> time so it's not a very reliable data source but I'm looking for a good
>  >> published treatment of the issues...
>  >>
>  >> Thanks!
>  >>
>  >> Derek Sikes
>  >>
>  >> --
>  >>
>  >> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  >> Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects
>  >> Associate Professor of Entomology
>  >> University of Alaska Museum
>  >> 907 Yukon Drive
>  >> Fairbanks, AK  99775-6960
>  >>
>  >> dssikes at alaska.edu <mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu>
>  >> http://users.iab.uaf.edu/~derek_sikes/sikes_lab.htm
>  >>
>  >> phone: 907-474-6278
>  >> FAX: 907-474-5469
>  >>
>  >> University of Alaska Museum  -
>  >> http://www.uaf.edu/museum/collections/ento/
>  >> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  >>
>  >> Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society
>  >> and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network"
>  >> at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact.php
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>  >> The Taxacom archive going back to 1992 may be searched with either of
>  >> these methods:
>  >>
>  >> (1) by visiting http://taxacom.markmail.org/
>  >>
>  >> (2) a Google search specified as:  site:
>  >> mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom  your search terms here
>  >>
>  >
>  >
>  >
>
>
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> The Taxacom archive going back to 1992 may be searched with either of
> these methods:
>
> (1) by visiting http://taxacom.markmail.org/
>
> (2) a Google search specified as:
> site:mailman.nhm.ku.edu/pipermail/taxacom  your search terms here
>
>