[Taxacom] Sampling/ Pseudoreplication in Morphometric Taxonomy

[Hubert Turner]

On 18/10/2019, 01:39, " Richard Zander via Taxacom"  wrote:

    
    "Although this species is recognized from only one specimen, some traits are qualitative, not quantitative; the range of variation in all related species is such that there is no overlap of traits; and distinctiveness is greater between the new species and related species than between each of those related species.
    
    Thus OTHER species matter in delimiting a new species. "
    
    
This depends very much on the species concept one applies. The above statement is possibly appropriate within a typological concept, but not in an evolutionary or phylogenetic concept, where typology is a derived (secondary) character. Wiley's definition of the ESC says nothing about  distinctiveness or trait differences, the only criteria being that a species is an independent and separately evolving lineage. 

The aspect of differences in species concepts having different implications was ignored in much of the recent discussions on recognizing and lumping/splitting species. As demonstrated by Richard Zander's comment, it is important to declare which concept one applies/adheres to.

Hubert Turner
independent scientist
phylogeny, SE Asian biogeography