Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Type: Article
Published: 2017-03-24
Page range: 48–51
Abstract views: 259
PDF downloaded: 1

Photography-based taxonomy is still really inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences. A reply to Thorpe (2017)

Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Rodovia Jorge Amado, Km 16, CEP: 45662-900, Salobrinho, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brasil

Abstract

A recent defense of the photo-based taxonomy is discussed. The main issue concerns the simplistic definition of “type”. A comparison with other material forms of type preservation highlights weaknesses inherent to the use of photographs as types. Additional arguments from Thorpe’s contribution are also reviewed and disputed.

References

  1. De Queiroz, K. (2007) Species concepts and species delimitation. Systematic Biology, 56: 879–886. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10635150701701083>.

    Duellman, W. E. & Trueb, L. (1989) Two new treefrogs of the Hyla parviceps group from the amazon basin in southestern Peru. Herpetologica, 45: 1–10.

    Kaiser, H., Crother, B. L., Kelly, C. M. R., Luiselli, L., O’Shea, M., Ota, H., Passos, P., Schleip, W. D. & Wüster, W. (2013) Best practices: in the 21st century, taxonomic decisions in herpetology are acceptable only when supported by a body of evidence and published via peer-review. Herpetological Review, 44: 8–23.

    Laurenti, J. N. (1768) Specimen medicum, exhibens synopsin Reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota Reptilium austriacorum. Viennae (Joan. Thom. Nob. de Trattnern): i–ii + 1–215, pl. 1–5.

    Martins, M. & Cardoso, A. J. (1987) Novas espécies de hilídeos do estado do Acre (Amphibia: Anura). Revista brasileira de Biologia, 47: 549–558.

    Orrico, V. G. D., Duellman, W. E., Souza, M. B. & Haddad, C. F. B. (2013) The taxonomic status of Dendropsophus allenorum and D. timbeba (Anura: Hylidae). Journal of Herpetology, 46: 615–618. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1670/12-208>.

    Park, J.-S. & Carlton, C. E. (2014) A revision of the New Zealand species of the genus Sagola Sharp (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae: Faronitae). The Coleopterists Bulletin, 68 (mo4): 1–156. <http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/072.068.0mo4.1>.

    Seba, A. (1734) Locupletissimi rerum naturalium Thesauri accurata descriptio, et iconibus artificiosissimis expressio, per universam physices historiam. Tomus 1. Amstelaedami (Janssonio-Waesbergios, Westenium & Smith): [i–xxxiv] + 1–154, pl. 1–114.

    Thorpe, S. E. (2017). Is photography-based taxonomy really inadequate, unnecessary, and potentially harmful for biological sciences? A reply to Ceríaco et al. (2016). Zootaxa, 4226 (3): 449–450. <https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4226.3.9>.