Species classification and conservation implications

[DavidBrown]

Here is an article from Discover magazine about the difficulties in classifying species vs. subspecies, the effect of DNA data on species discovery, and the conservation implications of it all.

I think it is a very interesting article, but the article features giraffes so I am biased.


Discover Magazine: The latest in science and technology news, blogs and articles - When Animals Attack Our Attempts to Categorize Them

 

[nanoboy]

Nice article, but it is from 2010. Isn't that out of date for this field, or is it that nothing has changed in the field since then, and even since 2007 about giraffes?

 

[jbnbsn99]

Slightly biased David?

 

[DavidBrown]

Nice article, but it is from 2010. Isn't that out of date for this field, or is it that nothing has changed in the field since then, and even since 2007 about giraffes?

The article is not really out of date. People still argue about species "inflation" and whether genetically distinct groups should qualify for species status. The book "Ungulate Taxonomy" has come out since this article was published and suggested that many subspecies, including the giraffe species, should be elevated to full species status.

Giraffe taxonomy is still very much a work in progress.