variety X subspecies
Fernando Rivadavia Lopes (ferndriv@usp.br)
Fri, 18 Aug 1995 15:27:49 -0500 (CDT)
I'd like to put forward a taxonomic query, hoping to start a debate
of sorts and get lots of different opinions. I've talked about this with
Jan Schlauer in the past, but am still not sure how to go about it.
As I understand it, the 'correct' way to use subspecies and variety
status with subspecific organisms is to employ 'ssp.' when the 2 taxons
grow geographically isolated and 'var.' when the 2 taxons are found
growing together. I think the correct words would be allopatric and
sympatric, respectively.
What we observe though is that some taxonomists only use 'ssp.'
while others only use 'var.'. I think Jan told me that Casper used both
these terms 'correctly'. As I've heard, 'ssp.' is generally preferred
by european taxonomists while 'var.' is generally preferred by americans.
I've also heard that if a new taxon is described as 'Drosera xxxxx
var.yyyy' and another taxonomist comes by later on and decides that this
new variety is actually a new species, he can elevate it to species level
and completely dump the variety name 'yyyy' and use a totally new name.
Yet if it was described as 'Drosera xxxxx ssp.yyyy', the subspecies name
MUST be used as the new specific name and thus become 'Drosera yyyy'. Jan
has told me that the first name with which the plant is described,
doesn't matter if it was a var. or ssp., MUST be maintained.
Anyways, I find this matter of var. and ssp. very and confusing
and am amazed that taxonomist still haven't come to any conclusion over
which should be used.
Last of all, if you don't mind Jan, I'd like you to explain about
the differences between the various TYPEs (like syntype, lectotype,
etc.). Though you've answered this to me before, someone else has asked
me this and I didn't think my explanation came out as good as yours.
Hopefully, other people have gotten lost with this and you won't be
answering a single person.