Re: Dino Birds (was Re: Dinosaur = extinct animal)

[chris brochu <cbrochu@fmppr.fmnh.org>]

Dinogeorge@aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 7/12/99 10:50:51 AM EST, cbrochu@fmppr.fmnh.org writes:
> 
> << I discussed my reservations about "genera" being taxa in a post not long
>  ago. >>
> 
> Yes, well, if you allow paraphyletic species, and paraphyletic genera, why
> not paraphyletic families, orders, classes, and phyla? Shucks, kingdoms are
> paraphyletic these days (since eukaryotes are "merely" symbiotic
> prokaryotes). Why draw a line between genera and families? Simply because of
> a slight change in nomenclatural philosophy there?

Since I no longer recognize Linnean ranks, it is meaningless for me to
consider the "genus" to be some sort of taxonomic rank.  This is part of
why I no longer consider "genera" to be taxa as such - a genus name may
refer to a taxon, but need not do so.  


chris



-- 
----------------------
Christopher A. Brochu
Department of Geology
Field Museum of Natural History
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Chicago, IL 60605

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