Harry B. wrote,
> I third the idea, I was confused in the beginning and from what has been
answered, sub-family, tribe, & gerna all over lap. So, why not make it
easier on us older folk, eliminate.

Harry, I was pleased to note that, this time, everything that all the
"experts" said about tribes was perfectly in agreement, just written from
different perspectives.

The good thing about it is that no one forces you to use tribes in
classification. The rank is available for those who find it useful to make
finer distinctions. Most of the time, it's not needed. You are free to
ignore the information.

When dealing with the ICZN, you have to bear in mind that most animals are
insects, so a lot of the Code is geared toward the convenience of
entomologists, and there are always entomologists on the Commission that
governs the Code. People who have to deal with ants, termites, wasps, and
especially beetles have to cope with a multiplicity of closely related
species whose distinctions are fine -- but necessary not only to document
the diversity of life, but to deal in a practical manner with pests. Hence,
the use of cohorts, divisions, nations, phalanges, phratries, sections,
stirps, subtribes, superspecies, supergenera, tribes, and other taxonomic
units that are hardly ever used by malacologists but can be useful in
distinguishing groups of ants or beetles.

Andrew K. Rindsberg
Geological Survey of Alabama

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 265.6.11 - Release Date: 1/12/2005

----------------------------------------------------------------------
[log in to unmask] - a forum for informal discussions on molluscs
To leave this list, click on the following web link:
http://listserv.uga.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=conch-l&A=1
Type your email address and name in the appropriate box and
click leave the list.
----------------------------------------------------------------------