On Tuesday, March 16, 1999 at 7:24:11 am VUT,
"Ankistro Desmus" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>In a message dated 3/15/99 4:11:24 PM EST, [log in to unmask]
writes:
>
>> Maybe it's time to get into the digital age (if Linnaeus could only
>imagine)
>> and assign unique numberic or alphanumeric identifiers to all species.
>
>Say, that would work well once the genome of each species is determined.
>DNA
>sequencing seems like it would be a pretty indisputable way to identify
>species.
That would make a collection interesting...having to sequence a specimen
before it could be assigned to its correct place in the collection! Perish
the thought! Remember that even the molecular systematists rely on
morphological and/or ecological characteristics as a way of identifying their
specimens!
Bronwen
Melbourne, Australia