Additionally, let us be remembering that the animal's description
can be misleading if our ignorance is considerable (which is usually
the case).
Imagine, if you will, someone ignorant of the wide range of human
morphology -- trying to describe dwarves (achrondoplasia, I believe it
is called). Dwarves are everything a human should be, except
being "tpyical" in height (due to bone differences).
Are there sufficient differences to warrant the description of a "new"
species or not? There aren't many of us who would pass that test if we
were in the same state of ignorance of humans as we are are of
molluscan pysiology.
We crave surety and cannot have it. We'll just have to live with it --
while we work our ways toward it.
Aloha,
makuabob (a.k.a. Bob Dayle)