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Like David James, I find the interim taxonomy of
albatrosses offensive in the strictly scientific sense. But because
conservation of albatrosses is a critical issue, I recommend the use of a
standard that has the imprimatur of precedence.
An interim name may be shown clearly as such with the use of
brackets. Two examples will suffice...
Gibson's Albatross Diomedea (exulans)
gibsoni
Salvin's
Albatross Thalassarche (cauta) salvini
Another way to avoid controversy, at least in pelagic trip
reports, is simply to use the English name. After all, in the
instance of albatrosses there seems to be little argument about what populations
comprise the terminal taxa. Spurious use of scientic names then ceases to
be a problem.
Glenn Holmes & Associates
Birding & botanical
specialists
PO Box 1246 Atherton
Qld 4883
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