In fact, the number is closer to 5000 species. The authoritative Walker's
Mammals of the World, 1999 revised edition, gives 4809 living (or recently
extinct) species, but as new species are being described (and, as you
surmise, split) every year (especially in the rodent, insectivore and bat
families), the number must be nearing the 5000 mark by now.
Regards,
Paul Van Gasse
Kruibeke, Belgium
-----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
Van:
Dave Torr
Verzonden: woensdag 5 januari 2005 22:41
Aan: Reid
CC: Birding Aus
Onderwerp: Re: [BIRDING-AUS] Not a bird question
I have an Encyclopedia of Mammals which claims approx 4000 species. It
seems a reasonably "scientific" book so could be accurate - but a few
years old, and with changes in concepts of "what is a species" (see
the Rosella thread!) that could well have changed.
On Thu, 6 Jan 2005 08:34:04 +1100, Reid <> wrote:
> I read an article the other day which implied that there are 9,000 species
> of mammals in the world.
>
> Is this correct? I would have guessed there were more than that.
>
> Or did it mean, perhaps, families instead of species?
>
> Regards
>
> Ralph Reid
>
> --------------------------------------------
> Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
> www.birding-aus.org
> --------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
> birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
> to
>
>
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
--------------------------------------------
Birding-Aus is now on the Web at
www.birding-aus.org
--------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from this mailing list, send the message 'unsubscribe
birding-aus' (no quotes, no Subject line)
to
|
