Phil,
I would not hold my breath for a regularly updated "official"
checklist for Australia. It seems to me that trying to get taxonomists
to agree is about as easy as trying to round up cats with Greyhound. I
just use the IOC list and extract those species that are listed as
occurring in Australia. One advantage of the IOC list is that it does
have an Australian input via the Australian representatives to the IOC.
Cheers,
Carl Clifford
On 15/12/2011, at 12:03 PM, Phil & Sue Gregory wrote:
Some good points in your note about taxonomy David, I guess it simply
means that in many cases we simply don't know in which box to place
various taxa, and that there will not be a systematic organized
approach, it just means results and opinions will filter through as
research gets funded and written up.
The Helmeted Friarbird complex is clearly a grab-bag with a number of
pretty distinctive taxa currently subsumed in it, differing in both
voice and morphology and requiring a major analysis of all components
to resolve. I was surprised to see the IOC elevate yorki to species
level, but it is possibly correct, I would have been more
conservative and kept it with New Guinea Friarbird pending proper
analysis of all the components of that group. At least the IOC is open
to debate and input, you can query the rationale and have input about
vernacular names. I have pushed long and hard to get rid of the
imposed Clements names that suddenly appeared on that world checklist
when the push for standardization began, with some degree of success,
but it is a dynamic process and not set in stone, which I find
laudable. Achieving consensus is always tough going, and what is meant
by official Australian input?
I am still hazy about who are the keepers of the Australian Checklist.
I know Christidis and Boles compiled the last one, but is anyone
overseeing/ moderating subsequent changes? The whole taxonomic field
for Australian birds is in a state of flux, and there are already many
changes to the last edition, with more pending, and we surely don't
want to go another decade or more before a new edition gets published.
Having an on-line version with annual updates would be an ideal which
it might be nice to work towards, maybe something like this is in the
works but if so it sure is not well-known.
I agree about having one official list, but it does get frustrating
when one is aware of well-documented changes that are not yet adopted.
Who are the keepers of the Australian list, and how were they
appointed? It'd be nice to see a representative committee of
interested parties with an overall co-ordinator, whjch is the norm in
the UK, the states and much of Europe.
Phil Gregory
www.cassowry-house.com.au
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