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Australian list taxonomy

To: Phil & Sue Gregory <>
Subject: Australian list taxonomy
From: Carl Clifford <>
Date: Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:23:03 +1100
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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