One of the posts mentioned the problem was that science did not have the ability to accurately name them at this time. I believe, that nailed it square on the head.

Please do not get all in an uproar. As the rules are precieved in everchanging ways, with all the new taxonomist(more graduate every year) As they discover and rediscover the errors of the exsisting names, they change them.

But the epiphany is, at this time, there is a new and more accurate method being worked on, thats DNA. At this time, its not very good, as I have been told, each researcher uses a slighly different gene or gene type(some such nonsense) Its just not consistant. So as we sit in limbo, waiting for these methods to be perfected, there is lots of confusion and unrest.

Soon, with the improvement of DNA, as a tool, there will be many many many more species, and a clear picture of who is related to whom. My bet is, most of these local types, will be named. Hopefully that will last the rest of my lifetime.

Unfortunately, from the conversations I have had, they will be named full species. I wish, they would be subspecies or races. Maybe it will be reconsidered before then.

A thought, when I first became involved in the varanid world, I was told that Bohme, was the taxonomic god. He was doing great work. So I did some looking, and what I found was disturbing. I saw that he was naming lots of new species. But, I felt he was using a very poor approach. He had alined himself, with commerial collectors, and picked up(nice term) the first of many new monitors. The problem was, he did not do any actual research. Many of these newly named monitors, were named and discribed, without any real information, only heresay from the collectors. It indeed proved out, that the localities were not accurate. I was under the impression, with scientific nomenclature, the evidence must be verified, and local is a key component in naming a species. In other words, no one actually looked to see if the information was right. That sirs and sirsettes, is poor taxonomy.

Oh, let me add a similiar occurance. The problems I have with the MS and librarian, are almost exactly the same. As progress has allowed us to breed monitors successfully and commonly, just check our site, a week of all kinds of events, of many species(i think I am proud) The MS and librarian, are still clinging to the old ways, when no one had to have results. No one had to test theories on husbandry. But again, times have changed and its all about changing times. Thanks for the epiphany. FR

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