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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mysticete" data-source="post: 1653808" data-attributes="member: 67784">So these are the recommendations of the cetacean taxonomy workshop..."In addition to the use of morphology and geneticsto define subspecies, the subspecies concept shouldbe understood to embrace groups of organisms thatappear to have been on independent evolutionarytrajectories (with minor continuing gene flow), asdemonstrated by morphological evidence or at leastone line of genetic evidence. Geographical or behavioraldifferences can complement morphological andgenetic evidence for establishing subspecies. Assuch, subspecies could be geographical forms, incipientspecies, or even actual species for which data arecurrently too poor to support their being elevated tothe species level.""The group noted that criteria for delimiting subspeciescan be chosen arbitrarily, and that differentworkers might choose different levels of diagnosabilityor gene flow. Therefore, the onus should be lefton individual investigators to explain their choice ofcriteria and make their case for designation accordingly."So with these guidelines, what exactly is a subspecies?  The report even suggests that that any taxonomic designation at this level is arbitrary.  Having read similar papers By Cracraft and others, there does not seem to be a significant difference in definition between the concept of ESU, Subspecies, and Species.  Certainly the determination of independent trajectories is rather arbitrary, since it requires knowledge of the future fate of a species.</blockquote>

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