At 1/29/02 10:29 AM, Blane wrote:
>Dr Taylor from KS has some data that suggests the african and european bees may be different species from a biological point of view.

What does this mean? Species can *only* be defined from a biological point of view, there is no other point of view from which to define species. Further, data indicate nothing in themselves; they must be interpreted. However, the fact that they interbred so easily would tend to discount the need for classifying them as separate species. On what basis would such a division be made? It is worth noting, again, that taxonomists tend to be either lumpers or splitters, and that in many cases there are not arbitrary divisions present between organisms.

pb