Taxonomy has been much in the news in the past year or so. Everybody seems to want more of it, and in a slightly different way than it is currently done. Perhaps taxonomy should be done solely on the web, or by using a set of DNA barcodes — opinions differ. But just what is taxonomy and why is it suddenly in demand? I contend that taxonomy (or systematics, as some people prefer to call it) is composed of three interlocking spheres of scientific endeavour: phylogeny, description and identification. This book is a sterling example of how all three aspects of taxonomy can come together to produce something of lasting value to a variety of end-users.
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