Biosystematists debate whether, and how, to include DNA sequence assertions in biological species definitions. In this paper the author distinguishes two ways to assert DNA sequences in species definitions: the alternational DNA sequence method and the DNA sequence consensus method. The author describes and explains the two methods and argues for using the alternational DNA sequence method because it is logical, requires no preliminary aligning of DNA sequences and no consensus-making, is useful…
Read moreBiosystematists debate whether, and how, to include DNA sequence assertions in biological species definitions. In this paper the author distinguishes two ways to assert DNA sequences in species definitions: the alternational DNA sequence method and the DNA sequence consensus method. The author describes and explains the two methods and argues for using the alternational DNA sequence method because it is logical, requires no preliminary aligning of DNA sequences and no consensus-making, is useful for identifying individual specimens, and captures intra-species variation. On the other hand, DNA sequence consensus species defining is illogical, does require preliminary aligning of observed sequences and a consensus-making step, is not useful for identifying individual specimens, and does not capture intraspecies variation.
