Et tu Tony!
Sure Kluge's paper is not the holy scripture, and he does raise interesting
theories and realities. It should come as an eye-opener for some list
members to learn of Kluge's proposal of Diplodactylinae/Pygopididae higher
taxonomic relations. There is no doubt that pygopods are related to
geckos. But to the average gecko keeper, most would never believe that a
Strophurus ciliaris is lumped in with a Pygopus nigriceps ("leg-less"
lizard)! Worm-like creatures closely related to arboreal creatures
comically adorned with goo-ejector spines? Who would have thunk it? The
interesting roots of what species are related, and to what degree, and how
the taxonomists sort it out, by family, sub-family, etc., always provide a
hunting ground for others to pry apart their efforts.
By the way, I will eventually learn not to respond to this list, with you
listening, with any information that could be misconstrued as derogatory
(he-hmm, Homonota) towards bwana Arnold:) I have learned to expect a
"Gamble-ing" rebuttal. ( "there's nothing wrong with a the man that has
inhaled formaldehyde since WWII " - joking! take it easy now...)
Jon
-----Original Message-----
From: Tony Gamble [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Wednesday, January 24, 2001 12:05 AM
To: Jon & Stacy Boone
Subject: Re[2]: [Gecko] pictus inbreeding
Hello,
JSB> There! How about that??? Your Rhacodactylus, Naultinus, and Nephrurus
are
JSB> in with the "legless" Flap-foot's!!!!
Et tu, Jon Boone? Dr. Kluge's paper, while not holy scripture, sure
has some good points in it. I particularly like the possibility he
raises that the Diplodactylini (Diplodactylus, Oedura, etc...) and
Pygopodinae may be more closely
related to each other than the Diplodactylini is to the
Carphodactylini (Nephrurus, Rhacodactylus, Naultinus, et al). Wow!
How the pygopids fit within the Gekkota will be an unresolved issue
for a while but it is clear that they are Gekkotans and that they are
allied (somehow) with the Diplodactylini and the Carphodactylini.
As to good pygopid literature... beg, borrow, or steal the following:
Garth Underwood. 1957. On lizards of the family Pygopodidea...J.Morph
100(2):207-268
Arnold Kluge. 1974. A taxonomic revision of the lizard family
Pygopodidae. Misc. Pub. U Mich No. 147.
Arnold Kluge. 1976. Phylogenetic relationships in the lizard family
Pygopodidae: an evolution of theory, methods and data. Misc. Pub. U
Mich No. 152.
Allen Greer. 1989. The Biology and Evolution of Australian Lizards.
Surry Beatty and Sons, Chipping Norton, NSW. 264 pp.
--
Best regards,
Tony mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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