[Annelida] Hirudo species confusion in the news

[J. Kirk Fitzhugh]

It's amusing how the authors state that 'Accurate annotation of 
bioactive compounds relies on precise species determination,' and 
even provide an illuminating distinction in pigment patterns between 
'species' in their Fig. 1.  Yet, they forego all these (and no doubt 
other) relevant characters in lieu of some sequences to proclaim 'DNA 
barcoding distinguishes European medicinal leech species.'

I wonder to what extent the need to publish overshadows the more 
rational practices of good science. Plus, my tax dollars went into 
the production of this paper.

Kirk

At 01:51 PM 4/11/2007, Geoff Read wrote:

>By the way the authors have DNA Barcoding as a keyword. :-)
>
>Geoff
>--
>   Geoff Read <g.read from niwa.co.nz>
>    http://www.annelida.net/
>    http://www.niwascience.co.nz/ncabb/
>
>
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
J. Kirk Fitzhugh, Ph.D.
Curator of Polychaetes
Invertebrate Zoology Section
Research & Collections Branch
Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History
900 Exposition Blvd
Los Angeles CA 90007

Phone:   213-763-3233
FAX:       213-746-2999
e-mail:   kfitzhug from nhm.org
http://www.nhm.org/research/annelida/staff.html
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