Elephants-help

[Rick Toomey]

Gunn at Otago.ac.nz (Derek Gunn) writes:

>If you've got a PC (or a PowerMac with SoftWindows ;-)) you could
>upload SKIS v5.6 via FTP and find out for yourself.
>-  ftp.coast.net:/pub/systems/pc/garbo/science/SKIS_56.ZIP
>(There is an announcement for it in this newsgroup - bionet.general).
>
>Anyway, it would tell you -
>Phylum:  Chordata
>Class:   Mammalia
>
>SKI#       ORDER         Family         Genus      species     Other Info
>
>795.1.1.1  PROBOSCIDEA   Elelphantidae  Elephas    africanus   African elephant
>795.1.1.2  PROBOSCIDEA   Elelphantidae  Elephas    indicus     Indian elephant
>
>
>Derek Gunn
>SKS-Information --------------------------------------------------
>Our prime aim is to develop and promote the widespread use of SKIS
>to assist users in the collection and communication of basic and
>detailed information for biological conservation and education.___

Derek, 

   What are you using for your taxonomic authority files?  Most
mammalogists and paleontologists that I know use the genus 
_Loxodonta_ for the African elephant.  This follows the 
usage in 

Wilson, D. E., and D. M. Reeder (eds).  1993.  Mammal Species of
   the World. Smithsonian Institution Press, 1206 pp.  (Available
   from Smithsonian Institution Press, 1-800-782-4612 or
   703-689-0660.)

Do you know of a more recent revision of the Proboscidea that 
has synonymized _Loxodonta_ and _Elephas_?

Rick Toomey
Illinois State Museum
toomey at museum.state.il.us