Spores - THE definative taxonomic feature??

[K N and P J Harris]

Think about the number of generations a "culture collection" specimen 
might have gone through. Then think about finding a strange pig. You go 
to a pig farm and find that their pigs are quite different from your 
pig. Then think about how many generations the pigs might have gone 
through. All "culture collections" tend to be collections of 
"domesticated" micro-organisms - ones that are stable under the lab 
condition. If they are not stable they are no use to a collection.

Lets hear it more for the "wild types" even if they give taxonomists 
headaches.

Just a thought.
Peter Harris,
Reading Uni. UK>