Polyphasic taxonomy.
Several organisms from a number of prokaryotic and eukaryotic groups have presented problems for systematists for a long time. Both phenotypic and genotypic methods for sorting out these relationships have been employed. There are limitations with each method when taken alone. Since the purpose of systematics is to determine the correct genealogical relationships among biological organisms, it is necessary to use all available means to arrive at consensus associations, and polyphasic taxonomy, which takes into consideration both methods, is a rational approach. In this short article, we provide a number of examples where polyphasic taxonomy is serving as the means of arriving at the desired consensus.
Uilenberg
Gerrit
G
A Surgente, route du Port, 20130 Cargèse (Corse), France. uilenber@club-internet.fr
Goff
Will L
WL
D000818:Animals; D004536:Ehrlichia / Q000145:classification*; D005838:Genotype; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000145:classification*; D009178:Mycoplasmataceae / Q000145:classification*; D010641:Phenotype; D010802:Phylogeny; D016792:Piroplasmida / Q000145:classification*; D013045:Species Specificity