Taxonomy & Scientific Classification In Reptiles...

[Rikki]

Well, i wish i'd known that when i was 13.

[HABU]

i'll say this, taxonomy was back in the day, the starting point with herps. there wasn't much more than short encyclopedia entry type of information, a paragraph or two about a snake... no care sheets to speak of generally. but taxonomy was all there... back then you learned about new snakes and lizards by studying reptile classification.... you knew all the boas and pythons before you had ever seen them... you also developed a clear understanding of things by their relationship evolutionarily speaking.
yep, i used to go to the library looking for binomial names... the concept of families, sub-families, genus, species, sub-species blah, blah were second nature back then. most guys could tell what genus something was in without having a clue as to what species he's looking at... characteristics popped out at you when you learned that way.

i've always noticed how new and somewhat experienced keepers don't really have a mental picture of classification... we all eventually learn it all but back in the day that was always mastered first...

i don't know... i just wanted to mention this for some reason... maybe it's just me... slow day here....

[Rikki]

Originally Posted by HABU

i'll say this, taxonomy was back in the day, the starting point with herps. there wasn't much more than short encyclopedia entry type of information, a paragraph or two about a snake... no care sheets to speak of generally. but taxonomy was all there... back then you learned about new snakes and lizards by studying reptile classification.... you knew all the boas and pythons before you had ever seen them... you also developed a clear understanding of things by their relationship evolutionarily speaking.
yep, i used to go to the library looking for binomial names... the concept of families, sub-families, genus, species, sub-species blah, blah were second nature back then. most guys could tell what genus something was in without having a clue as to what species he's looking at... characteristics popped out at you when you learned that way.

i've always noticed how new and somewhat experienced keepers don't really have a mental picture of classification... we all eventually learn it all but back in the day that was always mastered first...

i don't know... i just wanted to mention this for some reason... maybe it's just me... slow day here....

Well i'm not really a keeper, so i cant comment for them, but i agree that the science behind it is important. I'd love there to be more scientifically oriented discussions on here.

I'm always finding stuff i want to share, but most people care more about herpetoculture, rather than the scientific side.

[Caz]

Originally Posted by I Love Reptiles

Oh forget it!

I'm quitting the forums!

Some may think i'm over-reacting but i'm just fed up of people going onto me about my spelling!

I'm only 13 and never been that good at spelling! And does it really matter?

Anyway, with all of the hreads i've added on here - i've just been trying to help and then i get a load of people on my case so i'm just not gonna bother anymore!

I know all of you are entitled to your own opinion but don't go onto me about it! I'm not the only one on these forums with bad spelling.

So goodbye.
Oh - sorry - DID I HAVE ANY SPELLING MISTAKES IN THAT?!

I'm sorry if my post was a tad sarcastic. Last thing i'd want to do is put off a 13 year old herper.
It's just when dealing with scientific terminology spelling is important.

[sallyconyers]

Sorry to be a clever know it all but there is scientific proof that historic crocidilia actually became warm blooded and then due to there hunting strategies actually reversed back to being cold blooded! Crocodilia also were the firtst species to evolve a 4 chambered heart so should therefore be classified on their own and not with reptiles!!!

[Rikki]

Originally Posted by sallyconyers

Sorry to be a clever know it all but there is scientific proof that historic crocidilia actually became warm blooded and then due to there hunting strategies actually reversed back to being cold blooded! Crocodilia also were the firtst species to evolve a 4 chambered heart so should therefore be classified on their own and not with reptiles!!!

I'm aware of evidence suggesting the secondary evolution of ectothermy in Crocodilia, but i would like to see the evidence suggesting the exclusion of Crocodilia from Reptilia. This contradicts the common concensus that Reptilia is a paraphyletic grouping due to the exclusion of Aves.

[Saedcantas]

There's lots of new thinking that suggests Crocodilia and Chelonia are not within the Reptilia...

[Rikki]

Originally Posted by Saedcantas

There's lots of new thinking that suggests Crocodilia and Chelonia are not within the Reptilia...

I don't doubt there's ideas, there's always new paradigms in taxonomy, but i would really like to see some literature to suggest it. It would be interesting to see what reasons were given to alter the current perception.