Growth of knowledge on the reptiles of India, with an introduction to systematics, taxonomy and nomenclature
The progress in our understanding of the contents of the reptile fauna of India is reviewed. The early classification of the fauna was undertaken during Vedic times, and included groupings based on form, medium occupied, sensory powers and whether wild or dom...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Bombay :The Society
2003
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| Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/11524/ http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/11524/1/Growth%20on%20knowledge%20of%20reptiles%20%28abstract%29.pdf |
| Summary: | The
progress
in
our
understanding
of
the
contents
of
the
reptile
fauna
of
India
is
reviewed.
The
early
classification
of
the
fauna
was
undertaken
during
Vedic
times,
and
included
groupings
based
on
form,
medium
occupied,
sensory
powers
and
whether
wild
or
domesticated.
The
Linnean
system
of
binomial
nomenclature,
adopted
since
1758,
is
the
most
widely
used
scheme
of
classification,
but
has
its
limitations,
chiefly
in
being
incompatible
with
the
principle
of
common
descent.
Phylogenetic
and
other
classifications,
based
on
natural
groups,
have
lead
to
a
proliferation
of
studies
on
systematics,
from
the
traditional
studies
of
morphology
and
anatomy,
to
the
use
of
more
modem
molecular
techniques.
Aspects
of
systematics,
taxonomy
and
nomenclature
are
discussed
for
non-systematists.
The
last
stocktaking
of
the
reptile
fauna
of
India,
in
the
three
volume
Fauna
of
British
India
series
by
Malcolm
Smith
is
compared
with
the
fauna
now
known
from
the
country.
A
general
conclusion
reached
is
that
there
is
much
to
be
learnt
of
the
country’s
highly
diverse
and
endemic
reptile
fauna,
but
efforts
need
to
be
accelerated
in
the
face
of
loss
of
habitats
as
a
result
of
deforestation
and
of
systematic
expertise
itself,
with
cuts
in
research
funding
and
realignment
of
policies
on
basic
research. |
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