[Tcs-lc] concepts of Higher taxa

[Nozomi Ytow]

Martin wrote:

> While on the whole I think we are all in agreement - namely
> 1) The creation of new taxa cannot change existing higher taxon
> concepts

For clarification: suppose a monospecific higher taxon such as
class or even phylum (not uncommon in zoology).  We have a
good description of the species, but we can't give description
of higher taxa because we do not have another lower taxon.
Once we have a new lower taxon e.g. new species, then we can
define a subset of the description of the first scpcies as
description of higher taxon.

Does the creation of the new taxa change higher taxon concept by
narrowing?  Or, there were no higher taxon cocnepts because we cannot
define subset of the lower taxon's description?


Or, does the phrase mean that later publciation crating a new
taxon cannot affect on existing descriptions of higher taxon
in previous publications?

JMS