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Myomorpha incorrectly synonymised with Sciurognathi #340
Comments
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yeah. This is not optimal, but when NCBI's classification does not recognize some subgroups (Myomorpha and Sciuromorpha in this case) of a higher taxon (sciurognathi), it lists the subgroups as synonyms. See https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Info&id=33553 |
hyanwong
commented
Feb 15, 2017
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Hmm, this is worse in this instance, because (and I quote for wikipedia) "most researchers do not consider Sciurognathi as an equally valid group. In particular, gundis are thought to be more closely related to the hystricognathous rodents than to other sciurognaths. In spite of this, most texts continue to use these two suborders due primarily to a lack of a viable alternative. Alternatively, some texts group rodents into three suborders on the basis of the shape of the infraorbital canal. According to this taxonomy the rodents are divided into the suborders Sciuromorpha, Hystricomorpha, and Myomorpha." So it may be that NCBI is not using a monophyletic taxon, which will (presumably) vanish if a correct phylogeny is incorporated. |
hyanwong
commented
Feb 15, 2017
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@mtholder in fact, myomorphs does exist on the OpenTree, it is simply not named. It is at https://tree.opentreeoflife.org/opentree/opentree8.0@mrcaott42ott55949/Dipodidae--Muroidea. What happens in this case? |
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If we had this taxon, it would get the name. The trouble is that the only thing that we know about the name is that NCBI lists it as a synonym. |
hyanwong
commented
Feb 15, 2017
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Well, for this particular case, Myomorpha is named in e.g. Fabre (2012) which is referenced in OpenTree as a study that resolves this node. So can it simply to be added as a clade name to https://tree.opentreeoflife.org/curator/study/view/pg_2688 or one of those other trees? Or do you not take clade names from phylogenetic studies? |
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No. Currently the taxonomy creation is quite separate from the phylogenetic study curation. But thanks for pointing out that study. We have one ad hoc tree provided by taxonomic experts as a taxonomic input. That tree that is used a a source of names and structure. So having a study is helpful. |
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NCBI distinguishes pro parte synonyms from others, so there is the possibility of being smarter. This happens to be the same question as #341, and I've created OpenTreeOfLife/reference-taxonomy#316 to track it. |
hyanwong commentedFeb 15, 2017
If you type in "myomorpha" to the search box, it thinks you are looking for squirrels (Sciurognathi), not the same at all
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Metadata | Do not edit below this line
:------------|:----------
Author | Yan Wong
Upvotes | 0
URL | /contact
Target node label |
Synthetic tree id |
Synthetic tree node id |
Source tree id(s) |
Open Tree Taxonomy id |
Supporting reference | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myomorpha