Hi Philip:
I certainly don't have a problem with relying on Linneus classification system. However, without getting down to the genetic level, the gross morphology used to originally identify the different classes of organisms gets confusing at a certain point. After all, it's fairly easy to distinguish between, say, cow-kind, horse-kind, sheep-kind, goat-kind, dog-kind, cat-kind, snake-kind, camel-kind or the other "kinds" of animals that would be familiar to a Bronze Age tribe of nomads. However, without genetics, how do you distinguish between organisms that resemble each other but are vastly different?
For example, are these three animals representatives of the same "kind"?
See some of the problem?
(Edited to add really cool third image. With thanks to my friend Celsus.)
[This message has been edited by Quetzal, 04-04-2003]