Last year I mentioned the antics of Mr. Dewanand Makhan, an amateur taxonomist whose enthusiasm for publication rather outstrips any penchant for quality control. This week a team of myrmecologists has stepped in to reverse some of Makhan's errors:
All that [Makhan] has done is sample some of Surinameâs common species of Dacetini, and one common species of Basicerotini, and describe them all as new, without checking if any of them already had identities. His motives for writing this paper cannot be imagined and the total lack of investigation of previous endeavour defies understanding.
Source: Bolton et al. (2008) New synonyms in neotropical Myrmicine ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Zootaxa 1732: 61-64.
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Yeah, I saw that LONG thread about it in the ant forum...the guy's NUTS, and so is that editor who defended his shenanigans.
My respect to the authors who spent much time just to correct this nonsense.
Bravo! I only wish Zootaxa made the article open-access to serve as an object lesson to charlatans in all fields. Perhaps we ant guys can pass the hat to pay for open-access and "quantify" our collective relief in the successful resolution of this taxonomic problem.
Bolton will not have the last say I am afraid!
Dr Trevor J. Hawkeswood
www.calodema.com