subspecies

tags: lories, Loriinae, Loriidae, ornithology, molecular biology, natural history museums A young pair of Meyer's Lories (Lorikeets), Trichoglossus flavoviridis meyeri. Image: Iggino [larger view]. "Can you help us identify a mystery lory in our collection?" I was pleasantly surprised to find this email request from Donna Dittmann, Collections Manager and Museum Preparator for the Section of Genetic Resources at Louisiana State University Museum of Natural Science in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. "Sure," I wrote back. "Send it to me and I'll see what I can do." I, and some of my lories,…