Zoological research serving conservation

Zoological research serving conservation

International Conference on Zoology, Microbiology & Medical Parasitology
October 30-November 01, 2017 | Chicago, USA

Yehudah L Werner

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Abstract:

Zoology is important for human existence. Planning the conservation of the biosphere and of its species richness requires good alpha-taxonomy of animals. Yet much zoological research fails to serve this goal. Especially, two lines of research. First trendy genomic phylogeny studies that ignore or abuse morphology yield controversies and questions for example: whether to unite the lizard genera Geckonia and Tarentola, what are the species of Hemidactylus lizards hitherto lumped in Israel under H. turcicus? And are the morpho-taxa of Testudo graeca tortoises in the Levant real, despite genomic appearances? Second, investigations and debates about nomenclature, pitching priority against convention, and futile splitting of genera within a clade, such as the lizard Agama, waste the time of zoologists. Zoologists should practice solid morphologybased, genomics-supported, alpha-taxonomy

Biography:

Yehudah L Werner is matriculated in 1949 from the Re’alli School (Biological Trend), Haifa. He has army service in 1948-50. He is an amateur and researcher of fishes, amphibians and reptiles. He studied Zoology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, MSc in 1956, PhD (summa cum laude) in 1961. He is in the University’s staff since 1953 (TA), full Professor 1978, Emeritus 2000. He is the Co-founder, Society for Protection of Nature in Israel, 1953. Member, the Language Academy’s Committee on Zoological Terms, 1963-99. He is the Editor of Israel Journal of Zoology, 1973-89. He is the President of Zoological Society of Israel, 1991-93. He has some 470 assorted publications, including a guide to the reptiles and amphibians of Israel (1995, Hebrew) and reptile life in the land of israel with comments on adjacent regions (2016, Chimaira).

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