The Phylogenetic System of Ephemeroptera

Book excerpt: The book has general biological significance due to usage of the new non-ranking nomenclature and the rational layout of taxonomic text, which can be qualified as post-Linnaean systematics. While after the works by Lameere and Hennig, non-ranking classifications became widely used, this book represents the first experience of consistently non-ranking classification, including taxa of low taxonomic level (i.e. taxa traditionally regarded as genera, families et al.). In contrast to other recent attempts to elaborate a non-ranking nomenclature not contradictory to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, this one appears to be successful and can be applied to any zoological taxa (although its application in botany could be possible only after further elaboration). Biology is currently going through a crisis, which causes some investigators to use such non-scientific methods of reconstructing phylogeny as parsimony analysis. The author believes that the new method of phylogeny description and reconstruction used in this book will help indicate a way out of this crisis.