Phallic Facts, Fallacies, and Fantasies: Comments on Cohn's 1994 Paper on Melanoplus spretus (Walsh)

Abstract

In the course of analyzing my work (Lockwood 1989) on the morphometric differentiation of the Rocky Mountain grasshopper, Melanoplus spretus (Walsh), from its relative, the migratory grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes (F), T. Cohn undertook an intensive review and reinterpretation of the evidence (Cohn 1994). Although he raises a number of interesting points and clarifies several details, his review is fraught with misrepresentations of the literature, logical inconsistencies, and naive interpretations of science. In replying to Cohn's arguments, I shall address the four issues that appear to form the basis for his impassioned concern: 1) the context of my original work, 2) the uncertain taxonomic status of M. spreftus in acridology, 3) the inconsistent and selective use of genitalia as taxonomic characters, and 4) a novel and intriguing approach to the scientific method and the species concept.