I appreciate Mariappan and Balasunda-ram for taking a lead in highlighting flaws in taxonomical literature which have not only led to wrong scientific interpretations, but also monetary loss. Mistakes of this kind are a result of poor knowledge on thesubject, because of which we are unable to estimate how many species of animals and plants exist today.We often talk of biodiversity loss, but unless we have a detailed account of the existing species the loss cannot be pinpointed. Numerous examples can be cited where wrong classification has led to misinterpretations. Taxonomy plays an important role inthe management of pests and weeds. To illustrate this point, Salvinia molesta (kariba weed), native of Brazil, is an aquatic fern and one of the world's worst weeds. The environmental damage caused by it has been enormous. It chokes lakes, reservoirs, slow-moving rivers, irrigation systems, rice paddies, fishponds, etc. with continuous metre-thick mats of dense vegetation. In addition to rendering the water useless for normal use, its presence can lead to the breeding of mosquitoes. Initially, the weedwas identified as Salvinia auricu-lata. A weevil, Cyrtobagous singularis, from Trinidad was used in Africa to control it, but the effort failed. Later, this weed was identified as S. molesta, whose growth in Queensland was controlled by Cyrtobagous fromBrazil. It is evident from these examples as to how effective control or mitigation measures could be implemented.
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