Phantom subspecies: the wood bison Bison bison "athabascae' Rhoads 1897 is not a valid taxon, but an ecotype

Abstract

The proposal that the "hybrid bison' of Wood Buffalo National Park, Alberta, be exterminated and replaced with "wood bison' has no taxonomic justification. The subspecies Bison bison athabascae Rhoads 1897 is based on the inadequate descriptions and taxonomically invalid criteria (body size and morphometrics). -from Author