Taxonomy is such a mess as to have designated individual species for decades that in fact were not. As an example, we have seven "species" of oak trees here on our property, as designated by the "authoritative" Jepson e-Flora. Yet I had a tree geneticist up here recently who declared them all "mutts," and has both the DNA and physical evidence to prove it. In fact, the cross breeding among species was so significant, that even deciduous Quercus kellogii was crossing with Q. parvula shrevii, which is an evergreen tree and still bearing viable progeny! Yet for decades, people have missed noting the symptoms of hybridization simply because they believed they were distinct species when in fact there may only be "red" and "white" oaks.
For example, late last year we were bombarded with tragic accounts of the "extinction" of the "northern" white rhino, when the last male in captivity died after living in captivity for years.
What they did not tell you was that the genetically identical southern white rhino is not endangered.
The black rhino may disappear in our lifetime, but the white rhino is in far less trouble.
There are white RINO senators in such dissimilar places as South Carolina and Arizona for that matter.