sub message_handler {
    my ($self, $message) = @_
    my $handler = 'handler_' . $message->{action};

    return undef if ! $self->can ($handler);
    return $self->$handler ($message);
}

sub handler_addTaxonName {
    my ($self, $message) = @_;
    my $newTaxon = $message->{newTaxon};

    ...

    my $balance = $self->create_message ('rebalance', -taxon => $newTaxon, ...);

    $self->{CDAT}->forward_message ($balance);
    return 1;
}

sub handler_rebalance {
    my ($self, $message) = @_;
    my $newTaxon = $message->{newTaxon};

    ...
}