Cladistic hypotheses

[Matt Buys]

Hi all

I just got a reviewers report on a manuscript where he/she says that the word hypothesise as in the example below is misused:
        "The cladistic analysis hypothesises the presence of spotted and unspotted leaves as having developed mainly in parallel in X, Y and X."

According to the reviewer, "An analysis may show some result but it does not per se hypothesise anything. The authors are free to hypothesise what they think fit from the results of an analysis."

1. Is'nt a cladogram a hypothesis of relationships AND of character state distributions? 

M.

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Q: What did the stamen say to the pistil?
A: I like your "style"
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Dr. Matt H. Buys
A.P. Goossens Herbarium
School of Environmental Sciences & Development
North-West University
Private Bag X6001
Potchefstroom 2520
South Africa

Tel: 018 2992507
Fax: 018 2992503

buysmh at puk.ac.za
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