[Taxacom] Underlying synapomorphies

[Frederick W Schueler]

Bob Mesibov wrote:

> My problem here is that I don't understand how the idea of 'underlying
> synapomorphies' can help me in a cladistic analysis. It might help me
> interpret the results of an analysis after it's done, but even then
> there would be other possibilities. How exactly is the idea useful?

* maybe it's not useful in cladifying a genus, maybe it's an idea that 
arises from attempts to cladify a genus, but is useful for the evo-devo 
understanding of the features of the genus that you've studied 
cladistically. Cladistic coding is a way of setting up characteristics 
in order to find least-falsified composite phylogenies, but it's only 
really applicable when there's a certain level of ignorance about the 
real details and mechanisms involved: hence the present discussion and 
the many threads on "paraphyletic species." Like all models, cladistic 
modelling frays around the edges where it's not fully applicable.

imho,

fred.
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