Re: vert vs invert

[hrlane@xxxxxxxxx]

     Why do you need cladistics when infact you can document evolutionary 
     lineages in the rocks?  To me it is the difference between inference 
     based on speculation (cladistics) and conclusions based on 
     stratigraphic facts.   Fortunately invertebrate fossils (including 
     microfossils-plant or animal) occur commonly enough in the record that 
     real evolutionary facts can be established based on superposition.  
     Not the same for other fossil groups (or perhaps records about their 
     stratigraphic occurrence are not kept adequately enough) where single 
     site specific occurrence does not lend itself to yielding relevant 
     stratigraphic information.  I take heart that invertebrate fossil 
     specialists do not have to place themnselves out on a limb by using 
     cladistics.   


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re:  vert vs invert
Author:  paleonet-owner (paleonet-owner@nhm.ac.uk) at unix,in
Date:    11/3/94 2:43 PM


Lets not forget that some invertebrate paleontologists (e.g. Niles Eldredge) 
have been cladists for a long time.  Nevertheless, the excruciatingly 
slow intrusion of claidistic methodologies into invert. paleo. is 
distressing; the exceptions, however (e.g. Sandy Carlson) are doing 
superb work.  - Roy Plotnick