Re: Fossil Record 2 database

[rowe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Mickey Rowe)]

barryr@ucmp1.berkeley.edu (Barry Roth) writes:

> I read the Benton article in the April 7 _Science_.  I believe it is
> fundamentally flawed.  Although the author spends several paragraphs
> acknowledging that the "family" is an artificial construct,

Although I'm no fan of taxonomic ranks, I think "fundamentally flawed"
is a bit harsh.  It's important to take liberal doses of salt with all
conclusions based upon such an "artificial" analysis, but aside from
using other taxonomic ranks (as is being done), I don't see how else
to approach the subject about which Benton wrote.  If your imagination
is fertile enough to provide alternative strategies, I'd love to see
them!

-- 
Mickey Rowe     (rowe@lepomis.psych.upenn.edu)