Bayesian placement of fossils on phylogenies using quantitative morphometric data

Perspectives from fossils and phylogenies

Over half of all described species are insects, but until recently our understanding of the reasons for this diversity was based on very little macroevolutionary evidence. Here I summarize the hypotheses that have been posed, tests of these hypotheses and their results, and hence identify gaps in knowledge for future researchers to pursue. I focus on inferences from the following sources: (i) t...

On fossils, phylogenies and sequences of evolutionary change.

We thank Britz et al. [1] for introducing Houy's [2] prescient interpretation of the significance of †Opisthomyzon for the evolution of modern remora anatomy , and regret not having discovered his elegant account ourselves [3]. Many prominent ichthyologists have considered the relevance of †Opisthomyzon since its discovery more than a century ago [4– 7], but none of their observations approache...

C2 intralaminar screw placement: a quantitative anatomical and morphometric evaluation.

AIM To investigate the feasibility of placing a screw in the C2 lamina and evaluate the reliability of the surface of the dorsal arch of C2 as a landmark for determining the optimal site of screw entry. MATERIAL AND METHODS 88 adult human C2 spines were used. Seven measurements were determined for screw entry points, trajectories, and lengths for placement of intralaminar screws. RESULTS Th...

Integrating fossils with molecular phylogenies improves inference of trait evolution.

Comparative biologists often attempt to draw inferences about tempo and mode in evolution by comparing the fit of evolutionary models to phylogenetic comparative data consisting of a molecular phylogeny with branch lengths and trait measurements from extant taxa. These kinds of approaches ignore historical evidence for evolutionary pattern and process contained in the fossil record. In this art...

A Quantitative Reassessment based on Plant Fossils