Re: clarification

[Stanley Friesen <sarima@friesen.net>]

At 07:35 AM 6/22/00 -0700, Ken Kinman wrote:

> Stanley,
>     I pretty much agree with all your statements on the paraphyly of 
> Thecodontia.  But I am indeed a taxonomist of Mayrian stripe, and taking 
> Peter Ashlock's systematics course at the University of Kansas back in 
> the 1970's had an immense impact on how I practice systematics.

Gads, I wonder if we have met.  I took Dr. Ashlock's course in about 1977 
or 1978  (I graduated from KU in 1979).

>  Your last statement below makes the assumption that one is recognizing 
> the traditional Thecodontia (sensu stricto).
>     However, in an effort to make Thecodontiformes ("Thecodontia" sensu 
> lato) as useful as possible, I include prolacertiforms and rhynchosaurs 
> (and still haven't decided about choristoderes).

I am not sure such a large and variegated group is really that useful.

If I had a good set of character data superimposed upon a cladogram, I 
could try to estimate optimal breakpoints for paraphyletic taxa.

--------------
May the peace of God be with you.         sarima@ix.netcom.com