Re: Benton and Kinman (long)

[NJPharris@aol.com]

In a message dated Sat, 27 Oct 2001 11:50:13 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "Ken 
Kinman" <kinman@hotmail.com> writes:

> 
> Thanks David,
>      Benton's 1997 classification is a valiant effort to store cladistic 
> information, while at the same time recognizing some paraphyletic groups.  
> He obviously recognizes Crocodylia sensu lato and separates Aves from 
> Reptilia.

Hm.  It doesn't look to me like he separates Aves from Reptilia.  It looks like 
he stuffs a "class" (Aves) into a "division" (Maniraptora) (which is really 
what you're doing, too, if you'd only admit it), which really seems to stretch 
the concept of rank beyond usefulness.

--Nick P.