Re: problem with interpretation of models in avian phylogeny

["Dora Smith" <villandra@austin.rr.com>]

Oh.  Thanks for explaining that.

>From the discussion I"m not sure that confuses only me, though.

Yours,
Dora Smith
Austin, Texas
villandra@austin.rr.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nick Pharris" <npharris@umich.edu>
To: "Dora Smith" <villandra@austin.rr.com>
Cc: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 1:07 PM
Subject: Re: problem with interpretation of models in avian phylogeny


> Quoting Dora Smith <villandra@austin.rr.com>:
>
> >                          i------ Ostriches and Rheas
> >                          i
> >                   i------
> >                   i      i
> >                   i      i------ Chickens and ducks
> >         i--------
> >         i         i
> >         i         i----- Falcon
> > ------i
> >        i
> >        i
> >        i---------   Passerines
> >
> > This model does not show that Passerines are basal to all other birds.
It
> > shows that Passerines were the first group to diverge from the other
birds.
>
> It's common practice to use the term "basal" for 'early-diverging', rather
than
> 'ancestral'.
>
> Nick Pharris
> Department of Linguistics
> University of Michigan