Message 2004-10-0089: Re: Apomorphy-based clades; was Re: Panstems

Tue, 14 Sep 2004 17:42:25 -0500

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Date: Tue, 14 Sep 2004 17:42:25 -0500
From: [unknown]
To: David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>
Cc: phylocode@ouvaxa.cats.ohiou.edu
Subject: Re: Apomorphy-based clades; was Re: Panstems

Quoting David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>:
> Well. "Most inclusive clade" doesn't mention an ancestor, but it st=
ill
> implies one. The question "where does the clade start" doesn't go a=
way.

The trick is, that is a BIOLOGY question, not a nomenclature question=
. What
thing to label as the first ancestor. Similarly, the contents of a
"conventionally" defined clade is a Biology (systematic) question, no=
t a
nomenclature question.

However, as Dr. de Queiroz pointed out in Paris, this definition stil=
l imposes
concept of what life "is," that the idea of life is tied to ancestry =
and
descent. I am comfortable with this, myself.

Jon






  

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