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Re: MULTIPLE INCLUSIVE ANCHORS?
In a message dated 2/13/02 3:18:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,
Tetanurae@aol.com writes:
> Plus many other
> stem based taxa with more than one inclusive anchor. I thought that this
> could not be possible, because a topology like this [which is technically
> possible, we don't have the hindsight of the creator of the universe]:
>
> --+--Gallus
> `--+--Anser
> `--Fringilla
>
> would indicate that this supposed stem based clade is actually composed
of
> two different stems that are serial outgroups to Fringilla, and
polyphyletic.
I like it. If _Anser_ should prove to be closer to _Fringilla_ than to
_Gallus_, then Galloanserae (or whatever clade was being defined here)
self-destructs, and we don't have to deal with it any more, which is a good
thing, since the clade was named specifically to encompass a group including
galliforms and anseriforms but specifically _not_ higher land birds,
including _Fringilla_.
--Nick P.