Phylogenetic Analysis of Morphological Data

In this volume, eleven leading systematists provide an overview of recent advances and controversies in morphological phylogenetics. They summarize new methodological developments--including approaches for analyzing ontogenetic data, fossils, morphometric characters, intraspecific variation, and hybrid taxa--and review published studies to evaluate how morphological phylogenetics has actually been practiced. They also discuss the relationship between morphological and molecular systematics, and address the controversial use of morphology-based phylogenies to study the evolution of morphological characters. This volume is the first dedicated to morphological phylogenetics. It will be a valuable synthesis for all phylogenetic biologists, including molecular and morphological systematists, paleontologists and neontologists, and botanists and zoologists.