An Evaluation of Lineages and Trajectories as Baraminological Membership Criteria
Todd Charles Wood and David P. Cavanaugh
Occas. Papers of the BSG No. 2, pp. 1-6
©2003 BSG.
|
Printable PDF of this article (214 Kb)
OPBSG Home
BSG Home
|
| Abstract |
Walter ReMine proposed that organisms that formed a 'true lineage' belonged to the same monobaramin.
Here, we critically evaluate this proposal and find it self-contradictory. ReMine's definition of
the "true lineage" presupposes the very thing that the true lineage purportedly demonstrates.
Wise's definition of "lineage" is more descriptive (and thus usable) but is cumbersome and difficult
to apply. Using Analysis of Pattern, we discovered two sets of taxa that exhibit lineage-like
patterns in 3D ANOPA. We propose to call such linear arrangements biological trajectories. We
define a biological trajectory as a linear or curvilinear arrangement of organisms in biological
character space, for which we have independent evidence of a transition through time. Because we
define them in descriptive terms, biological trajectories may be used as additive evidence in
identification of monobaramins.
|
|