"Parsimony" program for clade studies

[Kondla, Norbert FOR:EX]

i am surprised that this note did not generate some debate on the discussion
group. some very deep questions about what characteristics we use to
separate species and genera; and i know that there are some very strong
opinions on this topic. re. the most meaningful characteristics, the first
thing to decide is what species or genus concept one wishes to use.
regardless of concept /definition of same, some like chemical comparisons
(dna analysis), others swear on the value of genitalia and the list of
potential characters is pretty long. an interesting observation on genitalia
is that this character suite seems to be based on the very old lock and key
hypothesis which i do not think has ever been proven. if one likes the
chemical route and the biological species concept in the strictest sense,
then there is still the perhaps arbitrary issue of how much gene flow
separates species from subspecies in cases where one encounters a very
narrow 'hybrid' zone. how much weight to place on various character suites
and types ?? even among specialists there is debate about this. one could
make the observation that in nature there are only individuals and
populations - species and genera are products of the human mind and we are
all welcome to believe what we will. but still i enjoy a spirited taxonomic
debate as much as the next masochist

> ----------
> From: 	Jim Taylor[SMTP:1_iron at email.msn.com]
> Reply To: 	1_iron at email.msn.com
> Sent: 	Wednesday, March 17, 1999 7:20 AM
> To: 	snylin at ZOOLOGI.SU.SE; LEPS-L at lists.yale.edu
> Subject: 	"Parsimony" program for clade studies
> 
> Hi, Folks.
> 
> I read the other day about a program to determine the degree to which
> species, genera, etc., are related to each other, and the tool in use was
> a
> program using the principle of parsimony.  The name suggests a comparison
> of
> some sort of characteristics of the critters under study with those
> sharing
> the most being the most closely related. One could do this readily with a
> simple spread sheet program, I suppose, but the idea of a program written
> specifically to that purpose is intriguing.
> 
> I should like to look into this further.  Anyone know of this program, and
> how I might obtain a copy for study?  Anyone have an opinion on the
> veracity
> of the results compared to, say, a DNA analysis? How would one go about
> choosing the most meaningful characteristics for comparison? How would one
> weigh the characteristics so chosen?
> 
> Comments appreciated.
> 
> Jim Taylor
> 
> 
>