[Taxacom] New synapomorphy for humans and orangutans

[Kirk Fitzhugh]

Kinman wrote: "Declaring it a synapomorphy is at best premature."

Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem. It's not advocated in science for nothing.

Kirk

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
J. Kirk Fitzhugh, Ph.D.
Curator of Polychaetes
Invertebrate Zoology Section
Research & Collections Branch
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
900 Exposition Blvd Los Angeles CA 90007

Phone: 213-763-3233
FAX:    213-746-2999
e-mail: kfitzhug at nhm.org
http://www.nhm.org/site/research-collections/polychaetous-annelids
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~



-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu on behalf of Kenneth Kinman
Sent: Sat 1/2/2010 6:11 PM
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: [Taxacom] New synapomorphy for humans and orangutans
 
Oh dear,
      It's deja vu all over again.  But now all you need to do is to
find a genome change which backs it up (or any of your other proposed
synapomorphies).  Otherwise, it's most likely just what the authors
suggested it is---homoplastic, not synapomorphic.                      
                 -----Ken                           
P.S.  It would be interesting to know if bonobo chimps have a later
eruption of molars than regular chimps.  Wouldn't be at all surprised if
bonobos erupt closer to 4.6 years than regular chimps at 4.0 years.
With so little sampling, I wouldn't read too much into this character
anyway.  Declaring it a synapomorphy is at best premature.


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