Character loss, as opposed to absence, in the Annelida is regarded by Bleidorn (2007,
Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 45, 299–307) as a problem …

The coding of observations of organisms into a data matrix for the inference of phylogenetic
hypotheses has suffered from a variety of problems that have precluded development of a …

In view of their propositional content (ie they can be right or wrong), character statements (ie
statements that predicate characters of organisms) are treated as low-level hypotheses. The …

Practicing phylogenetic systematics as a sophisticated falsification research program
provides a basis for claiming increased knowledge of sister species relationships and …

Abstract Ernst Mayr's (1961, Science 131: 1501–1506) distinction between proximate and
ultimate causation in biology is examined with regard to the acquisition of understanding in …

Previously presented arguments for and against character weighting in systematic analyses
are briefly reviewed and the bases for different weighting methods summarized. A priori and …

The relationship between phylogenetic reconstruction and evolutionary theory is
reassessed. It is argued here that phylogenies, and evolutionary principles, should be …

Systematists have questioned the distinction between characters and character states and
their alignment with the traditional concept of homology. Previous definitions for character …

Abstract—Data scored for cladistic analyses may be quantitative or qualitative, continuous or
discrete, and show overlapping or non-overlapping values between taxa. Quantitative and …

The theory and practice of contemporary comparative biology and phylogeny reconstruction
(systematics) emphasizes algorithmic aspects but neglects a concern for the evidence. The …