Cladistics: The Theory and Practice of Parsimony Analysis (Oxford Science Publications)
"Cladistics is defined in this work as a 'method of systematic classification that aims to reconstruct genealogies based on common ancestry, thus revealing the phylogenetic relationships between taxa'. Cladistics is the method of choice for comparative studies in the construction of cladograms and consensus trees. Three-item statements, another method of representing relationships, is also discussed. The text will be of interest to students, teachers, and researchers. Cladograms and consensus tree supplement the text."--Biological Abstracts/RRM®"The last several years have yielded developments on all fronts in cladistic analysis--from how we view characters to tree building methods to interpretations of patterns. Hence, an update of this book that pulls together these advancements is most welcome. While the first edition was essentially a collection of course notes on various topics relevant to cladistics, the second edition is quite different. The scope has been narrowed and refocused, and the new book is one-fifth longer than the original. . . . New topics covered include tree support, combination of data sets, and the still controversial three-taxon analysis method. . . . There are also summaries of the key points in each chapter, a list of recommended references, a glossary, and an appendix of relevant computer software. . . . [Useful] as an upper level textbook or a concise reference for those involved with parsimony analyses."--The Quarterly Review of Biology