> We seem to be missing the mark in these discussions on Hediste,
> Neanthes, & Nereis. ...
> Once one recognizes which nereidid genera are not monophyletic, there
> is a fairly clear sense of the revisionary work needed. I havn't seen
> even this first step taken yet.
>> Kirk Fitzhugh
Kirk is right, the issue is monophyly of these generic combinations.
But I am embarassed to have to admit (after remaining silent on this
subject for a week!) that the first step HAS been taken, but only as an
unpublished part of my PhD thesis. I have held back from publication
because my cladistic analysis gave weak support for several of these genera
and strongly indicated that some, like Neanthes s.s., are paraphyletic, or
maybe even polyphyletic. I have been unwilling to propose new generic
definitions until I had independent supporting data. But not many authors
are so reticent with their taxonomies, and many have pushed me to get this
out so that at least there is something more concrete to argue about, so I
will have to get busy ...
In the meantime, for practical purposes, it is more or less as Gesa
Hartmann-Schroder (and Fauchald 1977!) said: Hediste are those taxa with
paragnaths on oral and maxillary rings and fused neuropodial falcigers
posteriorly; Nereis are those with notopodial homogomph falcigers; and
"Neanthes" are the rest (!). But I must disagree with Gesa's comment on
common characteristics. Similarities (character states) shared by these 3
taxa are also shared by several other nereidid genera, and it seems to me
that these 3 are no more closely related than they are to several other
valid genera. It is unimportant and arbitrary whether one refers to these
combinations as genera or subgenera, but from my comments you will guess
that I strongly favour elevating all subgenera to genus status.
I am sorry I can not direct interested persons to a paper (yet).
bye
Robin
Robin Wilson
Museum of Victoria
71 Victoria Crescent
Abbotsford 3067
Australia
telephone (61) 3 9284 0216; fax (61) 3 9416 0475
rwilson at mov.vic.gov.au
Polychaetes of Australia URL http://www.mov.vic.gov.au/poly
-- ANNELIDA LIST
Discuss = <annelida at net.bio.net> = talk to all members
Server = <biosci-server at net.bio.net> = un/subscribes
Archives = http://www.bio.net:80/hypermail/ANNELIDA/
Resources = http://biodiversity.uno.edu/~worms/annelid.html
--
