Comments on: Phylogenetic fallacies: "early branching equals primitive". http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching/ Sun, 05 Feb 2012 06:46:45 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Anonymous http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching/comment-page-1/#comment-890 Anonymous Wed, 14 Jan 2009 03:42:00 +0000 http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching-equals-primitive/#comment-890 I've got a question: If ctenophores have nervous systems and sponges do not, if ctenophores are more basal this implies one of two things: either ctenophores independently evolved a nervous system (unlikely), or sponges lost theirs (again, I think this is unlikely as well). So I'm guessing that the study is wrong, that in fact sponges are actually more basal. I’ve got a question: If ctenophores have nervous systems and sponges do not, if ctenophores are more basal this implies one of two things: either ctenophores independently evolved a nervous system (unlikely), or sponges lost theirs (again, I think this is unlikely as well). So I’m guessing that the study is wrong, that in fact sponges are actually more basal.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching/comment-page-1/#comment-773 Anonymous Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:11:00 +0000 http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching-equals-primitive/#comment-773 The really astonishing thing about this particular tree is that it means that the many features shared by comb jellies and jellyfish are convergent.<br/><br/>In my opinion it's the remarkable evolutionary convergence, rather than the complexity, that makes this particular model of metazoan relationships an extraordinary claim. <br/><br/>(No, I'm not a creationist / IDist. My point is that this is hardly a humdrum result. In fact, I suspect that it's in error) The really astonishing thing about this particular tree is that it means that the many features shared by comb jellies and jellyfish are convergent.

In my opinion it’s the remarkable evolutionary convergence, rather than the complexity, that makes this particular model of metazoan relationships an extraordinary claim.

(No, I’m not a creationist / IDist. My point is that this is hardly a humdrum result. In fact, I suspect that it’s in error)

]]> By: Don http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching/comment-page-1/#comment-769 Don Wed, 16 Apr 2008 17:21:00 +0000 http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching-equals-primitive/#comment-769 Does it make sense to say that the general trend (the absolute trend if you include enough time) is that things get simpler (more primitive) as you go back in time? If so, then early branching + little morphology change equals primitive. Correct? This way of looking at primitive drains away the negative connotations because it means that the morphology has competed and survived against all comers since the branching occurred. Does it make sense to say that the general trend (the absolute trend if you include enough time) is that things get simpler (more primitive) as you go back in time? If so, then early branching + little morphology change equals primitive. Correct? This way of looking at primitive drains away the negative connotations because it means that the morphology has competed and survived against all comers since the branching occurred.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching/comment-page-1/#comment-767 Anonymous Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:05:00 +0000 http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching-equals-primitive/#comment-767 Perhaps the sponge is not so simple after all. I mean that it has an extraordinary immune system that in its range though not as selective or specialised, is of a complexity that probably outmatches the development of the Ctenophore's protonervous system Perhaps the sponge is not so simple after all. I mean that it has an extraordinary immune system that in its range though not as selective or specialised, is of a complexity that probably outmatches the development of the Ctenophore’s protonervous system

]]> By: NomadSoul http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching/comment-page-1/#comment-765 NomadSoul Wed, 16 Apr 2008 08:18:00 +0000 http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2008/04/phylogenetic-fallacies-early-branching-equals-primitive/#comment-765 Thanks for the added info. When I saw this story I knew that it was being oversimplified a bit, although even then the story DID note that there were several possible explanations that don't involve "some big complex animal preceded the simpler forms". Thanks for the added info. When I saw this story I knew that it was being oversimplified a bit, although even then the story DID note that there were several possible explanations that don’t involve “some big complex animal preceded the simpler forms”.

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