Re: SICB Report

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/18/99 10:39:26 AM EST, cbrochu@fmppr.fmnh.org writes:

<< Not correct.  Different evolutonary conditions will most definitely
 impact the degree to which a strict parsimony analysis recovers the
 correct tree, or parts of it.  This is something that we've seen in our
 simulations, and that Huelsenbeck and Hillis' work showed. >>

My understanding of the situation is that under the best of circumstances
(e.g., fossil record perfect), the analysis recovers the correct cladogram
about 80-90% of the time. As circumstances worsen (more taxa missing, fewer
specimens available, etc.), this percentage falls. Previously, I was willing
to give analysis a 95% rating, hence my surprise to read that it's more like
85%. We >know< it's not 100%, so--what do >you< think the best-of-
circumstances rating should be? And can I quote you?