Re: synapomorphies not created equal

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/1/01 5:46:00 PM EST, twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com writes:

<< Not necessarily.  Certain apomorphies may be developmentally or 
functionally  linked.  Some dental characters in mammals may fall into both 
or either category.  The enlargement and aerodynamic refinement of wing and 
tail feathers may be both developmentally and functionally correlated. >>

"Linked" apomorphies nevertheless almost always follow one another in rapid 
succession, unless they are parts of the >same< single apomorphy, as when 
they are inseparable and you cannot have one without the other (e.g., 
enlarging one bone at the expense of reducing a neighboring bone, or 
acquiring a peg in one bone and a corresponding socket in a neighboring 
bone). Having two new apomorphies appear at the same time in the same species 
must be a very rare coincidence, given the time available.