The comparison of morphological and molecular data in phylogenetic systematics

Abstract

Analytical methods facilitating the use of molecular and morphological characters as complementary sources of phylogenetic information are explored. Separation of phylogenetically useful information from misleading patterns of character variation is most effective when the methods of "taxonomic congruence" and "character congruence" are used together. Statistical approaches for implementing both methods are described and illustrated with an example from the phylogeny of salamanders.