Partially incorrect fossil data augment analyses of discrete trait evolution in living species.

Abstract excerpt

Ancestral state reconstruction of discrete character traits is often vital when attempting to understand the origins and homology of traits in living species. The addition of fossils has been shown to alter our understanding of trait evolution in extant taxa, but researchers may avoid using fossils alongside extant species if only few are known, or if the designation of the trait of interest is uncertain. Here, I...

Topics

• Fossils
• Likelihood Functions
• Phenotype
• Phylogeny