Quantitative Phyletics and the Evolution of Anurans

Abstract

In the quantitative phyletic approach to evolutionary taxonomy, quantitative methods are used for inferring evolutionary relationships. The methods are chosen both for their operationism and for their connection to evolutionary theory and the goals of evolutionary taxonomy. As an example of this approach, a detailed analysis of a set of anuran characters is presented and taxonomic conclusions based on those characters are drawn. The methods and conclusions of the quantitative phyletic analysis are compared and contrasted with the methods of previous workers in the field of anuran classification.