AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

The Origin and Early Evolution of Turtles

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:1999
Authors:RIEPPEL, OLIVIER, REISZ, ROBERTR
Journal:Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics
Volume:30
Date Published:1999
ISBN Number:00664162
Keywords:Corvidae, Corvus, Corvus corone
Abstract:A critical reexamination of turtle relationships continues to support a sister-group relationship of turtles with a clade of marine reptiles, Sauropterygia, within crown-group Diapsida (Sauria). The high Homoplasy Index raises concerns about the phylogenetic information content of various morphological characters in broadscale phylogenetic analyses. Such analyses may also suffer from inadequate statements of primary homology. Several such statements that have played an important role in the analysis of turtle relationships (dermal armor, acromion, astragalo-calcaneal complex, hooked fifth metatarsal) are reviewed in detail. An evolutionary scenario for the origin of the turtle bauplan suggests an aquatic origin of turtles, which is supported not only by their sauropterygian relationships, but also by paleobiogeographic and stratigraphic considerations. However, turtle relationships remain labile, and further investigations of their relationships are required, involving molecular and physiological data.
URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/221677
Short Title:Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith