COMBINATION OF DATA IN PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS

In phylogenetic analysis, when faced with different data sets from dif ferent sources, two approaches, ''taxonomic congruence'' and ''total e vidence'', compete with one another in seeking a best-fitting hypothes is. In either approach one deliberately ignores the notorious uncertai nty typically associated with the estimate of a best tree. It is propo sed here to represent the partly conflicting information contained in the data by specific networks with reticulations. This allows more fle xibility in evaluating and eventually combining data.