Statistical inference about the upper and lower endpoints of the strat
igraphic ranges of fossil taxa can be based on the pattern of finds. S
trauss and Sadler (1989) described a test and confidence interval for
a common upper or lower endpoint in two or more taxa. This approach is
conservative, in the sense that it provides only an upper bound on th
e significance level. This paper describes and illustrates a test and
confidence interval for which the significance level is known.