PHYLOGENETIC REANALYSIS OF STRAUCHS OSTEOLOGICAL DATA SET FOR THE CHARADRIIFORMES

Strauch's (1978) compatibility analysis of relationships among the sho rebirds (Charadriiformes) was the first study to examine the full rang e of charadriiform taxa in a reproducible way. Subsequently Mickevich and Parenti (1980) leveled serious charges against Strauch's character s, method of phylogenetic inference, and results. To account for these charges, Strauch's characters were re-examined and recoded, and parsi mony analyses were performed on the revised matrix. A parsimony analys is on 74 taxa from the revised matrix yielded 855 shortest trees, each length = 286 and consistency index = 0.385. In each shortest tree the re were two major lineages, a lineage of sandpiper-like birds and a li neage of plover-like birds; the two formed a monophyletic group, with the auks (Alcidae) being that group's sister taxon. The shortest trees were then compared with other estimates of shorebird relationships, c omparison suggesting that the charges against Strauch's results may ha ve resulted from the Mickevich and Parenti decisions to exclude much o f Strauch's character evidence.