Strombid shells were used to exemplify how to construct ontogenic trac
ks and evolutionary vestiges in morphological space (morphospace). Par
ameters in a mathematical model of shell form were used to construct m
orphospaces. Ontogenic information was mapped into these morphospaces
to form 'tracks.' Ontogenic tracks showed that the predominant trend o
f morphological evolution of strombid species consisted of an increase
of vertical dimensions of whorls (apertures). Integrating information
extracted from cladograms with ontogenic tracks in morphospace, 'evol
utionary vestiges' were determined and used to infer and reconstruct a
ncestral shell forms. (C) 1998 The Linnean Society of London.