TESTING THE CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION HYPOTHESIS BY USING A MOLECULAR DATINGTECHNIQUE

Authors
BROMHAM L RAMBAUT A FORTEY R COOPER A PENNY D
Citation
L. Bromham et al., TESTING THE CAMBRIAN EXPLOSION HYPOTHESIS BY USING A MOLECULAR DATINGTECHNIQUE, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United Statesof America, 95(21), 1998, pp. 12386-12389
Citations number
32
Categorie Soggetti
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Journal title
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United Statesof America → ACNP
ISSN journal
00278424
Volume
95
Issue
21
Year of publication
1998
Pages
12386 - 12389
Database
ISI
SICI code
0027-8424(1998)95:21<12386:TTCEHB>2.0.ZU;2-D
Abstract
Molecular studies have the potential to shed light on the origin of th e animal phyla by providing independent estimates of the divergence ti mes, but have been criticized for failing to account adequately for va riation in rate of evolution. A method of dating divergence times from molecular data addresses the criticisms of earlier studies and provid es more realistic, but wider, confidence intervals. The data are not c ompatible with the Cambrian explosion hypothesis as an explanation for the origin of metazoan phyla, and provide additional support for an e xtended period of Precambrian metazoan diversification.