Effects of character weighting and species sampling on phylogeny reconstruction: A case study based on DNA sequence data in cetaceans

摘要: Different phylogenetic analyses of the same genetic data set can yield conflicting results, depending on choice parameter settings and included taxa. This is particularly true in studies involving sets where levels homoplasy are high likely to obscure signal. Filtering this noise be attempted, with varying degrees success, by using different weighting schemes ingroup/outgroup choices, but it difficult decide objectively which approach best. Using a cytochrome b from cetaceans artiodactyls, we examined effects suite outcome analyses. We tested 2968 combinations among seven parameters that most often vary studies. It our contention sensitivity analysis identifies portions multidimensional space signal reliably recovered, simple rules given guide settings. Portions have been used previous namely monophyly vs. paraphyly one two major recognized cetacean suborders, toothed whales. strongly supports sister relationship between sperm whales baleen