Abstract:
Fifty five taxa belonging to subgenus Rana were subjected to multivariate techniques namely, ordination and cluster analysis, on the basis of 84 morphological and 12 morphometric characters taken together and separately. The findings showed that clustering obtained on the basis of morphological characters was more compatible with the classical phylogenetic schemes existing in literature. However, when all characters were considered together for ordination and cluster analysis, some major deviations were encountered as compared with the results obtained through morphological characters alone. This shows that component of morphometric characters interferes with existing phylogenetic schemes. It is concluded that there is an extreme need to revise the latter in the light of morphological and morphometric characters of high phylogenetic significance.
Page(s):
85-105
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: Biologia, Volume: 34, Issue: 1, Year: 1988