Category
Poster - Basic
Description
Baraminology is the study of God’s created kinds as described in Genesis 1. Holobaramins are scientific approximations of these kinds, identified by building up. monobaramins (smaller, continuous groups of organisms) and dividing apobaramins (larger, discontinuous groups of organisms). The lungless salamander family (Caudata: Plethodontidae), composed of over 500 species in 29 genera, have been grouped together by herpetologists for almost 200 years. Our previous research estimates that lungless salamander holobaramin(s) are. found somewhere between the genus and family levels. To further narrow this range, this study aims to compare various tongue morphologies within the lungless salamander family using statistical baraminology methods. Characteristics were analyzed using DCA, MDS, PAM, and FANNY in BARCLAY. Results of all tests were also synthesized in a heat map summarizing continuity between related groups. Three major continuous groups, or monobaramins, are evident in the various analyses: 1) Tribes Plethodontini, Aneidini, Ensatinini, and Desmognathini (Subfamily Plethodontinae minus Hydromantini); 2) Tribes Spelerpini and Hemidactyliini; and 3) Tribes Bolitoglossini, Hydromantini, and Batrachosepini. The [Bolitoglossini + Hydromantini + Batrachosepini] monobaramin is also discontinuous from the [Plethodontini + Aneidini + Ensatinini + Desmognathini] monobaramin in several DCA analyses, indicating that these two may be separate holobaramins. Overall, these data indicate that lungless salamander holobaramin(s) lie between the tribe and subfamily levels. Molecular, hybridization, and historical taxonomic research by our team also confirm these results. We will continue our attempts to identify holobaramin(s) by investigating additional morphological datasets to expand our analysis. Despite the preliminary nature of our conclusions, we are the first to conduct baraminological analyses in this family of salamanders.
Using Morphological Data to Identify Lungless Salamander Kinds
Poster - Basic
Baraminology is the study of God’s created kinds as described in Genesis 1. Holobaramins are scientific approximations of these kinds, identified by building up. monobaramins (smaller, continuous groups of organisms) and dividing apobaramins (larger, discontinuous groups of organisms). The lungless salamander family (Caudata: Plethodontidae), composed of over 500 species in 29 genera, have been grouped together by herpetologists for almost 200 years. Our previous research estimates that lungless salamander holobaramin(s) are. found somewhere between the genus and family levels. To further narrow this range, this study aims to compare various tongue morphologies within the lungless salamander family using statistical baraminology methods. Characteristics were analyzed using DCA, MDS, PAM, and FANNY in BARCLAY. Results of all tests were also synthesized in a heat map summarizing continuity between related groups. Three major continuous groups, or monobaramins, are evident in the various analyses: 1) Tribes Plethodontini, Aneidini, Ensatinini, and Desmognathini (Subfamily Plethodontinae minus Hydromantini); 2) Tribes Spelerpini and Hemidactyliini; and 3) Tribes Bolitoglossini, Hydromantini, and Batrachosepini. The [Bolitoglossini + Hydromantini + Batrachosepini] monobaramin is also discontinuous from the [Plethodontini + Aneidini + Ensatinini + Desmognathini] monobaramin in several DCA analyses, indicating that these two may be separate holobaramins. Overall, these data indicate that lungless salamander holobaramin(s) lie between the tribe and subfamily levels. Molecular, hybridization, and historical taxonomic research by our team also confirm these results. We will continue our attempts to identify holobaramin(s) by investigating additional morphological datasets to expand our analysis. Despite the preliminary nature of our conclusions, we are the first to conduct baraminological analyses in this family of salamanders.
Comments
Undergraduate