Phylogenetic revision of brachiopod taxa

Rhynchonelliform (=articulated) brachiopods comprised a dominant component of Paleozoic shallow marine ecosystems. Because fossil brachiopods are numerically abundant, well-preserved, and relatively easy to identify, they are an ideal clade to study for paleobiogeographic and paleoecological analyses, such as PaleoENM and dispersal analyses.  Thus, much of our work focuses on fossil brachiopods as a model clade for examining faunal level patterns.

Unfortunately, only a limited subset of fossil brachiopods have been analyzed phylogenetically.  Many of the techniques used in the lab, such as phylogenetic biogeography and speciation analysis, require a phylogenetic hypothesis. Consequently, many of our studies involve phylogenetic analyses of representative taxa within the biota.

Also, we just love brachiopods!

Representative publications:

Bauer, J.E. & Stigall, A.L. In press. A combined morphometric and phylogenetic revision of the Late Ordovician brachiopod genera Eochonetes and Thaerodonta. Journal of Paleontology.

Wright, D.F. & Stigall, A.L. 2014. Species-level phylogenetic revision of the orthide brachiopod Glyptorthis from North America. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 12: 893-906. Online

Wright, D.F. & Stigall, A.L. 2013. Phylogenetic revision of the Late Ordovician orthid brachiopod genera Plaesiomys and Hebertella from North America. Journal of Paleontology, 87(6): 1107-1128. Online

Stigall Rode, A.L. 2005. Systematic revision of the Devonian brachiopods Schizophoria (Schizophoria) and “Schuchertella” from North America. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology, 3(2): 133-167. Online

In the distant past, I also constructed phylogenies for arthropods and once (gasp) even a bivalve clade:

Rode, A.L. 2004. Phylogenetic revision of the Devonian bivalve, Leptodesma (Leiopteria). Yale University Postilla, 229: 1-26.Online

Rode, A.L. & Babcock, L.E. 2003. Phylogeny of freshwater crayfish and some related lobster groups. Journal of Crustacean Biology, 23(2): 418-435. Online

Rode, A.L. & Lieberman, B.S. 2002. Phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of Devonian phyllocarid crustaceans. Journal of Paleontology, 76(2): 269-284. Online

This research has been supported by grants from the National Science Foundation, American Chemical Society’s Petroleum Research Fund, and Ohio University.