2009 Morphological criteria for recognising homology in isolated skeletal elements: comparison of traditional and morphometric approaches in conodonts

Abstract: Accurate hypotheses of primary homology are fundamental to many aspects of the systematics and palaeo-biology of fossils. They are particularly critical for con-odonts: virtually all areas of conodont research are underpinned by homology, yet the majority of conodont taxa are found only as disarticulated skeletal elements, and hypotheses of element homology are inferred from morpho-logical comparisons with complete skeletons. This can cause problems in taxa where more than one location within the conodont skeleton is occupied by elements with similar morphology. In such cases, morphological comparisons can yield equivocal or erroneous hypotheses of homology of isolated elements. The Eramosa Lagerstätte of Ontario (Silu-rian, Wenlock) preserves both isolated skeletal elements and articulated conodont skeletons. The latter provide a topo