Molecular Systematics of the Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus): A Comparison of Parsimony, Likelihood, and Bayesian Approaches

Phylogenetic analysis of large datasets using complex nucleotide substitution models under a maximum likelihood framework can be computationally infeasible, especially when attempting to infer con dence values by way of nonparametric bootstrapping. Recent developments in phylogenetics suggest the computational burden can be reduced by using Bayesian methods of phylogenetic inference. However, few empirical phylogenetic studies exist that explore the ef ciency of Bayesian analysis of large datasets. To this end, we conducted an extensive phylogenetic analysis of the wideranging and geographically variable Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus). Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Award: 9707428
• SD
  San Diego State University
• LS
  Louisiana State University