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The relative merits of molecular and paleontological dates ofmajor branching points in the tree of life are currently debated.In some cases, molecular date estimates are up to twice as oldas paleontological dates. However, although it is true thatpaleontological dates are often too young (missing fossils),molecular dates are often too old (statistical bias). Intensestudy of the dating of major splits in the tree of mammals hasshown rapprochement as fossil dates become older and moleculardates become younger.
1 Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK. 2 Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697–2525, USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Mike.Benton{at}bris.ac.uk
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