Dr David Hone’s thoughts on phylogenetic analysis

This explains… so… much…
Here’s a link to Dr David Hone’s views on ‘unnecessary phylogenies’.
https://archosaurmusings.wordpress.com/2026/03/20/unnecessary-phylogenies/

So you can read his views in their entirety, unedited.

Personal thoughts
1. Nice to know that other workers think Dr Hone should include a phylogenetic analysis when introducing new taxa.  Hone thinks, “It’s an apparent reflex that a new species needs a new phylogeny. To be fair, I have got all these papers through without needing one, so it’s not like there is a ban in play.”

2. Nice to know that Dr Hone is too busy to include a phylogenetic analysis when introducing new taxa. In other words, he’s not bored and looking for something to do.

3. Nice to know that Dr Cau feels the same way, “I fully agree with your post.”

4. Interesting to see that one comment reported, “On a mercenary practical level, splitting them into two papers helps the careers of the people publishing them. The systematics paper would likely need to be broader in scope, but that’s ok. It still adds an extra line to most likely multiple people. In this publish or perish mentality of academia when publications affect grant opportunities that shape careers, that’s nothing yo sneeze at.”

That pulls the curtain back a little to see inside the minds of academics.

5. Nice to see that Dr Hone’s colleagues are making do-able and valid suggestions for improvements. They are giving him a second chance!

In counterpoint, when a much younger and less experienced Dr Hone reviewed my manuscripts (now pre-prints at ResearchGate.net) he rejected them with the following comments, “You didn’t look at the specimen long enough” and “You didn’t look at the specimens twice.” Dr Hone was not privy to my itinerary and gave no indication how much time was ‘long enough.’

On the plus side: That attitude, apparently widely shared among many colleagues toward one another, gave me the drive and time to exit the rocky publication highway and take an online detour to create the large reptile tree – which has been immensely rewarding and fascinating! (despite all the errors along the way).

6. Nice to know that ‘chickens come home to roost’ actually plays out in the real world.

For those who think ‘it’s just me’… it’s not just me. It’s everyone.

Thanks to reader Sean
for sending me the link to Dr Hone’s blogpost.