115 



The apomorphic condition where the ethmoid and pterygoid process contact one another 

 is generally restricted to the Pinnipedia, being found only in Procyon (state 1 ) and Martes 

 (polymorphic between all states) among fissipeds. The early evolution of this character in 

 the pinnipeds is difficult to ascertain due to the polymorphism present in the otarioids. 

 However, the likely scenario is for a narrow contact ancestrally, with the otariids showing 

 a tendency to lose this contact while the phocids and Odobenus independently continue 

 to increase its width (as under ACCTRAN optimization). Parallel trends to reducing the 

 contact between the ethmoid and pterygoid are also found in the phocids. A narrow contact 

 is regained in Phoca largha and Pusa spp., while contact is lost outright in Phoca vitulina 

 and the clade of Lobodon plus Monachus spp. 



73) relationship between pterygoid process of basisphenoid and auditory bulla: 0 = does 

 not extend to auditory bulla; 1 = extends to auditory bulla (Burns & Fay 1970). 



The posterior extent of the pterygoid process is fairly restricted in most carnivores. Only 

 among Odobenus and the phocids does it extend posteriorly to reach the auditory bulla 

 (Burns & Fay 1970). Surprisingly, despite supporting his contention of an Odobenus- 

 phocid pairing, this character was not mentioned by Wyss (1987). Our analysis indicates 

 that only the phocids, in parallel with Lutra (DELTRAN optimization), unequivocally 

 display the apomorphic condition (state 1); Odobenus is polymorphic for this trait. 

 However, the additional polymorphic appearance of this trait in Enhydra suggests that this 

 character might be a putative synapomorphy of the lutrines plus the pinnipeds, with the 

 otarioids at least partially reversing to the primitive condition (ACCTRAN optimization). 



74) bony constituents of wall of foramen ovale with respect to alisphenoid and squamosal: 

 0 = alisphenoid only; 1 = both alisphenoid and squamosal; 2 = squamosal only (pers. 

 obs.). 



Most anatomical atlases of representative carnivores indicate that the foramen ovale runs 

 solely through the alisphenoid (e.g., Miller 1962: Davis 1964; Crouch 1969). This 

 morphology appears to be fairly consistent throughout the carnivores (see Flower 1869). 

 However, our observations reveal that the squamosal occasionally makes a contribution 

 to the walls of the foramen ovale, and, in some cases, contains the foramen entirely. [A 

 ventral contribution is also occasionally made by the pterygoid in some phocids (pers. 

 obs.), but this is not examined here.] 



Any contribution by the squamosal to the foramen ovale represents a derived condition. 

 This is largely diagnostic of, and restricted to, the monachines, with the subfamily 

 characterized ancestrally by a partial squamosal contribution (state 1). This state, which 

 arises independently in Martes and Pusa caspica, is retained throughout the monachines, 

 with a purely squamosal contribution being found in Monachus spp. and convergently in 

 Cystophora. 



Basicranial region (43 characters) 

 The conservative nature of the basicranial region has rendered it very important historically 

 for elucidating the phylogenetic relationships of various caniform taxa (e.g., Turner 1848; 

 Flower 1869; Pocock 1921; Segall 1943; McLaren 1960b; Hunt 1974). It may be 

 particularly valuable with respect to the phocids, as this region of the skull apparently 



