Cladistic approach for phylogenetic reconstruction testing the subfamily Reineckiinae (Saida, western Algeria)

Abstract

The cladistic analysis appears as one of the most useful methods to reconstruct the phylogeny of fossil taxa. The Step capital of the cladistic analysis is the recognition of homology assumptions and monophyletic clades reconstruction. The study area is located around the city of Saida in the eastern segment of Tlemcen area (Algerian North west). This work is based on the study of the ammonite fauna Callovo- Oxfordian harvested in the Training Clays Saida (Sidon, western Algeria). This study provides new additional information to prior knowledge. In order to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships across the subfamily Reineckiinae (Family Reineckeidae), a cladistic approach based on morphological arguments was carried out. The genres of ammonites grouped in the subfamily Reineckiinae studied: (Rehmannia Schirardin 1956, Reineckeia Bayle, 1878 and Collotia De Grossouvre 1917) undoubtedly constitute separate branches. The genus Rehmannia appears as a type strain in the subfamily Reineckeinae. It gives birth to the genres of Reineckeia and Collotia. The results of this analysis confirm the classical model proposed by Cariou (Upstairs Callovian in the Central West of France 790, 1980 [1]).