Ho, Simon2015-12-101744-9561http://hdl.handle.net/1885/58356Molecular evolutionary rates can show significant variation among lineages, complicating the task of estimating substitution rates and divergence times using phylogenetic methods. Accordingly, relaxed molecular clock models have been developed to accommodate such rate heterogeneity, but these often make the assumption of rate autocorrelation among lineages. In this paper, I examine the validity of this assumption.Keywords: biology; cell heterogeneity; correlation analysis; genetic variability; molecular clock; molecular evolution; motivation; note; phylogeny; priority journal; DNA; Evolution, Molecular; Models, Genetic; Mutation; Phylogeny Divergence dating; Life history; Mutation rate; Rate autocorrelation; Relaxed clocks; Substitution rate200910.1098/rsbl.2008.07292016-02-24