An inventory of Rhynchophorus species was carried out to determine their diversity, biogeographical variability and morphometrics. A shotgun trapping method was used at nine sites in three districts over a four-month ...An inventory of Rhynchophorus species was carried out to determine their diversity, biogeographical variability and morphometrics. A shotgun trapping method was used at nine sites in three districts over a four-month period, identifying three species: R. quadrangulus, R. phoenicis, R. ferrugineus and a probable variant of R. phoenicis. Of these species, R. phoenicis stands out as the most widespread palm weevil, while the probable variant of R. phoenicis is considered the rarest subspecies in the Maniema region. The color of the head and elytra is a criterion for distinguishing the different species of Rhynchophorus spp. Morphological criteria indicate that the probable subspecies of R. phoenicis is the largest palm weevil in the Maniema region and even globally. It is followed by R. quadrangulus and, by far, by R. phoenicis. The smallest palm weevil in Maniema is R. ferrugineus. Moreover, these criteria reveal that, for all three species identified, the female is generally larger than the male. This study has the merit of extending the distribution of R. ferrugineus from the Maghreb to the central East of the DRC, and highlighting a subspecies of R. phoenicis. Recognition of the sexes on the basis of the shape of the tip of the abdomen (oval in the male and flat in the female) is an additional contribution.展开更多
Morphometrics has been pursued by graphical and computational means since the European Renaissance, drawing on core geometric principles first discovered in China and Classical Greece. Through the late 1800s, two dist...Morphometrics has been pursued by graphical and computational means since the European Renaissance, drawing on core geometric principles first discovered in China and Classical Greece. Through the late 1800s, two distinct approaches to such analyses were pursued： a deformationist approach, epitomized by D＇Arcy Thompson＇s graphical trans-formation grids and the statistical approach popularized by Francis Galton, Karl Pearson, and Julian Huxley in which Cartesian spaces were employed to summarize patterns of variation in size and/or shape variables. Unification of these approaches was an off-stated goal throughout the 20th century, but proved elusive until the mid-1980s when David Kendall, Fred Bookstein, and Colin Goodall proposed a radically new way of understanding form -- as the locations of configurations of landmarks on the surfaces of a nested series of hyperdimensional manifolds. Once this new mathematics of form was understood development of basic concepts, procedures, graphical tools, and statistical tests followed quickly such that the core of the long-hoped for synthesis took less than a decade to achieve. The result-- geometric morphometrics -- continues to develop into an ever-more extensive toolkit that can be used by researchers to describe and understand a wide range of problems involving the characterization of morphological similarities and differences in all of their many and varied contexts. In particular, the new approaches involving the direct analysis of image pixels and new tools such as machine learning and artificial intelligence are set to reinvigorate （and possibly to revolutionize） the field once again.展开更多
Although there were many ancient Chinese mathematicians contributed a lot on geometry, Geometric morphometrics （GM） in modern concept was not firstly proposed by Chinese. The super capability of geometric morphometr...Although there were many ancient Chinese mathematicians contributed a lot on geometry, Geometric morphometrics （GM） in modern concept was not firstly proposed by Chinese. The super capability of geometric morphometries in scientific computing and problem solving has gained a lot of attentions in the world. Until early of 21 centuries, geometric morphometries was introduced into China. Since then, GM was rapidly applied in many research fields. However, it is a pity that GM is still not well-known in China as many works are published out of China. Thus, the special issue ＂Geometric morphometrics： Current shape and future directions＂ is organized. The present issue presents a series of contributions in this scientific field. In future, there will be many considerable new developing fields on GM needed to pay more attentions, for instances, 3D geometric morphometrics, 4D analysis, visualization of amber, new machine developing, new software developing, automatic identification system, etc. Once these technical bottle-necks on 3D data collecting and merging geometric morphometric data from multiple characters could be solved, the automatic identification system and other fields based on Big Data would come true.展开更多
T his study compared and evaluated the efficiency of two otolith shape descriptors(i.e., the elliptic Fourier transform(EFT) and discrete wavelet transform(DWT)) and morphometrics for stock discrimination. To accompli...T his study compared and evaluated the efficiency of two otolith shape descriptors(i.e., the elliptic Fourier transform(EFT) and discrete wavelet transform(DWT)) and morphometrics for stock discrimination. To accomplish this, sample fish from three stocks of yellow croaker L arimichthys polyactis along the Chinese coast(LDB stock from the Liaodong Bay of the Bohai Sea, JZB stock from the Jiaozhou Bay of the Yellow Sea and CJE stock from the Changjiang River estuary of the East China Sea) were used for otolith morphology analyses. The results showed that morphometrics produced an overall classification success rate of 70.8% in contrast with success rates of 80.0% or 82.0% obtained using EFT or DWT, respectively. This suggests that the two shape descriptors comparably discriminated among the stocks and performed more efficiently than morphometrics. During data adjustment and acquisition, some size variables were excluded from the subsequent discriminant analysis for stock discrimination because they were statistically "inef fective," which could reduce the efficiency of morphometrics and lead to relatively low overall classification success. Both EFT and DWT retain the contour coefficients and thus provide a detailed description of otolith shape, which could improve discriminatory efficiency compared with morphometrics.展开更多
As a more efficient quantitative method for morphological analysis, geometric morphometrics is applied to the flabellate fossils Flabellophyton including Flabellophyton lantianensis and Flabellophyton strigata from Ne...As a more efficient quantitative method for morphological analysis, geometric morphometrics is applied to the flabellate fossils Flabellophyton including Flabellophyton lantianensis and Flabellophyton strigata from Neoproterozoic Ediacaran Lantian biota, South China. Both traditional morphometric analysis （including diverging angle, length, and width distribution） and geometric morphometric analysis [including superposition of normalized area analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling （n-MDS）, Bray-Curtis similarity cluster analysis （CLUSTER） and analysis of similarities （ANOSIM）[ were performed. The results indicate there are great interspecific morphological differences between F. lantianensis and F. strigata, in addition to some intraspecific variations within each species. Here we preliminarily suggest that the previously defined Flabellophyton should be subdivided into 2 genera at least： one marked by the dark transverse striated structure, and the other without. This recharacterization and reclassification work still needs further careful observation and comprehensive analysis with large number of flabeilate fossils combining morphology, structure, population, and community-ecology study.展开更多
Pikas(Lagomorpha: Ochotonidae) are small mouselike lagomorphs. To investigate their adaptation to different ecological environments during their dispersal from the Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet) Plateau(QTP), we collected 226 ...Pikas(Lagomorpha: Ochotonidae) are small mouselike lagomorphs. To investigate their adaptation to different ecological environments during their dispersal from the Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet) Plateau(QTP), we collected 226 pikas and measured 20 morphological characteristics and recorded habitat information. We also sequenced the genome of 81specimens, representing 27 putative pika species.The genome-wide tree based on 4?090 coding genes identified five subgenera, i.e., Alienauroa, Conothoa,Lagotona, Ochotona, and Pika, consistent with morphometric data. Morphologically, Alienauroa and Ochotona had similar traits, including smaller size and earlier divergence time compared to other pikas.Consistently, the habitats of Alienauroa and Ochotona differed from those of the remaining subgenera. Phylogenetic signal analysis detected 83 genes significantly related to morphological characteristics, including several visual and hearingrelated genes. Analysis of shared amino acid substitutions and positively selected genes(PSGs) in Alienauroa and Ochotona identified two genes, i.e.,mitochondrial function-related TSFM(p.Q155E) and low-light visual sensitivity-related PROM1(p.H419Y).Functional experiments demonstrated that TSFM-155E significantly enhanced mitochondrial function compared to TSFM-155Q in other pikas, and PROM1-419Y decreased the modeling of dynamic intracellular chloride efflux upon calcium uptake. Alienauroa and Ochotona individuals mostly inhabit different environments(e.g., subtropical forests) than other pikas, suggesting that a shift from the larger ancestral type and changes in sensory acuity and energy enhancement may have been required in their new environments. This study increases our understanding of the evolutionary history of pikas.展开更多
The morphology of seven specimens of Chrysaora chinensis(Scyphomedusae,Semaestomae)obtained from four sites off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia was examined.Morphological characteristics of C.chinensis that encompass...The morphology of seven specimens of Chrysaora chinensis(Scyphomedusae,Semaestomae)obtained from four sites off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia was examined.Morphological characteristics of C.chinensis that encompasses structures such as the bell,tentacles,oral arms,stomach,manubrium,radial canals and gonads were described in detail.A total of 107 specimens that represented C.chinensis populations of four coastal areas of Peninsular Malaysia(East-Central,East-North,West-Central,and West-North)were also analysed for shape variation using geometric morphometric analysis.Procrustes superimposition,Principal Component Analysis(PCA)and Canonical Variate Analysis(CVA)were applied to the images of gastrovascular pouches of C.chinensis to extract the shape information.Independent contrasts were used for comparisons between shapes.There were no significant differences in shape variation between all the specimens based on the PCA results.However,CVA results showed shape variations between specimens taken from the four areas of Peninsular Malaysia,especially with higher magnitudes of Mahalanobis distances between the east and west coast areas,including between East-Central and East-North,but lower magnitudes were detected between the West-Central and West-North.展开更多
The Upper Ordovician Xiazhen Formation in the Jiangshan-Changshan-Yushan （JCY） triangle area on the Zhejiang-Jiangxi provincial border, South China, is composed of a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sequence representi...The Upper Ordovician Xiazhen Formation in the Jiangshan-Changshan-Yushan （JCY） triangle area on the Zhejiang-Jiangxi provincial border, South China, is composed of a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sequence representing various shallow-water platform environments. Highly diversified and abundant heliolitid coral faunas are recognized in the formation and occur over time and space in certain stratigraphic horizons and various lithofacies. Heliolites has been studied using multivariate morphometric analysis applied to differentiate species and evaluate intraspecific and interspecific variations. Ten morphological characters quantified by examination and measurement from transverse and longitudinal thin sections and statistically tested allowed selection of effective characters to discriminate species. Results of frequency histograms, correlation analysis and principle component analysis indicated that certain characters would be suitable for cluster analysis, which were performed on principle component score matrices obtained from the raw data set coordinated with coralla by all those characters. Five major clusters at a relative distance of five on the resulting dendrogram of Heliolites are regarded as morphospecies thus making valid taxa： Heliolites tashanensis Lin and Chow, 1977; Heliolites caracolica （Lin and Chow, 1977）; Heliolites columella （Lin and Chow, 1977）; Heliolites waicunensis Lin and Chow, 1977; and H. sinensis irregularis Lin and Chow, 1977. The discrimination of these morphospecies by the cluster analysis is verified by discriminant analyses and descriptive statistics.展开更多
The mammalian family Bovidae has been widely studied in ecomorphological research,with important applications to paleoecological and paleohabitat reconstructions.Most studies of bovid craniomandibular features in rela...The mammalian family Bovidae has been widely studied in ecomorphological research,with important applications to paleoecological and paleohabitat reconstructions.Most studies of bovid craniomandibular features in relation to diet have used linear measurements.In this study,we conduct landmark-based geometric-morphometric analyses to evaluate whether different dietary groups can be distinguished by mandibular morphology.Our analysis includes data for 100 species of extant bovids,covering all bovid tribes and 2 dietary classifications.For the first classification with 3 feeding categories,we found that browsers(including frugivores),mixed feeders,and grazers are moderately well separated using mandibular shape.A finer dietary classification(frugivore,browser,browser-grazer intermediate,generalist,variable grazer,and obligate grazer)proved to be more useful for differentiating dietary extremes(frugivores and obligate grazers)but performed equally or less well for other groups.Notably,frugivorous bovids,which belong in tribe Cephalophini,have a distinct mandibular shape that is readily distinguished from all other dietary groups,yielding a 100%correct classification rate from jackknife cross-validation.The main differences in mandibular shape found among dietary groups are related to the functional needs of species during forage prehension and mastication.Compared with browsers,both frugivores and grazers have mandibles that are adapted for higher biomechanical demand of chewing.Additionally,frugivore mandibles are adapted for selective cropping.Our results call for more work on the feeding ecology and functional morphology of frugivores and offer an approach for reconstructing the diet of extinct bovids.展开更多
The scope of shape analysis based on geometric morphometrics has evolved into underscoring complex patterns of multidimensional shape change with multivariate statistical modelling （e.g., allometry, morphological int...The scope of shape analysis based on geometric morphometrics has evolved into underscoring complex patterns of multidimensional shape change with multivariate statistical modelling （e.g., allometry, morphological integration, etc.）. Such breakthrough was made possible because the method relies on a consistent comparative reference system to compare shapes, the latter which is computed using the Cartesian coordinates of homologous landmarks. It has been shown elsewhere that traditional comparative reference systems based on anatomy, and oriented in stereotyped postures, such as the Frankfurt plane at rest, the Lateral Semicircular Canal when the animal is in alert, or the cranial floor when the animal is flying, are all inconsistent for anatomical comparisons. They vary too much and unpredictably across species. An extraordinary example of the problems that can arise in descriptive and comparative anatomy when using such reference systems is the traditional interpretation of the head of the Woodcock. Anywhere in literature it is written that the eyes of this gamebird are oriented backwards to protect itself from predators. Here, using geometric morphometrics it is demonstrated that the woodcock＇s skull is highly transformed, yet following a normal trend among birds. In turn, using GM it is demonstrated that the collective wisdom about this oddity is simply the result of interpreting the anatomy of its skull using unreliable reference systems.展开更多
BACKGROUND The development of precision medicine is essential for personalized treatment and improved clinical outcome,whereas biomarkers are critical for the success of precision therapies.AIM To investigate whether ...BACKGROUND The development of precision medicine is essential for personalized treatment and improved clinical outcome,whereas biomarkers are critical for the success of precision therapies.AIM To investigate whether iCEMIGE(integration of CEll-morphometrics,MIcro-biome,and GEne biomarker signatures)improves risk stratification of breast cancer(BC)patients.METHODS We used our recently developed machine learning technique to identify cellular morphometric biomarkers(CMBs)from the whole histological slide images in The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)breast cancer(TCGA-BRCA)cohort.Multivariate Cox regression was used to assess whether cell-morphometrics prognosis score(CMPS)and our previously reported 12-gene expression prognosis score(GEPS)and 15-microbe abundance prognosis score(MAPS)were independent prognostic factors.iCEMIGE was built upon the sparse representation learning technique.The iCEMIGE scoring model performance was measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve compared to CMPS,GEPS,or MAPS alone.Nomogram models were created to predict overall survival(OS)and progress-free survival(PFS)rates at 5-and 10-year in the TCGA-BRCA cohort.RESULTS We identified 39 CMBs that were used to create a CMPS system in BCs.CMPS,GEPS,and MAPS were found to be significantly independently associated with OS.We then established an iCEMIGE scoring system for risk stratification of BC patients.The iGEMIGE score has a significant prognostic value for OS and PFS independent of clinical factors(age,stage,and estrogen and progesterone receptor status)and PAM50-based molecular subtype.Importantly,the iCEMIGE score significantly increased the power to predict OS and PFS compared to CMPS,GEPS,or MAPS alone.CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates a novel and generic artificial intelligence framework for multimodal data integration toward improving prognosis risk stratification of BC patients,which can be extended to other types of cancer.展开更多
In order to incorporate the knowledge of two species of wild doves and compare the results of both, we assessed morphometrics (body weight, bill, tarsus, tail, wing, head and culmen length) and body condition index (u...In order to incorporate the knowledge of two species of wild doves and compare the results of both, we assessed morphometrics (body weight, bill, tarsus, tail, wing, head and culmen length) and body condition index (using weigh, wing, tail and tarsus length) of Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto and Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura (Aves: Columbidae) based on 40 specimens of each species collected during fall-winter 2013 and spring-summer 2014 in the municipality of Durango, Durango, Mexico. We found that body condition index was higher during fallwinter for both species. We also found size dimorphism. Males of Eurasian Collared-Dove were larger than females in head length (p = 0.002) and tail length (p = 0.05) but smaller in culmen length. Female Mourning Doves had a higher body condition index compared to males (p = 0.02) during both seasons. As expected, Eurasian Collared-Dove was larger in all measurements than Mourning Dove (p > 0.05) but tail length (p = 0.12).展开更多
The morphological differences between two geographical maps can be highlighted by a polycentric distance cartogram resulting from a bidimensional regression.Beyond the communicational interest of the transformations t...The morphological differences between two geographical maps can be highlighted by a polycentric distance cartogram resulting from a bidimensional regression.Beyond the communicational interest of the transformations thus produced,the method makes it possible to reveal the differences in structure and therefore constitutes a real research tool.However,bidimensional regression can only compare the shape of two maps.Since the 1990s,geometric morphometrics has revolutionized the morphological analysis of natural structures(and others).It has since been applied in many fields of research but not in cartography.This article describes the theoretical and methodological bases of a method combining bidimensional regression with a geometric morphometrics approach to compare the shape of several geographical maps.Geometric morphometrics and bidimensional regression indeed share common approaches of the statistical shape analysis like homologous landmarks and interpolation grids.However,there is no software in geometric morphometrics capable of directly reading geographical data,which would facilitate the work of cartographers accustomed to GIS software.That is why we present MapMorphy,a tool specifically developed for this task.An example on ancient maps illustrates the method.展开更多
The morphological characteristics of the hind wing venation of tetrigids were analyzed on the basis of morphometric measurement, with 20 species and 18 different variables selected for this study. Results show that th...The morphological characteristics of the hind wing venation of tetrigids were analyzed on the basis of morphometric measurement, with 20 species and 18 different variables selected for this study. Results show that three principal components have a higher load at the length between the starting point of the costal vein and the tip of the fourth anal vein, between the tip of the costal vein and the tip of the third anal vein, and between the tip of the costal vein and the tip of the eleventh anal vein. There exists a contrast between wing length and width.展开更多
Blaptica dubia(Serville, 1838) and B. interior Hebard, 1921 were considered to be cryptic species. The characteristics originally proposed for their identification are not reliable.Thus the relationship between the tw...Blaptica dubia(Serville, 1838) and B. interior Hebard, 1921 were considered to be cryptic species. The characteristics originally proposed for their identification are not reliable.Thus the relationship between the two species should be re-considered. As a comparative approach and to analyze intraspecific variability, morphological and morphometric methods were performed. Traditional and new characters such as wing shape and pronotum contour were utilized. We found significant differences between both species(p <0.05) in the shape of the wing, but there was an overlap of values. We did not find differences in the body measurements or in the shape and size of the pronotum between the species. The variability gradient does not allow an accurate identification of species neither with the male genitalia or the pronotal macula.Based on the obtained results, B. interior Hebard 1921 is considered to be a junior synonym of B. dubia(Serville, 1838).展开更多
Traditional Dipodomys(sub)species identification uses geography,phenotype,and external/skull measurements.Such measurements are correlated with size and thus redundant.I assessed the value of scaled cranial shape,based...Traditional Dipodomys(sub)species identification uses geography,phenotype,and external/skull measurements.Such measurements are correlated with size and thus redundant.I assessed the value of scaled cranial shape,based on two-dimensional landmarks(analyzed using geometric morphometric methods)in distinguishing Dipodomys taxa,and in summarizing their variation.My dataset includes 601 adult specimens from 20 species(49 operational taxonomic units-OTUs)across 190 localities.Cranial shape was highly useful in classifying Dipodomys taxa without considering geography.The auditory bulla was the most variable region—taxa differed in its hypertrophy,accompanied by different degrees of nearby structure crowding.Cranial shape was weakly allometric,with no significant sexual dimorphism.Weak size dimorphism was detected.(Sub)specific taxonomy is not reflective of shape variation,as the number of subspecies per species is not associated with disparity.Shape had significant phylogenetic signal,but subspecies did not always cluster with conspecifics and species did not always cluster according to phylogenetic relationship/taxonomy.Shape variation was correlated with climate,and species differed in morphological disparity and degree of specialization,which may contribute to divergence in shape variation patterns from phylogeny.D.deserti was the most specialized species,diverging greatly from the genus mean;D.heermanni was the least specialized.This study provides new insights into morphological variation of North American keystone species,several of conservation interest,for example,D.heermanni berkeleyensis,D.h.dixoni,D.nitratoides brevinasus,and D.n.nitratoides.展开更多
A relatively well-preserved rodent fossil,including its incisors,cheek teeth,and postcranial skeleton,was collected from the Baiyin Obo in Siziwang Banner,Nei Mongol.A multifaceted research approach was undertaken in ...A relatively well-preserved rodent fossil,including its incisors,cheek teeth,and postcranial skeleton,was collected from the Baiyin Obo in Siziwang Banner,Nei Mongol.A multifaceted research approach was undertaken in this study to conduct a comprehensive analysis on the newly discovered specimen.Based on a morphological comparison,the new specimen was identified as Hulgana cf.H.ertnia within the Ischyromyidae family.Incisive enamel microstructure analysis revealed the typical pauciserial enamel structure of Hulgana.Bone histological analysis indicates that the specimen represents a juvenile individual,which is consistent with the ontogenetic stage indicated by dental developmental stage and wear pattern.The application of geometric morphometrics to the calcaneus and bone histology of the femur and phalanx further substantiates the taxonomic classification of Hulgana as a terrestrial and cursorial rodent,exhibiting a degree of fossorial ability.This classification is analogous to that of certain extant cricetids and ground squirrels.展开更多
Insects are suitable model organisms for functional morphology research,especially in the context of exaptation,when the same morphological trait represents an advantage in disparate niches.Phylogenetically distant gr...Insects are suitable model organisms for functional morphology research,especially in the context of exaptation,when the same morphological trait represents an advantage in disparate niches.Phylogenetically distant groups of pygmy grasshoppers(Orthoptera:Tetrigidae)have various pronotal projections defining their general appearance and body shape.However,body shape has never been related to niche occupation in these insects,thus the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between pronotum shape and macrohabitat adaptation in Scelimeninae,a group of Asian and Papuan tetrigids encompassing amphibious and corticolous(bark-dwelling)representatives.With the use of geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods,two morphological and functional groups were distinguished,with the body shape exhibiting a significant phylogenetic signal.The first group consists of elongated amphibious taxa(Scelimenini tribe)with highly uniform pronotum morphology,likely due to a strong selection for streamlined body shape.Stouter corticolous taxa(Discotettigini tribe)exhibit more conspicuous body shape variability,possibly increasing camouflage efficiency in tree bark habitats.Ecological divergence associated with macrohabitat adaptation may thus have been the primary driver of speciation in this insect group,but the evolutionary constraints leading to this divergence are still to be identified.展开更多
The Monte Desert is characterized by a great diversity of landforms created with fluvial,alluvial which the vegetation patterns are related to.The present work has the following objectives:(1) determine whether topogr...The Monte Desert is characterized by a great diversity of landforms created with fluvial,alluvial which the vegetation patterns are related to.The present work has the following objectives:(1) determine whether topographical attributes,surface characteristics,soil properties and vegetation patterns vary between alluvial landforms,and(2) define whether morphometric,soil and surface properties influence vegetation patterns along alluvial landscape.Morphometric data were obtained by processing a 5 m digital elevation model.The coverage of rock fragments,fine sediments and mulch was quantified.Observations and descriptions of the soil profiles were restricted to the uppermost 50 cm.Vegetation properties were calculated using a Point Quadrat Method.The relationship between variables was evaluated through multivariate statistical analysis.The main results show the presence of 45 plant species distributed in 19 families,where shrubs are dominant.The wind effect,topographic wetness and dissection of the landscape are limiting factors of diversity.The coverage of superficial rock fragments influence vegetation coverage through the distribution and availability of rainwater.Furthermore,the different soil textures reveal that the silt content favors an increase in vegetation coverage.The presence of V horizon could condition the installation and development of vegetation in the early stages of growth.展开更多
The integration and modularity of leaf morphological traits are fundamental to plant adaptations, yet their responses to diverse environmental pressures remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the roles of leaf ...The integration and modularity of leaf morphological traits are fundamental to plant adaptations, yet their responses to diverse environmental pressures remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the roles of leaf trait integration and modularity and how they interact with environmental factors. We analyzed geometric, traditional, and functional leaf traits across 908 individuals from 72 populations of two alpine evergreen oaks, Quercus aquifolioides Rehder & E.H. Wilson and Quercus spinosa David ex Franch., distributed throughout the Himalayan-Hengduan Mountains(HHM), employing genetic assignment as a priori. Multivariate and redundancy analyses revealed that Q. aquifolioides, which inhabits harsher environments, exhibits lower trait integration and greater morphological flexibility, allowing for dynamic adaptation to fluctuating conditions. In contrast, Q. spinosa, thriving in milder environments, demonstrates stronger integration and stability in leaf morphology, facilitating resource optimization and providing a competitive advantage. Notable differences in modularity between the two species were observed, particularly in specific leaf traits, as revealed by structural equation modeling(SEM) analysis. These results underscore the adaptive significance of leaf trait integration and modularity in extreme environments and highlight the critical role of leaf morphology in enhancing species resilience.展开更多
文摘An inventory of Rhynchophorus species was carried out to determine their diversity, biogeographical variability and morphometrics. A shotgun trapping method was used at nine sites in three districts over a four-month period, identifying three species: R. quadrangulus, R. phoenicis, R. ferrugineus and a probable variant of R. phoenicis. Of these species, R. phoenicis stands out as the most widespread palm weevil, while the probable variant of R. phoenicis is considered the rarest subspecies in the Maniema region. The color of the head and elytra is a criterion for distinguishing the different species of Rhynchophorus spp. Morphological criteria indicate that the probable subspecies of R. phoenicis is the largest palm weevil in the Maniema region and even globally. It is followed by R. quadrangulus and, by far, by R. phoenicis. The smallest palm weevil in Maniema is R. ferrugineus. Moreover, these criteria reveal that, for all three species identified, the female is generally larger than the male. This study has the merit of extending the distribution of R. ferrugineus from the Maghreb to the central East of the DRC, and highlighting a subspecies of R. phoenicis. Recognition of the sexes on the basis of the shape of the tip of the abdomen (oval in the male and flat in the female) is an additional contribution.
文摘Morphometrics has been pursued by graphical and computational means since the European Renaissance, drawing on core geometric principles first discovered in China and Classical Greece. Through the late 1800s, two distinct approaches to such analyses were pursued： a deformationist approach, epitomized by D＇Arcy Thompson＇s graphical trans-formation grids and the statistical approach popularized by Francis Galton, Karl Pearson, and Julian Huxley in which Cartesian spaces were employed to summarize patterns of variation in size and/or shape variables. Unification of these approaches was an off-stated goal throughout the 20th century, but proved elusive until the mid-1980s when David Kendall, Fred Bookstein, and Colin Goodall proposed a radically new way of understanding form -- as the locations of configurations of landmarks on the surfaces of a nested series of hyperdimensional manifolds. Once this new mathematics of form was understood development of basic concepts, procedures, graphical tools, and statistical tests followed quickly such that the core of the long-hoped for synthesis took less than a decade to achieve. The result-- geometric morphometrics -- continues to develop into an ever-more extensive toolkit that can be used by researchers to describe and understand a wide range of problems involving the characterization of morphological similarities and differences in all of their many and varied contexts. In particular, the new approaches involving the direct analysis of image pixels and new tools such as machine learning and artificial intelligence are set to reinvigorate （and possibly to revolutionize） the field once again.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31672345)Research Equipment Development Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences(YZ201509)
文摘Although there were many ancient Chinese mathematicians contributed a lot on geometry, Geometric morphometrics （GM） in modern concept was not firstly proposed by Chinese. The super capability of geometric morphometries in scientific computing and problem solving has gained a lot of attentions in the world. Until early of 21 centuries, geometric morphometries was introduced into China. Since then, GM was rapidly applied in many research fields. However, it is a pity that GM is still not well-known in China as many works are published out of China. Thus, the special issue ＂Geometric morphometrics： Current shape and future directions＂ is organized. The present issue presents a series of contributions in this scientific field. In future, there will be many considerable new developing fields on GM needed to pay more attentions, for instances, 3D geometric morphometrics, 4D analysis, visualization of amber, new machine developing, new software developing, automatic identification system, etc. Once these technical bottle-necks on 3D data collecting and merging geometric morphometric data from multiple characters could be solved, the automatic identification system and other fields based on Big Data would come true.
基金Supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China(973 Program)(No.2015CB453302)the NSFC-Shandong Joint Fund for Marine Science Research Centre(No.U1606404)the Aoshan Science and Technology Innovation Project(No.2015ASKJ02-04)
文摘T his study compared and evaluated the efficiency of two otolith shape descriptors(i.e., the elliptic Fourier transform(EFT) and discrete wavelet transform(DWT)) and morphometrics for stock discrimination. To accomplish this, sample fish from three stocks of yellow croaker L arimichthys polyactis along the Chinese coast(LDB stock from the Liaodong Bay of the Bohai Sea, JZB stock from the Jiaozhou Bay of the Yellow Sea and CJE stock from the Changjiang River estuary of the East China Sea) were used for otolith morphology analyses. The results showed that morphometrics produced an overall classification success rate of 70.8% in contrast with success rates of 80.0% or 82.0% obtained using EFT or DWT, respectively. This suggests that the two shape descriptors comparably discriminated among the stocks and performed more efficiently than morphometrics. During data adjustment and acquisition, some size variables were excluded from the subsequent discriminant analysis for stock discrimination because they were statistically "inef fective," which could reduce the efficiency of morphometrics and lead to relatively low overall classification success. Both EFT and DWT retain the contour coefficients and thus provide a detailed description of otolith shape, which could improve discriminatory efficiency compared with morphometrics.
基金supported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZZD-EW-02,kzcx2-yw-153)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41030209and41173051)
文摘As a more efficient quantitative method for morphological analysis, geometric morphometrics is applied to the flabellate fossils Flabellophyton including Flabellophyton lantianensis and Flabellophyton strigata from Neoproterozoic Ediacaran Lantian biota, South China. Both traditional morphometric analysis （including diverging angle, length, and width distribution） and geometric morphometric analysis [including superposition of normalized area analysis, non-metric multidimensional scaling （n-MDS）, Bray-Curtis similarity cluster analysis （CLUSTER） and analysis of similarities （ANOSIM）[ were performed. The results indicate there are great interspecific morphological differences between F. lantianensis and F. strigata, in addition to some intraspecific variations within each species. Here we preliminarily suggest that the previously defined Flabellophyton should be subdivided into 2 genera at least： one marked by the dark transverse striated structure, and the other without. This recharacterization and reclassification work still needs further careful observation and comprehensive analysis with large number of flabeilate fossils combining morphology, structure, population, and community-ecology study.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31470110, 31970399)China National GeneBank (CNGB)。
文摘Pikas(Lagomorpha: Ochotonidae) are small mouselike lagomorphs. To investigate their adaptation to different ecological environments during their dispersal from the Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet) Plateau(QTP), we collected 226 pikas and measured 20 morphological characteristics and recorded habitat information. We also sequenced the genome of 81specimens, representing 27 putative pika species.The genome-wide tree based on 4?090 coding genes identified five subgenera, i.e., Alienauroa, Conothoa,Lagotona, Ochotona, and Pika, consistent with morphometric data. Morphologically, Alienauroa and Ochotona had similar traits, including smaller size and earlier divergence time compared to other pikas.Consistently, the habitats of Alienauroa and Ochotona differed from those of the remaining subgenera. Phylogenetic signal analysis detected 83 genes significantly related to morphological characteristics, including several visual and hearingrelated genes. Analysis of shared amino acid substitutions and positively selected genes(PSGs) in Alienauroa and Ochotona identified two genes, i.e.,mitochondrial function-related TSFM(p.Q155E) and low-light visual sensitivity-related PROM1(p.H419Y).Functional experiments demonstrated that TSFM-155E significantly enhanced mitochondrial function compared to TSFM-155Q in other pikas, and PROM1-419Y decreased the modeling of dynamic intracellular chloride efflux upon calcium uptake. Alienauroa and Ochotona individuals mostly inhabit different environments(e.g., subtropical forests) than other pikas, suggesting that a shift from the larger ancestral type and changes in sensory acuity and energy enhancement may have been required in their new environments. This study increases our understanding of the evolutionary history of pikas.
基金The University of Malaya,Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia through UMRG Grant under contract No.RG104-11SUSUMRP Grant under contract No.RU006E-2014the postgraduate sponsorship from the Ministry of Higher Education(MyBrain scholarship programme)
文摘The morphology of seven specimens of Chrysaora chinensis(Scyphomedusae,Semaestomae)obtained from four sites off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia was examined.Morphological characteristics of C.chinensis that encompasses structures such as the bell,tentacles,oral arms,stomach,manubrium,radial canals and gonads were described in detail.A total of 107 specimens that represented C.chinensis populations of four coastal areas of Peninsular Malaysia(East-Central,East-North,West-Central,and West-North)were also analysed for shape variation using geometric morphometric analysis.Procrustes superimposition,Principal Component Analysis(PCA)and Canonical Variate Analysis(CVA)were applied to the images of gastrovascular pouches of C.chinensis to extract the shape information.Independent contrasts were used for comparisons between shapes.There were no significant differences in shape variation between all the specimens based on the PCA results.However,CVA results showed shape variations between specimens taken from the four areas of Peninsular Malaysia,especially with higher magnitudes of Mahalanobis distances between the east and west coast areas,including between East-Central and East-North,but lower magnitudes were detected between the West-Central and West-North.
基金supported by grants to Prof.Dong-Jin Lee from the Korean Research Foundation
文摘The Upper Ordovician Xiazhen Formation in the Jiangshan-Changshan-Yushan （JCY） triangle area on the Zhejiang-Jiangxi provincial border, South China, is composed of a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sequence representing various shallow-water platform environments. Highly diversified and abundant heliolitid coral faunas are recognized in the formation and occur over time and space in certain stratigraphic horizons and various lithofacies. Heliolites has been studied using multivariate morphometric analysis applied to differentiate species and evaluate intraspecific and interspecific variations. Ten morphological characters quantified by examination and measurement from transverse and longitudinal thin sections and statistically tested allowed selection of effective characters to discriminate species. Results of frequency histograms, correlation analysis and principle component analysis indicated that certain characters would be suitable for cluster analysis, which were performed on principle component score matrices obtained from the raw data set coordinated with coralla by all those characters. Five major clusters at a relative distance of five on the resulting dendrogram of Heliolites are regarded as morphospecies thus making valid taxa： Heliolites tashanensis Lin and Chow, 1977; Heliolites caracolica （Lin and Chow, 1977）; Heliolites columella （Lin and Chow, 1977）; Heliolites waicunensis Lin and Chow, 1977; and H. sinensis irregularis Lin and Chow, 1977. The discrimination of these morphospecies by the cluster analysis is verified by discriminant analyses and descriptive statistics.
基金This research was supported by a Graduate Student Research Grant from Rackham Graduate School and an N.Gary Lane Award from the Paleontological Society to B.W.
文摘The mammalian family Bovidae has been widely studied in ecomorphological research,with important applications to paleoecological and paleohabitat reconstructions.Most studies of bovid craniomandibular features in relation to diet have used linear measurements.In this study,we conduct landmark-based geometric-morphometric analyses to evaluate whether different dietary groups can be distinguished by mandibular morphology.Our analysis includes data for 100 species of extant bovids,covering all bovid tribes and 2 dietary classifications.For the first classification with 3 feeding categories,we found that browsers(including frugivores),mixed feeders,and grazers are moderately well separated using mandibular shape.A finer dietary classification(frugivore,browser,browser-grazer intermediate,generalist,variable grazer,and obligate grazer)proved to be more useful for differentiating dietary extremes(frugivores and obligate grazers)but performed equally or less well for other groups.Notably,frugivorous bovids,which belong in tribe Cephalophini,have a distinct mandibular shape that is readily distinguished from all other dietary groups,yielding a 100%correct classification rate from jackknife cross-validation.The main differences in mandibular shape found among dietary groups are related to the functional needs of species during forage prehension and mastication.Compared with browsers,both frugivores and grazers have mandibles that are adapted for higher biomechanical demand of chewing.Additionally,frugivore mandibles are adapted for selective cropping.Our results call for more work on the feeding ecology and functional morphology of frugivores and offer an approach for reconstructing the diet of extinct bovids.
基金financial supported by the Spanish MINECO,Project CGL-2013-42643
文摘The scope of shape analysis based on geometric morphometrics has evolved into underscoring complex patterns of multidimensional shape change with multivariate statistical modelling （e.g., allometry, morphological integration, etc.）. Such breakthrough was made possible because the method relies on a consistent comparative reference system to compare shapes, the latter which is computed using the Cartesian coordinates of homologous landmarks. It has been shown elsewhere that traditional comparative reference systems based on anatomy, and oriented in stereotyped postures, such as the Frankfurt plane at rest, the Lateral Semicircular Canal when the animal is in alert, or the cranial floor when the animal is flying, are all inconsistent for anatomical comparisons. They vary too much and unpredictably across species. An extraordinary example of the problems that can arise in descriptive and comparative anatomy when using such reference systems is the traditional interpretation of the head of the Woodcock. Anywhere in literature it is written that the eyes of this gamebird are oriented backwards to protect itself from predators. Here, using geometric morphometrics it is demonstrated that the woodcock＇s skull is highly transformed, yet following a normal trend among birds. In turn, using GM it is demonstrated that the collective wisdom about this oddity is simply the result of interpreting the anatomy of its skull using unreliable reference systems.
基金Supported by This work was supported by the Department of Defense(DoD)BCRP,No.BC190820the National Cancer Institute(NCI)at the National Institutes of Health(NIH),No.R01CA184476+1 种基金MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011039,No.PID2020-118527RB-I00,and No.PDC2021-121735-I00the“European Union Next Generation EU/PRTR.”the Regional Government of Castile and León,No.CSI144P20.Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory(LBNL)is a multi-program national laboratory operated by the University of California for the DOE under contract DE AC02-05CH11231.
文摘BACKGROUND The development of precision medicine is essential for personalized treatment and improved clinical outcome,whereas biomarkers are critical for the success of precision therapies.AIM To investigate whether iCEMIGE(integration of CEll-morphometrics,MIcro-biome,and GEne biomarker signatures)improves risk stratification of breast cancer(BC)patients.METHODS We used our recently developed machine learning technique to identify cellular morphometric biomarkers(CMBs)from the whole histological slide images in The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)breast cancer(TCGA-BRCA)cohort.Multivariate Cox regression was used to assess whether cell-morphometrics prognosis score(CMPS)and our previously reported 12-gene expression prognosis score(GEPS)and 15-microbe abundance prognosis score(MAPS)were independent prognostic factors.iCEMIGE was built upon the sparse representation learning technique.The iCEMIGE scoring model performance was measured by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve compared to CMPS,GEPS,or MAPS alone.Nomogram models were created to predict overall survival(OS)and progress-free survival(PFS)rates at 5-and 10-year in the TCGA-BRCA cohort.RESULTS We identified 39 CMBs that were used to create a CMPS system in BCs.CMPS,GEPS,and MAPS were found to be significantly independently associated with OS.We then established an iCEMIGE scoring system for risk stratification of BC patients.The iGEMIGE score has a significant prognostic value for OS and PFS independent of clinical factors(age,stage,and estrogen and progesterone receptor status)and PAM50-based molecular subtype.Importantly,the iCEMIGE score significantly increased the power to predict OS and PFS compared to CMPS,GEPS,or MAPS alone.CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates a novel and generic artificial intelligence framework for multimodal data integration toward improving prognosis risk stratification of BC patients,which can be extended to other types of cancer.
文摘In order to incorporate the knowledge of two species of wild doves and compare the results of both, we assessed morphometrics (body weight, bill, tarsus, tail, wing, head and culmen length) and body condition index (using weigh, wing, tail and tarsus length) of Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto and Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura (Aves: Columbidae) based on 40 specimens of each species collected during fall-winter 2013 and spring-summer 2014 in the municipality of Durango, Durango, Mexico. We found that body condition index was higher during fallwinter for both species. We also found size dimorphism. Males of Eurasian Collared-Dove were larger than females in head length (p = 0.002) and tail length (p = 0.05) but smaller in culmen length. Female Mourning Doves had a higher body condition index compared to males (p = 0.02) during both seasons. As expected, Eurasian Collared-Dove was larger in all measurements than Mourning Dove (p > 0.05) but tail length (p = 0.12).
文摘The morphological differences between two geographical maps can be highlighted by a polycentric distance cartogram resulting from a bidimensional regression.Beyond the communicational interest of the transformations thus produced,the method makes it possible to reveal the differences in structure and therefore constitutes a real research tool.However,bidimensional regression can only compare the shape of two maps.Since the 1990s,geometric morphometrics has revolutionized the morphological analysis of natural structures(and others).It has since been applied in many fields of research but not in cartography.This article describes the theoretical and methodological bases of a method combining bidimensional regression with a geometric morphometrics approach to compare the shape of several geographical maps.Geometric morphometrics and bidimensional regression indeed share common approaches of the statistical shape analysis like homologous landmarks and interpolation grids.However,there is no software in geometric morphometrics capable of directly reading geographical data,which would facilitate the work of cartographers accustomed to GIS software.That is why we present MapMorphy,a tool specifically developed for this task.An example on ancient maps illustrates the method.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31560604,31160433)the Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(2015GXNSFAA139071)
文摘The morphological characteristics of the hind wing venation of tetrigids were analyzed on the basis of morphometric measurement, with 20 species and 18 different variables selected for this study. Results show that three principal components have a higher load at the length between the starting point of the costal vein and the tip of the fourth anal vein, between the tip of the costal vein and the tip of the third anal vein, and between the tip of the costal vein and the tip of the eleventh anal vein. There exists a contrast between wing length and width.
基金funded by the Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales,Universidad de Buenos AiresCentro Nacional de Diagnóstico e Investigación en Endemo-Epidemias,Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud "Dr.Carlos G.Malbrán"
文摘Blaptica dubia(Serville, 1838) and B. interior Hebard, 1921 were considered to be cryptic species. The characteristics originally proposed for their identification are not reliable.Thus the relationship between the two species should be re-considered. As a comparative approach and to analyze intraspecific variability, morphological and morphometric methods were performed. Traditional and new characters such as wing shape and pronotum contour were utilized. We found significant differences between both species(p <0.05) in the shape of the wing, but there was an overlap of values. We did not find differences in the body measurements or in the shape and size of the pronotum between the species. The variability gradient does not allow an accurate identification of species neither with the male genitalia or the pronotal macula.Based on the obtained results, B. interior Hebard 1921 is considered to be a junior synonym of B. dubia(Serville, 1838).
文摘Traditional Dipodomys(sub)species identification uses geography,phenotype,and external/skull measurements.Such measurements are correlated with size and thus redundant.I assessed the value of scaled cranial shape,based on two-dimensional landmarks(analyzed using geometric morphometric methods)in distinguishing Dipodomys taxa,and in summarizing their variation.My dataset includes 601 adult specimens from 20 species(49 operational taxonomic units-OTUs)across 190 localities.Cranial shape was highly useful in classifying Dipodomys taxa without considering geography.The auditory bulla was the most variable region—taxa differed in its hypertrophy,accompanied by different degrees of nearby structure crowding.Cranial shape was weakly allometric,with no significant sexual dimorphism.Weak size dimorphism was detected.(Sub)specific taxonomy is not reflective of shape variation,as the number of subspecies per species is not associated with disparity.Shape had significant phylogenetic signal,but subspecies did not always cluster with conspecifics and species did not always cluster according to phylogenetic relationship/taxonomy.Shape variation was correlated with climate,and species differed in morphological disparity and degree of specialization,which may contribute to divergence in shape variation patterns from phylogeny.D.deserti was the most specialized species,diverging greatly from the genus mean;D.heermanni was the least specialized.This study provides new insights into morphological variation of North American keystone species,several of conservation interest,for example,D.heermanni berkeleyensis,D.h.dixoni,D.nitratoides brevinasus,and D.n.nitratoides.
文摘A relatively well-preserved rodent fossil,including its incisors,cheek teeth,and postcranial skeleton,was collected from the Baiyin Obo in Siziwang Banner,Nei Mongol.A multifaceted research approach was undertaken in this study to conduct a comprehensive analysis on the newly discovered specimen.Based on a morphological comparison,the new specimen was identified as Hulgana cf.H.ertnia within the Ischyromyidae family.Incisive enamel microstructure analysis revealed the typical pauciserial enamel structure of Hulgana.Bone histological analysis indicates that the specimen represents a juvenile individual,which is consistent with the ontogenetic stage indicated by dental developmental stage and wear pattern.The application of geometric morphometrics to the calcaneus and bone histology of the femur and phalanx further substantiates the taxonomic classification of Hulgana as a terrestrial and cursorial rodent,exhibiting a degree of fossorial ability.This classification is analogous to that of certain extant cricetids and ground squirrels.
基金in part kindly supported by the Croatian Science Foundation(DinDRY project,UIP-2020-02-5385,grant to A.B.).
文摘Insects are suitable model organisms for functional morphology research,especially in the context of exaptation,when the same morphological trait represents an advantage in disparate niches.Phylogenetically distant groups of pygmy grasshoppers(Orthoptera:Tetrigidae)have various pronotal projections defining their general appearance and body shape.However,body shape has never been related to niche occupation in these insects,thus the aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between pronotum shape and macrohabitat adaptation in Scelimeninae,a group of Asian and Papuan tetrigids encompassing amphibious and corticolous(bark-dwelling)representatives.With the use of geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods,two morphological and functional groups were distinguished,with the body shape exhibiting a significant phylogenetic signal.The first group consists of elongated amphibious taxa(Scelimenini tribe)with highly uniform pronotum morphology,likely due to a strong selection for streamlined body shape.Stouter corticolous taxa(Discotettigini tribe)exhibit more conspicuous body shape variability,possibly increasing camouflage efficiency in tree bark habitats.Ecological divergence associated with macrohabitat adaptation may thus have been the primary driver of speciation in this insect group,but the evolutionary constraints leading to this divergence are still to be identified.
文摘The Monte Desert is characterized by a great diversity of landforms created with fluvial,alluvial which the vegetation patterns are related to.The present work has the following objectives:(1) determine whether topographical attributes,surface characteristics,soil properties and vegetation patterns vary between alluvial landforms,and(2) define whether morphometric,soil and surface properties influence vegetation patterns along alluvial landscape.Morphometric data were obtained by processing a 5 m digital elevation model.The coverage of rock fragments,fine sediments and mulch was quantified.Observations and descriptions of the soil profiles were restricted to the uppermost 50 cm.Vegetation properties were calculated using a Point Quadrat Method.The relationship between variables was evaluated through multivariate statistical analysis.The main results show the presence of 45 plant species distributed in 19 families,where shrubs are dominant.The wind effect,topographic wetness and dissection of the landscape are limiting factors of diversity.The coverage of superficial rock fragments influence vegetation coverage through the distribution and availability of rainwater.Furthermore,the different soil textures reveal that the silt content favors an increase in vegetation coverage.The presence of V horizon could condition the installation and development of vegetation in the early stages of growth.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China(No.42071060)to Fang Du.
文摘The integration and modularity of leaf morphological traits are fundamental to plant adaptations, yet their responses to diverse environmental pressures remain unclear. In this study, we investigate the roles of leaf trait integration and modularity and how they interact with environmental factors. We analyzed geometric, traditional, and functional leaf traits across 908 individuals from 72 populations of two alpine evergreen oaks, Quercus aquifolioides Rehder & E.H. Wilson and Quercus spinosa David ex Franch., distributed throughout the Himalayan-Hengduan Mountains(HHM), employing genetic assignment as a priori. Multivariate and redundancy analyses revealed that Q. aquifolioides, which inhabits harsher environments, exhibits lower trait integration and greater morphological flexibility, allowing for dynamic adaptation to fluctuating conditions. In contrast, Q. spinosa, thriving in milder environments, demonstrates stronger integration and stability in leaf morphology, facilitating resource optimization and providing a competitive advantage. Notable differences in modularity between the two species were observed, particularly in specific leaf traits, as revealed by structural equation modeling(SEM) analysis. These results underscore the adaptive significance of leaf trait integration and modularity in extreme environments and highlight the critical role of leaf morphology in enhancing species resilience.
