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| A web based tool to merge geometric morphometric data from multiple characters |
| Ming Bai1 *, Jing Li2, Wencheng Wang2, Rolf G. Beutel3, Benjamin Wipfler1, 3, Wangang Liu1, 5, Sha Li1, 5, Mengna Zhang1, 5, Yuanyuan Lu1, 5, Xingke Yang1 * |
| 1Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China 2State Key Laboratory of Computer Science, Institute of Software, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China 3Institut für Spezielle Zoologie und Evolutionsbiologie, FSU Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany 4University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100039, China |
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Abstract Geometric morphometrics (GM) is an important method of shape analysis and increasingly used in a wide range of scientific disciplines. Presently, a single character comparison system of geometric morphometric data is used in almost all empirical studies, and this approach is sufficient for many scientific problems. However, the estimation of overall similarity among taxa or objects based on multiple characters is crucial in a variety of contexts (e.g. (semi-)automated identification, phenetic relationships, tracing of character evolution, phylogenetic reconstruction). Here we propose a new web-based tool for merging several geometric morphometrics data files from multiple characters into a single data file. Using this approach information from multiple characters can be compared in combination and an overall similarity estimate can be obtained in a convenient and geometrically rigorous manner. To illustrate our method, we provide an example analysis of 25 dung beetle species with seven Procrustes superimposed landmark data files representing the morphological variation of body features: the epipharynx, right mandible, pronotum, elytra, hindwing, and the metendosternite in dorsal and lateral view. All seven files were merged into a single one containing information on 649 landmark locations. The possible applications of such merged data files in different fields of science are discussed.
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| Fund:This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31672345, 51305057, 61379087); the Research Equipment Development Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (YZ201509); and by a Humboldt Fellowship (M.B.) from Alexander von Humboldt Foundation |
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Corresponding Authors:
Ming Bai; Xingke Yang
E-mail: baim@ioz.ac.cn, yangxk@ioz.ac.cn
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2017, Vol. 42 
