Article
Biology
J. H. Arbour, A. A. Curtis, S. E. Santana
Summary: The study found that bats underwent profound adaptive divergences in skull shape during evolution, leading to significant changes in allometric relationships and modularity.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Jesse J. Hennekam
Summary: This study analyzed the morphology of eight out of the nine extant dormouse genera, revealing species-, genus- and family-specific morphological trends in the cranium and mandible. Specific habitats and feeding strategies were found to be linked with the size and shape variations in dormouse skulls.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Pierre Galipot, Sylvain Gerber, Martine Le Guilloux, Florian Jabbour, Catherine Damerval
Summary: The study shows that the dynamics of petal shape and size during development exhibit allometric growth, with cell proliferation being the major driver of shape patterning and cell expansion predominantly influencing petal size dynamics. This research provides a quantitative basis for understanding the relationships between shape, size, and cell characteristics in the development of complex floral structures, paving the way for future evo-devo investigations into the morphological diversity of nectariferous structures in Ranunculaceae and beyond.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Emma Sherratt, Brian Kraatz
Summary: Biological variation is considered in a scalable hierarchy, and the concept of morphological integration is also hierarchical. Multilevel analyses of trait covariation offer insights into the origins and persistence of morphological diversity. This study investigates patterns of integration and modularity across different levels of biological variation using the skull of the mammalian family Leporidae as an example. The findings reveal a common pattern of modularity underlying leporid cranial diversity, with variations in each module's disparity and integration across levels.
Article
Biology
Aurelien Lowie, Barbara De Kegel, Mark Wilkinson, John Measey, James C. O'Reilly, Nathan J. Kley, Philippe Gaucher, Jonathan Brecko, Thomas Kleinteich, Luc Van Hoorebeke, Anthony Herrel, Dominique Adriaens
Summary: Differences in maximal push forces were found among caecilian species, with the aquatic Typhlonectes producing lower force compared to others. Despite significant variation in head morphology across species, no relationship between overall skull shape and push force was detected. The study confirms previous findings that differences in fossorial behavior do not appear to be driving the evolution of caecilian head shape.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Katarina Harnadkova, Karolina Kocandrlova, Lenka Kozejova Jaklova, Jan Dupej, Jana Veleminska
Summary: The study aimed to describe facial directional asymmetry (DA) in different age categories of adults using 3D methods. The results showed that there were differences in facial DA between sexes and among age groups, with the youngest males exhibiting the most pronounced asymmetry.
Article
Anthropology
Inga Bergmann, Jean-Jacques Hublin, Philipp Gunz, Sarah E. Freidline
Summary: By quantifying the relationship between mandibular shape and size, research has found that early Homo sapiens had a wide range of mandible sizes, exhibiting a unique allometric trajectory that partly explains their appearance. Early H. sapiens share some diagnostic features with later H. sapiens that are not related to mandibular sizes, such as an incipient chin and anteroposteriorly decreasing corpus height.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Mikel Arlegi, Andrea Garcia-Sagastibelza, Christine Veschambre-Couture, Asier Gomez-Olivencia
Summary: This study investigates sexual dimorphism in the first ribs of recent Euro-American Homo sapiens, revealing significant differences in size and shape between males and females due to divergent allometric growth patterns. Traditional morphometrics and geometric morphometrics approaches were compared for sex classification accuracy, with traditional morphometry slightly outperforming geometric morphometrics in this specific case.
JOURNAL OF ANATOMY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
P. Vermeiren, C. Lennard, C. Trave
Summary: The study explored the influence of sexual, allometric, and habitat factors on morphological variation in the intertidal mangrove crab assemblage. Results showed significant sexual dimorphism in claw size among different species, with claw and carapace shapes displaying high correlations and varying along a taxonomic gradient.
ESTUARIES AND COASTS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Vera Weisbecker, Timothy Rowe, Stephen Wroe, Thomas E. Macrini, Kathleen L. S. Garland, Kenny J. Travouillon, Karen Black, Michael Archer, Suzanne J. Hand, Jeri C. Berlin, Robin M. D. Beck, Sandrine Ladeveze, Alana C. Sharp, Karine Mardon, Emma Sherratt
Summary: The study on marsupial cranial endocasts reveals that brain shape is influenced by relative brain size, but there is little allometric variation with respect to centroid size and relative volume, and limited association with locomotion and previously published histological cortex volumes. Fossil species tend to have smaller cerebral hemispheres, and divergent endocast shapes are found in closely related species and within species.
Article
Forestry
Yuejuan Li, Yuanye Zhang, Pei-Chun Liao, Tianrui Wang, Xuanying Wang, Saneyoshi Ueno, Fang K. Du
Summary: The leaf morphological variation in Quercus aquifolioides is influenced by genetic, geographic, and to a lesser extent, climatic factors. Significant differentiation in leaf symmetric shape components and leaf size was observed between the Western Sichuan Plateau-Hengduan Mountains and Tibet lineages, with mixed individuals showing intermediate morphology. Variation in asymmetric components of leaf shape is weakly explained by geography.
ANNALS OF FOREST SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
O. M. Samuel, O. O. Igado, A. J. Adekanmbi
Summary: Small African pangolins are facing population decline due to captive breeding failure and trafficking. This study examines skull development in small African pangolins, finding significant asymmetry and directional fluctuating asymmetry. The shape of the foramen magnum is prioritized over size in ontogeny, suggesting a rapid cranial evolution due to natural selection constraints. The findings indicate an attenuated ability for bilateral cranial integration modules.
JOURNAL OF MAMMALIAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Geography
Barend Jacobus van der Merwe
Summary: Landform allometry, specifically in a barchan dunefield in northern Namibia, shows a combination of positive and negative allometry as the dune size increases. Differences in horn length and dune width exhibit positive allometry, while barchan bilateral asymmetry and stoss length show negative allometry. These results suggest the presence of threshold size differences leading to distinct shape changes.
SOUTH AFRICAN GEOGRAPHICAL JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Anthropology
Dagmawit Abebe Getahun, Eric Delson, Chalachew Mesfin Seyoum
Summary: Theropithecus oswaldi darti is currently recognized as the oldest Theropithecus taxon and the earliest subspecies in the Theropithecus oswaldi lineage. It is typified in South Africa and similar forms are found in Ethiopia and Kenya. Morphological comparison suggests significant differences between the South African and East African samples, indicating the possibility of distinct subspecies and different geological ages.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Alvaro Galban, Fabiana Cuezzo, Javier Torrens
Summary: The study on Camponotus borellii workers revealed that the pronotum can be divided into two functional modules (neck and shield), providing insight into the factors influencing the polymorphic development of the worker caste. This information helps understand the relationship between pronotum and head functionally, as well as the division of labor and development within the worker caste.
NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Andrea Cardini
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH
(2017)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Amro Daboul, Tatyana Ivanovska, Robin Buelow, Reiner Biffar, Andrea Cardini
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Andrea Cardini
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Jacqueline Noble, Andrea Cardini, Ambika Flavel, Daniel Franklin
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
(2019)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Filippo Galimberti, Simona Sanvito, Maria Chiara Vinesi, Andrea Cardini
JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTIONARY RESEARCH
(2019)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Cardini Andrea
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Andrea Cardini, Paul O'Higgins, F. James Rohlf
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2019)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Andrea Cardini, P. David Polly
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2020)
Editorial Material
Anatomy & Morphology
Andrea Cardini
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Zoology
Andrea Cardini, Marika Chiapelli
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Andrea Cardini
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Andrea Cardini, Sarah Elton, Kris Kovarovic, Una Strand Vidarsdottir, P. David Polly
Summary: Accurate classification is crucial for biological research. Even with relatively small samples, species can be identified fairly accurately, but sampling errors are frequent. Medium-sized samples are necessary for accurate estimation of standard errors and minimum sample sizes are broadly similar across all groups (approximately 20-50 individuals).
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Marco Milella, Daniel Franklin, Maria Giovanna Belcastro, Andrea Cardini
Summary: The study quantifies cranial sexual dimorphism in a geographically homogeneous sample of Italian individuals from the 19th and 20th centuries, using Procrustean geometric morphometrics. Results indicate that males exhibit more variance in size and shape, with facial Procrustes form as the most accurate predictor of skeletal sex. Shape accounts for only a minor proportion of variance among cranial regions.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Andrea Cardini, Yvonne A. de Jong, Thomas M. Butynski
Summary: The classification of most mammalian orders and families is debated due to potentially unrecognized number of species. Improving taxonomic knowledge is crucial for biodiversity conservation. Geometric morphometrics applied to 2D photographs of anatomical structures is commonly used, despite introducing measurement errors when applied to 3D structures like crania. The study found that 2D analyses are suitable for assessing taxonomic diversity in patas monkeys' ventral crania, suggesting that 2D shape analyses can effectively investigate small morphological differences.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Andrea Cardini, Verderame Adolfo Marco
Summary: The superimposition methods in landmark-based geometric morphometrics are biologically arbitrary, making it difficult to use subsets of landmarks and leading to potential inaccuracies and misleading interpretations. This limitation hinders the meaningful quantification and analysis of individual landmarks.
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)