Morphometrics

Size of genera in the extinct bird family Confuciusornithidae, compared to a human (1.75 meter tall). A. Changchengornis. Based on the holotype.[1] B. Confuciusornis. Based on several specimens of about the same size.[2] C. Eoconfuciusornis. Based on the holotype IVPP V11977.[3][4]
Measuring shell length in bog turtles.

Morphometrics (from Greek μορϕή morphe, "shape, form", and -μετρία metria, "measurement") or morphometry[5] refers to the quantitative analysis of form, a concept that encompasses size and shape. Morphometric analyses are commonly performed on organisms, and are useful in analyzing their fossil record, the impact of mutations on shape, developmental changes in form, covariances between ecological factors and shape, as well for estimating quantitative-genetic parameters of shape. Morphometrics can be used to quantify a trait of evolutionary significance, and by detecting changes in the shape, deduce something of their ontogeny, function or evolutionary relationships. A major objective of morphometrics is to statistically test hypotheses about the factors that affect shape.

"Morphometrics", in the broader sense, is also used to precisely locate certain areas of organs such as the brain,[6][7] and in describing the shapes of other things.

  1. ^ Chiappe, L.M.; et al. (1999). "A new Late Mesozoic Confuciusornithid Bird from China" (PDF). Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 19 (1): 1–7. Bibcode:1999JVPal..19....1Q. doi:10.1080/02724634.1999.10011117.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ Norell, M.A.; et al. (1999). "Anatomy and systematics of the Confuciusornithidae (Theropoda: Aves) from the late Mesozoic of northeastern China" (PDF). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 242: 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-19. Retrieved 2013-03-02.
  3. ^ Benton, M.J.; et al. (2008). "A primitive confuciusornithid bird from China and its implications for early avian flight". Science in China Series D: Earth Sciences. 51 (5): 625–639. Bibcode:2008ScChD..51..625Z. doi:10.1007/s11430-008-0050-3. S2CID 84157320.
  4. ^ Chiappe, L.M.; et al. (2008). "Life history of a basal bird: morphometrics of the Early Cretaceous Confuciusornis". Biology Letters. 4 (6): 719–723. doi:10.1098/rsbl.2008.0409. PMC 2614169. PMID 18832054.
  5. ^ "Home : Oxford English Dictionary". oed.com. Retrieved 21 April 2018.
  6. ^ González Ballester, Miguel Ángel (1999). "Morphometric Analysis of Brain Structures in MRI" (PDF). Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique.
  7. ^ Chollet, Madeleine B.; Aldridge, Kristina; Pangborn, Nicole; Weinberg, Seth M.; DeLeon, Valerie B.; Baron, Jean-Claude (28 January 2014). "Landmarking the Brain for Geometric Morphometric Analysis: An Error Study". PLOS ONE. 9 (1): e86005. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...986005C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0086005. PMC 3904856. PMID 24489689.