Traditional and geometric morphometrics for studying skull morphology during growth in Mastomys natalensis (Rodentia: Muridae)
Traditional and geometric morphometrics for studying skull morphology during growth in Mastomys natalensis (Rodentia: Muridae)
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DOI：
10.1644/10-mamm-a-331.1
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发表时间：
2011-12-01
影响因子：
1.7
通讯作者：
Van Dongen, Stefan
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Breno, Matteo;Leirs, Herwig;Van Dongen, Stefan
几何形态计量学是研究形态变化的强大工具，与基于线性测量的传统方法相比具有许多优势。我们分析了来自单个种群的 Mastomys natalensis（啮齿目：鼠科）3 种不同发育途径的头骨形态，将传统形态测量学与几何形态测量学进行比较。在早期发育过程中，生长模式受到环境因素的影响，特别是降雨模式，这与之前的报道一致，即生长轨迹根据降雨量和分布而变化。结果证实，早期生长速率是M. natalensis 3个发育途径（世代类型）中头骨大小和形状差异的主要决定因素之一。其他因素，例如食品质量和一致性，也可能发挥重要作用。总体而言，几何形态测量学在检测头骨形态变化方面比传统方法更敏感，但这两种方法都得出了非常相似的结论。表型可塑性是生态地理形态变异局部适应的另一种解释。
Geometric morphometrics is a powerful tool for the study of morphological variation that possesses numerous advantages over the more traditional approach based on linear measurements. We analyzed skull morphology, comparing traditional with geometric morphometrics, of 3 different developmental pathways in Mastomys natalensis (Rodentia: Muridae) from a single population. During early development growth patterns were influenced by environmental factors, specifically rainfall pattern, consistent with previous reports that growth trajectories vary according to the amount and distribution of rain. Results confirmed that early growth rate is one of the main determinants of size and shape differences in the skull in the 3 developmental pathways (generation types) of M. natalensis. Other factors, such as food quality and consistency, also could play an important role. Overall, geometric morphometrics appeared more sensitive than the traditional method in detecting variation in skull morphology, but both approaches led to very comparable conclusions. Phenotypic plasticity is an alternative explanation to local adaptations for ecogeographical morphological variation.