scholarly journals New Geometric Morphometric Insights in Digital Taphonomy: Analyses into the Sexual Dimorphism of Felids through Their Tooth Pits

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 7848
Author(s):  
Darío Herranz-Rodrigo ◽  
Silvia J. Tardáguila-Giacomozzi ◽  
Lloyd A. Courtenay ◽  
Juan-José Rodríguez-Alba ◽  
Antonio Garrucho ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Applied Statistics ◽  
Panthera Tigris ◽  
Panthera Pardus ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
New Horizons ◽  
Carnivore Species ◽  
Felid Species

Recent studies using geometric morphometrics for taphonomy have yielded interesting results, opening new horizons of research in both archaeological and paleontological sites. Here we present the analysis of tooth pits left by male and female individuals of two different carnivore species (Panthera tigris and Panthera pardus) in order to see if sexual dimorphism influences the morphology of tooth pit marks. In the process, 3D-scanning and applied statistics were used. Based on samples derived from two individuals of different sexes, the present results indicate sexual dimorphism in these felid species to not be a conditioning factor of tooth pit morphology.

A Geometric Morphometric Assessment of Hand Shape and Comparison to the 2D:4D Digit Ratio as a Marker of Sexual Dimorphism

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 590-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. Sanfilippo ◽  
Alex W. Hewitt ◽  
Jenny A. Mountain ◽  
David A. Mackey
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Shape Analysis ◽  
Twin Studies ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Shape Variation ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Hand Shape ◽  
Physical Traits ◽  
Biological Shape

Twin studies are extremely useful for investigating hypotheses of genetic influence on a range of behavioral and physical traits in humans. Studies of physical traits, however, are usually limited to size-related biological characteristics because it is inherently difficult to quantify the morphological counterpart – shape. In recent years, the development of geometry-preserving analytical techniques built upon multivariate statistical methodologies has produced a new discipline in biological shape analysis known as geometric morphometrics. In this study of hand shape analysis, we introduce the reader already familiar with the field of twin research to the potential utility of geometric morphometrics and demonstrate the cross-discipline applicability of methods. We also investigate and compare the efficacy of the 2D:4D ratio, a commonly used marker of sexual dimorphism, to the fully multivariate approach of shape analysis in discriminating between male and female sex. Studies of biological shape variation utilizing geometric morphometric techniques may be completed with software freely available on the Internet and time invested to master the small learning curve in concepts and theory.

No functional sexual dimorphism in Minorcan horse assessed by geometric morphometric methods

2015 ◽  
Vol 56 ◽  
pp. 91-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pere M. Parés-Casanova ◽  
C. Allés
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Lateral View ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Size And Shape ◽  
Morphometric Methods ◽  
Nw Mediterranean ◽  
Nw Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Age Range ◽  
Shape And Size

SummaryThe existence of sexual dimorphism in the Minorcan horse, an autochthonous breed from Minorca Island in the Balearic archipelago (NW Mediterranean Sea), is established in the official standard, with females being shorter and longer than males as well as having slenderer necks and a squarer croup. However, no study so far has explored the size and shape components of this dimorphism separately. The aim of this study was to analyse the morphology of this breed using geometric morphometric methods in order to find size and shape differences between sire lines. The analysis was based on landmarks digitized in lateral view from 38 registered adult Minorcan horses (20 males and 18 females) within an age range of 3–14 years (average 7 years) with different performance goals. The analyses did not reveal any significant differences between the “shape” and “size” of male and female animals, for the landmarks studied, so the sexes are functionally similar.

scholarly journals Molecular Identification and Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Haematobosca aberrans (Diptera: Muscidae)

Insects ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tanasak Changbunjong ◽  
Jiraporn Ruangsittichai ◽  
Gerard Duvallet ◽  
Adrian C. Pont
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Morphometric Analysis ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Wing Shape ◽  
Coi Gene ◽  
Morphological Identification ◽  
Data Systems ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Geometric Morphometric Analysis

The genus Haematobosca Bezzi, 1907 (Diptera: Muscidae) contains haematophagous flies of veterinary importance. A new fly species of this genus was recognised from northern Thailand based on morphological characters and described as Haematobosca aberrans Pont, Duvallet & Changbunjong, 2020. In the present study, the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene was used to confirm the morphological identification of H. aberrans. In addition, landmark-based geometric morphometrics was used to determine sexual dimorphism. The molecular analysis was conducted with 10 COI sequences. The results showed that all sequences were 100% identical. The sequence was not highly similar to reference sequences from GenBank and did not match any identified species from Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD). Phylogenetic analysis clearly differentiated this species from other species within the subfamily Stomoxyinae. For geometric morphometric analysis, a total of 16 wing pictures were analysed using the landmark-based approach. The results showed significant differences in wing shape between males and females, with a cross-validated classification score of 100%. The allometric analysis showed that wing shape has no correlation with size. Therefore, the COI gene is effective in species identification of H. aberrans, and geometric morphometrics is also effective in determining sexual dimorphism.

scholarly journals Shape and size variations of Aegla uruguayana (Anomura, Aeglidae) under laboratory conditions: A geometric morphometric approach to the growth

2015 ◽  
Vol 105 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valeria P. Diawol ◽  
Federico Giri ◽  
Pablo A. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Individual Growth ◽  
Freshwater Crab ◽  
Dorsal Region ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
Life Cycle Stages ◽  
Morphometric Methods ◽  
Shape And Size

Crustacean growth studies typically use modal analysis rather than focusing on the growth of individuals. In the present work, we use geometric morphometrics to determine how organism shape and size varies during the life of the freshwater crab, Aegla uruguayana Schmitt, 1942. A total of 66 individuals from diverse life cycle stages were examined daily and each exuvia was recorded. Digital images of the dorsal region of the cephalothorax were obtained for each exuvia and were subsequently used to record landmark configurations. Moult increment and intermoult period were estimated for each crab. Differences in shape between crabs of different sizes (allometry) and sexes (sexual dimorphism; SD) were observed. Allometry was registered among specimens; however, SD was not statistically significant between crabs of a given size. The intermoult period increased as size increased, but the moult frequency was similar between the sexes. Regarding ontogeny, juveniles had short and blunt rostrum, robust forehead region, and narrow cephalothorax. Unlike juveniles crabs, adults presented a well-defined anterior and posterior cephalothorax region. The rostrum was long and stylised and the forehead narrow. Geometric morphometric methods were highly effective for the analysis of aeglid-individual- growth and avoided excessive handling of individuals through exuvia analysis.

Comparative assessment of average clinical smile parameters in male and female patients with orthognathic occlusion

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-126
Author(s):  
V. G. Galonsky ◽  
N. V. Tarasova ◽  
V. V. Aliamovskii ◽  
I. S. Leonovich
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Young Females ◽  
Female Patients ◽  
Evaluation Of Parameters ◽  
Distinguishing Features ◽  
Vertical Size ◽  
Relative Concept ◽  
The Ideal

Relevance. Separate issues in anthropomorphic sizes of relative norm of the ideal smile, its qualitative and qualitative parameters have not been addressed to sufficiently and are not properly reflected in scientific literature.Purpose. To determine distinguishing features in average smile parameters of the smile in male and female patients with orthognathic occlusion.Materials and methods. A clinical and anthropometric evaluation of parameters in main smile types was carried out for 150 young males and 150 young females aged 19-24 who had identical physiological development parameters.Results. It has been revealed that occurrence frequency of main smile types in patients with orthognathic occlusion has pronounced signs of sexual dimorphism which in over one half of the cases lies in predominance of the incisal smile type in males (52.7%) and the fascial type in females (55.3%). Occurence frequency of the cervical smile type totaled 25% among the studied patients of both genders. Average vertical size parameters in the incisal smile lies within the diapason of 3.91-4.91mm with surpassing by 1mm in males. Analogical data for the fascial smile type form the diapason of 6.21-6.73mm with surpassing by 0.52mm in females. The cervical smile type is characterised by larger vertical size forming the diapason of 7.94-8.91mm with surpassing by 0.97mm in males.Conclusion. The results of the study have shown that the “beautiful and ideal smile” is a relative concept having varied anthropometric characteristics and pronounced signs of sexual dimorphism lying in a broad spectrum of the dentofacial system norm notion with specific vectors for individual morphological deviations.

scholarly journals Sex-dependent dynamics of metabolism in primary mouse hepatocytes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luise Hochmuth ◽  
Christiane Körner ◽  
Fritzi Ott ◽  
Daniela Volke ◽  
Kaja Blagotinšek Cokan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Model Systems ◽  
Specific Gene ◽  
Primary Hepatocytes ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Primary Mouse

AbstractThe liver is one of the most sexually dimorphic organs. The hepatic metabolic pathways that are subject to sexual dimorphism include xenobiotic, amino acid and lipid metabolism. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma are among diseases with sex-dependent prevalence, progression and outcome. Although male and female livers differ in their abilities to metabolize foreign compounds, including drugs, sex-dependent treatment and pharmacological dynamics are rarely applied in all relevant cases. Therefore, it is important to consider hepatic sexual dimorphism when developing new treatment strategies and to understand the underlying mechanisms in model systems. We isolated primary hepatocytes from male and female C57BL6/N mice and examined the sex-dependent transcriptome, proteome and extracellular metabolome parameters in the course of culturing them for 96 h. The sex-specific gene expression of the general xenobiotic pathway altered and the female-specific expression of Cyp2b13 and Cyp2b9 was significantly reduced during culture. Sex-dependent differences of several signaling pathways increased, including genes related to serotonin and melatonin degradation. Furthermore, the ratios of male and female gene expression were inversed for other pathways, such as amino acid degradation, beta-oxidation, androgen signaling and hepatic steatosis. Because the primary hepatocytes were cultivated without the influence of known regulators of sexual dimorphism, these results suggest currently unknown modulatory mechanisms of sexual dimorphism in vitro. The large sex-dependent differences in the regulation and dynamics of drug metabolism observed during cultivation can have an immense influence on the evaluation of pharmacodynamic processes when conducting initial preclinical trials to investigate potential new drugs.

scholarly journals Morphological and Genetic Structure of Two Equivalent Astyanax Species (Characiformes: Characidae) in the Region of Paranaíba Arc

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renan Rodrigues Rocha ◽  
Rosana de Mesquita Alves ◽  
Rubens Pasa ◽  
Karine Frehner Kavalco
Keyword(s):  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Haplotype Network ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
The Body ◽  
Present Species ◽  
Body Depth ◽  
Geometric Morphometric

The Astyanax scabripinnis complex is composed of a large number of almost morphological indistinguishable species, including Astyanax paranae and Astyanax rivularis, which exist in the Paraná and São Francisco Basins, respectively, and sometimes are considered subspecies of the A. scabripinnis group or even are cited just as A. scabripinnis. The two river basins are separated by the Upper Paranaíba Arc, likely the main cause of the isolation of these species. We used geometric morphometric tools and DNA analyses of populations of both species to identify the differences between them. Geometric morphometrics separated the two species into distinct groups, whose main difference was the body depth. This is generally related to the speed of the water flow in the river basins. The maximum likelihood phylogram based on mitochondrial DNA sequences formed two main clades: one composed of the population of A. rivularis and the other, of A. paranae. In the haplotype network, the species were similarly separated into two groups from the same ancestral haplotype, with A. rivularis dispersing into two lineages in the São Francisco River Basin. The distribution of A. paranae is a consequence of a secondary dispersion event in the Paraná River Basin. It forms two lineages from a haplotype derived from the ancestor. The vicariant effect of separate basins, through the elevation of the Upper Paranaíba Arc, led to the allopatric speciation of the populations originating the present species. The results of geometric morphometrics and molecular data of the fish show the importance of this geological event in the biogeography and evolutionary history of the ichthyofauna of the region and indicate that the isolation of these species seems to be effective.

Intersexual and intrasexual selection for neck musculature in men: Attractiveness, dominance, and actual fighting success

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Robert Caton ◽  
David M. G. Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Human Anatomy ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
World Region ◽  
Sexual Characteristics ◽  
Neck Strength ◽  
Neck Musculature ◽  
Secondary Sexual

Countless organisms are equipped with physiological armor that reduce damage from opponents. Because humans have sustained a long evolutionary history of hand-to-hand combat, selection would have been placed on morphological structures which reduce rotational acceleration to the head and increase the likelihood of victory. Grounded in over 60 years of sports performance theory and recent theoretical work in evolutionary biology, geometric morphometric analyses revealed that larger neck musculature in professional combatants (N = 715) was associated with greater real-world fighting success, after for adjusting for allometry (Study 1). Because sexual dimorphism emerges from selection on morphological structures that improve men’s fighting success, we then discovered that the human neck is the most sexually dimorphic feature of human anatomy when compared to 91 other anatomical features (N = 6,068; Study 2). This male-biased sexual dimorphism held after controlling for these 91 allometric measurements, and held across every world region (Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and North, Central, and South America). Because human psychological systems consequently evolved to attend to men’s secondary sexual characteristics, we discovered that men (N = 564 stimuli) with larger neck musculature (Study 3: geometric morphometrics; Study 4: physiological neck strength; Study 5: photorealistic stimuli) are rated (N = 772 raters) as stronger, more masculine, and higher in fighting ability and short-term attractiveness, after accounting for allometry. Combined, our research introduced a new secondary sexual characteristic to the biological, anthropological, and psychological sciences: the human neck.

Comparative analysis of shape variation in the cone scales of Larix dahurica and L. cajanderi (Pinaceae)

2021 ◽  
pp. 47-67
Author(s):  
Valentina P. Vetrova ◽  
◽  
Alexey P. Barchenkov ◽  
Nadezhda V. Sinelnikova ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Baikal Region ◽  
Canonical Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Shape Variation ◽  
Geometric Morphometric ◽  
The North ◽  
Larch Species ◽  
Geometric Morphometric Analysis ◽  
Cone Scale

Geometric morphometric analysis of shape variation in the cone scales of two closely related larch species, Larix dahurica Laws. (=Larix gmelinii (Rupr.) Rupr) and L. cajanderi Mayr, was carried out. The data on the taxonomy and distribution of L. dahurica and L. cajanderi are contradictory. The taxonomic status of L. cajanderi has been confirmed by the genetic and morphological studies performed in Russia and based on considerable evidence, but the species has not been recognized internationally, being considered as a synonym of Larix gmelinii var. gmelinii. In the systematics of larch, morphological characters of the generative organs are mainly used as diagnostic markers, among the most important being the shape variation of the cone scales. The aim of this study was to test geometric morphometrics as a tool for analyzing differentiation of L. dahurica and L. cajanderi in the shape of their cone scales. Characterization of shape variations in cone scales using geometric morphometric methods consists in digitizing points along an outline of scales followed by analysis of partial warps, describing individual differences in coordinates of the outline points. We studied the populations of L. dahurica from Evenkia and the Trans-Baikal region and six L. cajanderi populations from Yakutia and Magadan Oblast. In each population, we analyzed samples of 100-150 cones collected from 20-30 trees. Scales taken from the middle part of the cones were scanned using an Epson Perfection V500 Photo. On the scanned images, outline points were placed with a TPSDig program (Rolf, 2010), using angular algorithm (Oreshkova et al., 2015). The data were processed and analyzed using Integrated Morphometrics Programs (IMP) software (http://www.canisius.edu/~sheets/ morphsoft.html, Sheets, 2001), following the guidelines on geometric morphometrics in biology (Pavlinov, Mikeshina, 2002; Zelditch et al., 2004). Initial coordinates of the scale landmarks were aligned with the mean structure for L. dahurica and L. cajanderi cone scales using Procrustes superimposition in the CoordGen6 program. PCA based on covariances of partial warp scores was applied to reveal directions of variation in the shape of the cone scales. The relative deformations of the cone scales (PCA scores) were used as shape variables for statistical comparisons of these two larch species with canonical discriminant analysis. Morphotypes of the cone scales were distinguished in L. dahurica populations by pairwise comparison of samples from trees in the TwoGroup6h program using Bootstrap resampling-based Goodall’s F-test (Sheets, 2001). Samples from the trees in which the cone scales differed significantly (p < 0.01) were considered to belong to different morphotypes. Morphotypes distinguished in L. dahurica populations were compared with the morphotypes that we had previously determined in L. cajanderi populations. The composition and the frequency of occurrence of morphotypes were used to determine phenotypic distances between populations (Zhivotovskii, 1991). Multidimensional scaling matrix of the phenotypic distances was applied for ordination of larch populations. In this research, we revealed differentiation of L. dahurica and L. cajanderi using geometric morphometric analysis of the shape variation of cone scales. The results of PCA of partial warp scores exposed four principal components, which account for 90% of total explained variance in the shape of the cone scales in the two larch species. Graphical representations of these shape transformations in the vector form characterized directions of shape variability in scales corresponding to the maximum and minimum values of four principal components (See Fig. 2). PCA-ordination of the larch populations revealed some difference in the shape variation of the cone scales in L. dahurica and L. cajanderi (See Fig. 3). The results of canonical discriminant analysis of relative deformations of scales showed differentiation of the populations of the two larch species (See Fig. 4). Eleven morphotypes were identified in L. dahurica cones from Evenkia and nine morphotypes in the Ingoda population, three of the morphotypes being common for both populations (See Fig. 5). The shape of L. dahurica cone scales varied from spatulate to oval and their apical margins from weakly sinuate to distinctly sinuate. The Trans-Baikal population was dominated by scales with obtuse (truncate) and rounded apexes. The obtained morphotypes were compared with 25 cone scale morphotypes previously distinguished in the Yakut and the Magadan L. cajanderi populations (See Fig. 3). Four similar morphotypes of cone scales were revealed in the North-Yeniseisk population of L. dahurica and the Yakut populations of L. cajanderi. The differences between them in the populations of the two larch species were nonsignificant (p > 0.01). All morphotypes of cone scales from the Ingoda population of L. dahurica differed significantly from L. cajanderi cone scale morphotypes. The results of multidimensional scaling phenotypic distance matrix calculated based on the similarity of morphotypes of L. dahurica and L. cajanderi populations were consistent with the results of their differentiation based on relative deformations of scales obtained using canonical discriminant analysis (See Fig. 4 and Fig. 7). In spite of the differences in the shape of the cone scales between the North-Yeniseisk and the Trans-Baikal populations of L. dahurica, they both differed from L. cajanderi populations. Thus, phenotypic analysis confirmed differentiation of these two larch species. Despite the similarities between a number of morphotypes, the Yakut L. cajanderi populations were differentiated from L. dahurica populations. Significant differences were noted between intraspecific groups: between L. cajanderi populations from Okhotsk-Kolyma Upland and Yakutia and between L. dahurica populations from Evenkia and the Trans-Baikal region (See Fig. 4). The similarities between species and intraspecific differences may be attributed to the ongoing processes of hybridization and species formation in the region where the ranges of the larches overlap with the ranges of L. czekanowskii Szafer and L. dahurica×L. cajanderi hybrids. Geometric morphometrics can be used as an effective tool for analyzing differentiation of L. dahurica and L. cajanderi in the shape of their cone scales.

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