TY - JOUR

T1 - Outline analysis as a new method for investigating development in fossil crabs

AU - Braig, Florian

AU - Torres, Gabriela

AU - Gimenez Noya, Luis

AU - Haug, Joachim

PY - 2024/4/30

Y1 - 2024/4/30

N2 - Geometric morphometrics offer various methods that are often used in the analysis of fossil specimens, due to the specimen’s morphological nature. One of these methods, outline analysis, can be applied to compare the shape of specimens in various contexts. Here, we use outline analysis to investigate the developmental stages of fossil specimens. We use the extant European shore crab to test a pipeline where elliptic Fourier analysis and discriminant function analysis are used to provide an objective interpretation of a specimens’ developmental stage. We then test the pipeline, using a case of a recently redescribed juvenile fossil crab (Liocarcinus oligocenicus). We find, that in data sets without phylogenetic variation, this pipeline works well in identifying developmental stages. However, it is less efficient when data sets increase in noise. Furthermore, Carcinus maenas expresses a clear morphological separation between juveniles and adults.

AB - Geometric morphometrics offer various methods that are often used in the analysis of fossil specimens, due to the specimen’s morphological nature. One of these methods, outline analysis, can be applied to compare the shape of specimens in various contexts. Here, we use outline analysis to investigate the developmental stages of fossil specimens. We use the extant European shore crab to test a pipeline where elliptic Fourier analysis and discriminant function analysis are used to provide an objective interpretation of a specimens’ developmental stage. We then test the pipeline, using a case of a recently redescribed juvenile fossil crab (Liocarcinus oligocenicus). We find, that in data sets without phylogenetic variation, this pipeline works well in identifying developmental stages. However, it is less efficient when data sets increase in noise. Furthermore, Carcinus maenas expresses a clear morphological separation between juveniles and adults.

U2 - 10.26879/1207

DO - 10.26879/1207

M3 - Article

JO - Palaeontologica Electronica

JF - Palaeontologica Electronica

SN - 1094-8074

ER -