A three-dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the morphological transformation of Caiman lower jaw during post-hatching ontogeny.

ABSTRACT: Shape ontogenetic changes of the lower jaw in crocodylians are poorly understood. In order to answer some questions related to the inter- and intraspecific morphological variation of the mandible of two extant Caiman species, we performed a three-dimensional geometric morphometric approach. For this purpose, we used landmarks and semilandmarks on two ontogenetic mandibular series of 48 and 15 post-hatching specimens of C. yacare and C. latirostris, respectively. We have also examined the relationship between these anatomical transformations and ontogenetic shifts in diet. We performed a principal component analysis (PCA) for the two species, and regression and partial least squares (PLS) analyses for each species, separately. As a result, species were segregated along

SUBMITTER: Fernandez Blanco MV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10349558 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature