全球锹甲的几何形态学数据集

几何形态学是通过定量分析手段对生物的形态特征在几何空间中的变化进行测量, 并将这些测量得到的信息转变为数字信息进行统计学分析以达到形态特征间比较的目的, 目前被越来越多地用于探索生物的特征进化和多样性研究。先前的研究通常提取、比对生物的间断性特征信息用以类群之间的划分, 针对连续性特征研究的缺乏使得有关生物进化和形态学的相关知识变得匮乏。锹甲(鞘翅目: 锹甲科)由于其性二型、雄虫多型性和独特的习性成为形态学研究的重要类群。基于此, 本研究中我们提供了一个包含1,302种锹甲成虫(涵盖全世界99%已知种)的形态学数据集, 数据集包含锹甲的典型的连续性特征, 即前胸背板和鞘翅的外轮廓形态。我们提供的数据集为甲虫的生物多样性、系统发育和进化生物学在内的多个学科的研究提供基础。

A geometric morphometric dataset of stag beetles

Stag beetles (Coleoptera: Lucanidae) have become an important model group for morphological research due to their sexual dimorphism, male polymorphism, and unique behaviors. Here we present a preliminary database of geometric morphometrics for 1,302 stag beetles, which includes nearly 99% of described species from around the world. This new dataset comprises morphological information from two continuous traits, the curves of the pronotum and elytron, both of which are typical characters of stag beetles. Two curves were measured from the left contours of the pronotum and elytron to represent their external forms. Curve 1 was measured from the middle of the anterior margin of the pronotum to the middle of the posterior margin of the pronotum. Curve 2 started from the anterior margin of the left elytron and terminated at the rear edge. Each curve was resampled into 25 and 50 equally spaced semi-landmarks, respectively. Our dataset provides a baseline for future research in several disciplines, including biodiversity, phylogeny and evolutionary biology.