Optimal species distinction by discriminant analysis: comparing established methods of character selection with a combination procedure using ant morphometrics as a case study |
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| Authors: | K Moder B C Schlick-Steiner F M Steiner S Cremer E Christian and B Seifert |
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| Institution: | Institute of Mathematics and Applied Statistics, Department of Spatial-, Landscape-, and Infrastructure-Sciences, BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria;;Institute of Forest Entomology, Forest Pathology and Forest Protection, Department of Forest and Soil Sciences, BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria;;Institute of Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology and Biodiversity Research, BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, Austria;;Institute of Biology, Department of Population Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen East, Denmark;;State Museum of Natural History Görlitz, Görlitz, Germany |
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| Abstract: | We compare the performances of established means of character selection for discriminant analysis in species distinction with a combination procedure for finding the optimal character combination (minimum classification error, minimum number of required characters), using morphometric data sets from the ant genera Cardiocondyla , Lasius and Tetramorium . The established methods are empirical character selection as well as forward selection, backward elimination and stepwise selection of discriminant analysis. The combination procedure is clearly superior to the established methods of character selection, and is widely applicable. |
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| Keywords: | Ants biodiversity combination procedure discriminant analysis Formicidae Hymenoptera most similar species quantitative characterization sibling species |
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