Doctoral Dissertation Research: Investigating taxonomic efficacy of the skeleton in a primate genus

博士论文研究：研究灵长类属骨骼的分类学功效

• 批准号: 1945735
• 负责人: Noreen von Cramon-Taubadel
• 金额: $ 2.32万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Buffalo
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-03-15 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1945735&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Investigating; taxonomic; Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Investigating; taxonomic

The classification of species based on skeletal morphology (shape) often has been focused on characteristics of the cranium (skull). However, research has also begun to address the taxonomic signal of other parts of the skeleton. This doctoral dissertation project will use state-of-the art 3D scanning technology to provide a systematic taxonomic assessment of the cranium and numerous post-cranial skeletal elements among closely related species of macaques. Macaques are an ideal model system because they are geographically widespread, there are numerous species, and they occupy a wide range of dietary and climatic niches. The results will provide novel insights into which aspects of skeletal morphology best reflect the genetic relationships of macaques, as well as which bones best reflect dietary, locomotor, and environmental differences among species. Findings in extant primates also will inform the study of fossil species where genetic information is typically not available. The research advances the career of a female scientist, and results will be disseminated to K-12 students from historically underrepresented groups. In addition, 3D models will be used to educate students about how animals with different morphologies adapt to their environments. Public outreach also will be achieved through blog posts, workshops, and seminar presentations.This project seeks to determine if morphological data inferred from the skeleton tracks genetic distances, and therefore, can be a useful tool for species assessment. Skeletons of the relatively specious and geographically widespread macaque will be used to test the hypotheses that (1) taxonomy can be accurately predicted based on morphological patterns, and (2) post-cranial elements may reflect taxonomy at the same level, or better than, the skull. Data will consist of 3D morphometric analyses of eight macaque species and three non-macaque out-groups, each chosen for their diverse genetic, geographic and behavioral relatedness. In cases where bones do not follow the pattern expected by genetics, additional statistical analyses will be performed to test the extent to which skeletal morphology is driven by climatic, dietary or locomotor differences between species. The outcomes of this research will include a large dataset of 3D bone scans from a single primate genus, which will be publicly shared. Moreover, the results will provide an important bridge between the analysis of living primate species and extinct fossil species for which only fragmentary skeletal morphology is known.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

基于骨骼形态（形状）物种的分类通常集中在颅骨（头骨）的特征上。但是，研究还开始解决骨骼其他部位的分类信号。该博士学位论文项目将使用最先进的3D扫描技术来对紧密相关的猕猴物种中的颅骨和许多颅后骨骼元素进行系统的分类评估。猕猴是理想的模型系统，因为它们在地理上是广泛的，有许多物种，并且占据了广泛的饮食和气候生态位。结果将提供新的见解，以了解哪些骨骼形态的方面最好反映猕猴的遗传关系，以及哪些骨骼最好反映饮食，运动和环境差异。现存灵长类动物中的发现还将为遗传信息通常无法获得的化石物种的研究提供信息。该研究促进了一位女科学家的职业，结果将被传播给历史上代表性不足的团体的K-12学生。此外，3D模型将用于教育学生有关具有不同形态的动物如何适应其环境。公众推广还将通过博客文章，研讨会和研讨会演示来实现。本项目旨在确定从骨架轨迹轨迹轨道轨道探索的形态数据是否可以成为物种评估的有用工具。相对优势和地理上广泛的猕猴的骨骼将用于测试（1）基于形态学模式可以准确预测（1）分类法，并且（2）颅后元素可能反映出在同一水平上的分类法，或者比Skull更好。数据将由八种猕猴物种和三个非宏观群体组成的3D形态分析组成，每个分析都是为了各种遗传，地理和行为相关性而选择的。如果骨骼不遵循遗传学预期的模式，将进行其他统计分析，以测试由物种之间的气候，饮食或运动差异驱动骨骼形态的程度。这项研究的结果将包括来自单个灵长类动物属的大量3D骨扫描数据集，将公开共享。此外，结果将在对活灵林物种的分析和灭绝的化石物种之间提供重要的桥梁，仅知道零碎的骨骼形态。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查标准通过评估来获得支持。