Authors

Olmo Zavala-Romero, Dennis Slice

Title

A new method for the analysis of soft tissues with data acquired under field conditions

Abstract

Morphometric analysis of soft-tissue is particularly challenging due to the lack of homologous landmarks that can be reliably identified across time and specimens. This is particularly true when data are to be collected under field conditions. Our group has developed a method that combines photogrammetric techniques and geometric morphometrics methods (GMM) to quantify soft tissues for their subsequent volumetric analysis.

The method was developed and validated using wax models of the perineal region of female Barbary macaques. These regions, shown on figure 1, develop distinct anogenital swellings during sexually active phases and are of considerable interest not only to male macaques, but also to primatologists interested in their function. Their dynamic and landmark-poor structure, however, is a major impediment to their quantitative study.