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Principal component and discriminant analyses as powerful tools to support taxonomic identification and their use for functional and phylogenetic signal detection of isolated fossil shark teeth

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  • Giuseppe Marramà
  • Jürgen Kriwet

Abstract

Identifying isolated teeth of fossil selachians only based on qualitative characters is sometimes hindered by similarity in their morphology, resulting often in heated taxonomic debates. On the other hand, the use of quantitative characters (i.e. measurements) has been often neglected or underestimated in characterization and identification of fossil teeth of selachians. Here we show that, employing a robust methodological protocol based on principal component and discriminant analyses on a sample of 175 isolated fossil teeth of lamniform sharks, the traditional morphometrics can be useful to support and complement the classic taxonomic identification made on qualitative features. Furthermore, we show that discriminant analysis can be successfully useful to assign indeterminate isolated shark teeth to a certain taxon. Finally, the degree of separation of the clusters might be used to predict functional and probably also phylogenetic signals in lamniform shark teeth. However, this needs to be tested in the future employing teeth of more extant and extinct lamniform sharks and it must be pointed out that this approach does not replace in any way the qualitative analysis, but it is intended to complement and support it.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuseppe Marramà & Jürgen Kriwet, 2017. "Principal component and discriminant analyses as powerful tools to support taxonomic identification and their use for functional and phylogenetic signal detection of isolated fossil shark teeth," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(11), pages 1-22, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0188806
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188806
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brandon P Hedrick & Peter Dodson, 2013. "Lujiatun Psittacosaurids: Understanding Individual and Taphonomic Variation Using 3D Geometric Morphometrics," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(8), pages 1-13, August.
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    1. Maria D Christodoulou & Nicholas Hugh Battey & Alastair Culham, 2018. "Can you make morphometrics work when you know the right answer? Pick and mix approaches for apple identification," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, October.

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