A Classification of Feline Skulls by Means of Geometric Morphometric Techniques

Abstract

Geometric morphometrics is a powerful tool for the study of morphological variation that possesses numerous advantages over more traditional approaches based on linear measurements. Here, the skull morphologies of 42 adult museum specimens of different species belonging to the family Felidae were analysed in order to assess the reliability of classifying two specimens labelled as Panthera sp. Using this technique. According to the results obtained, these specimens can be assigned to Panthera pardus. This is not just a contribution to the traceability of these museum pieces, but primarily an exemplification of the validity of geometric morphometric methods for classifying biological specimens.